Man's Potentially Life-Saving Move Caught on Camera After Full-Grown Bull Moose Appears
If you don’t live in the north, chances are you’ve only seen a moose on television.
Although these gargantuan herbivores may look harmless, they are anything but.
In Alaska, more people are injured by these antlered creatures than by bears.
One resident of the state had his own close call with one of the beasts on Jan. 11, and lived to tell the tale after some quick thinking.
Curtis Phelps was taking a bag to his shed when the creature approached, KTUU reported.
A security camera captured the moose — seemingly coming from nowhere — lumbering into the frame and approaching Phelps from behind.
Eventually, the Alaskan man noticed the animal.
Instead of panicking, Phelps pulled off a smooth move that kept him safe from the approaching moose.
With the animal only yards away, Phelps quickly ducked inside the shed.
The moose closed in, investigating the doors of the outbuilding. Eventually, the beast walked away.
Watch Phelps’ entire encounter with the moose below:
Although the moose may have seemed harmless, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has warned that these creatures are more dangerous than they look.
“A moose that sees you and walks slowly towards you is not trying to be your friend,” a page on the department’s website reads, “it may be looking for a hand-out or warning you to keep away. All of these are dangerous situations and you should back away.”
It’s unclear if the moose would have attacked the Alaskan man or simply lost interest and gone away.
Experts say actions like Phelps’ are key to walking away from a curious moose unscathed.
“Run and get behind something solid, like a tree,” the ADFG recommends, “or retreat to a safe place, like inside a building or car.”
Although moose are not usually aggressive, they will defend themselves and their young.
As wild animals, they are also unpredictable.
Thanks to the sheer weight of the moose (and a great set of defensive antlers), an unarmed human can’t put up much of a fight against one.
Thankfully, Phelps’ quick thinking put him in a safe place where this moose could do no harm.
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