Up close and personal with Bullwinkle

[Blue_In_AK]

in my next-door neighbor's front yard this morning. The first three were using the 70-300 mm (hand-held - I do love IS) and the last with the 50 mm.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. he's a big mutha. did he have that stink thing

going on? or is it too cold there for that?

[Blue_In_AK]

2. I couldn't smell him,

but I didn't want to get THAT close, if you know what I mean, especially once he noticed I was in his space. I must have been about 15 feet from him with a ways to go to my front door so I didn't want to check his vitals or anything. :)

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. Yeah, I can relate

Those are seriously wild animals.

[regnaD kciN]

4. A wise choice, because...

...møøse bites can be pretti nasti...

(with apologies to Monty Python)

;-)

[F.Gordon]

5. Damn. You have big rats up there

:)

Great photos Blue'. Question? How do you know when Moosie is pissed off? When it's time to make like Rocky and fly the hell out of there?

I don't go deep into the high country but I'm still paranoid about coming across a mountain lion or bear. Since I like going off the trail ... and I'm always by myself....

Do you and/or HullBoss pack heat when you go out?

[Blue_In_AK]

6. No, no heat...

We rely on our good karma. :) The way you tell a moose is angry with you is the hackles rise up on the back of its neck. Then it will start snorting and pawing at the ground. By the time it gets to that point, you'd better be well away from there or up a tree. I knew somebody who worked up at Denali Park many years ago who spent several hours up a tree while the moose continued to circle below. Scary. :scared:

[CC]

7. Very neat pictures

I love the first and fourth one though they are all good. The third one he looks like he is looking right at you, deciding on if he needs to clear out the area. :scared: If moose are going to come visiting often you really need a tripod and a very clean window so you can be safe and shoot photos. That is what the long lens is for, so you can take the shot and stay safe.

[Blue_In_AK]

8. I have the tripod, but my windows are dirty. :-)

Besides, these urban moose are pretty used to people. He was busy eating, and I wasn't afraid.

[CC]

10. He really does look like he

is eying you in the one pic. And I know the dirty window thing, and much too cold to try to clean them here so know it is too cold there.

[F.Gordon]

9. Yea. I rely on good karma myself

O8)

We were driving up this mountain road a couple of months ago and a mountain lion went prancing across in front of us and I actually had my camera. I wanted to go after it but Ms F wasn't thrilled with that idea and I remembered that episode of "Six Feet Under" when that jogger got wasted.

Moosie? Looks like a critter I'd rather snap with a 1000mm lens....
:scared:

[mogster]

11. Wow!

What a great animal! Amazing to have them so close to your place, no?
All I have is sparrows, lol ;-)

[Blue_In_AK]

12. They roam around all over town here

sometimes stopping traffic even in the busiest streets, just ambling from one side of the road to the other as if they don't have a care in the world. Aside from the occasional moose-car collision, we all seem to get along quite well together. Hostile encounters are rare.

[HeeBGBz]

13. Wow. You have mooses.

And they stink??

I'm not up on my moose lore.

Do they just wander in and hang out?

[intheflow]

14. That's one fiiiiiiine lookin' moose you got there!

I love the 3rd photo, Blue. The roof is the perfect backdrop to highlight his manly--erm...moosely antlers. But are his back legs really white fur, or is that some kind of mange?

[Blue_In_AK]

15. I had to look at my original shots

untouched - some of which I didn't post - and, yes, his back legs are actually that light. I think it's just the color of his hide ... he didn't look mangy really.

[FM Arouet666]

16. Why does that cow have such big horns?

Sorry, don't see many of those in Arizona, oh, and what is all that stuff on the ground.;)

Great pics. A definite need for telephoto in Alaska.