Mine is kind of comical.
While hunting elk in Idaho took one morning to hike up to a lake and fish for cutthroat. Guide was supposed to meet us up there around 11am with the horses to eat lunch and then hunt in the afternoon.
While fishing I set my Model 7 camo stock next to tree and fished the shore line. 11am came and went with no sign of the guide or horses. Around 1130 I heard hooves on the rocky ground behind me and turned away from the lake to greet the guide. Except it wasnt the guide it was a moose calf about 25 feet away.
I kind of wanted to get a picture of it, so moved towards my daypack where the camera was, but which was also in the direction of the calf. I got the camera just after the calf made some sort of "help Mama!" kind of call and ran off.
I heard more rustling in the brush and saw mama Moose coming at me. At that point I realized that I really should be holding my rifle rather than the camera, but the camo stock worked just well enough that I wasnt sure which tree it was next to.
At this point me and mama moose stared at each other for a few seconds across the 25 feet that separated us as I contemplated how quick I could get into the lake in the event she charged.
I still had the camera in hand, but as she had a "We Are Not Amused!, give me a reason to stomp you into the ground!" look going on, I decided that raising the camera was not advisable.
It seemed like we stared at each other both frozen for a long time, but was probably less than 15 seconds. Then the calf who had created some distance made it's little sound again, and mama moose moved off towards it.
After she turned I decided to take the picture, and she turned to give me one last "dont fugg with my calf" look.
In looking back, that was one of those near death experiences that you get yourself into unknowingly.
Did not get an elk that trip, but I do have a picture of the ass end of mama moose, which I will have to dig out of the box, scan, and add to this edited post.
