Moose Waves at Russell Pond

by Dennis Brod

I had been fly fishing in a canoe, downwind of a large bull moose on Russell Pond one summer evening. I was just enjoying his company, when I decided to move to the other side of the pond, near the Ranger cabin. As dusk started to move toward darkness, two other moose joined, close at hand. The first moose - he did not appreciate the new company and started moving in my direction from about a hundred yards away, steadily picking up speed. Soon he was running/swimming very fast in my direction. My first thought was, too bad it is too dark to take a picture, he is going to be close.

Ha! Little did I know.

As is my custom, I was standing amidships in the center of the canoe while casting. The moose was really moving fast, right at me. I figured he would veer off, but that didn't happen. He just kept on coming.

At ten yards, I quickly ducked down, put my knees down on the deck, clutched both gunnels, held on for dear life. He blasted by just a couple of feet in front of the bow, his waves violently rocking the anchored canoe. He continued twenty yards to the bank, shook off the water, casually strolled off, to wherever it was he wanted to go.

My heart was pounding, but I was unscathed. It being the 'golden hour' for fishing, I waited a bit to regain my composure, then moved to a less disturbed section of the pond to do some final casting. I wonder what he was running toward or from?

The next morning, as I was paying off what I owed for the canoe rental, the Ranger and I had a good laugh. He had seen the whole episode from the cabin. He too thought the moose was going to join me in the canoe.

The next summer, near the same spot, a bull moose swam quietly toward me. This guy just had dinner on his mind and he stopped nearby to eat. Was it the same moose? In any case I did get a couple pictures this time.