Thank you, CMWYL! Yes, in Anchorage you never know when you might stumble into a moose. As you discovered, they tend to be fairly docile most of the time. Exceptions are in the fall when bulls go into rut, late winter when moose can get cranky due to stress brought on by heavy snow pack and malnutrition, or in the spring when cow moose have young calves. The cows with calves are often very protective and can be particularly dangerous from mid-May through mid-summer.

I’m glad your close encounter went well. Moose are, above all, wonderful animals to watch and photograph (and for many Alaskans, to eat!) and we in Anchorage feel lucky to have them.