Editorial: Moose...and More Moose....and MORE MOOSE!

With the otter attack fresh in my mind, I was a little leary when I made the decision to float the Madison in Three Forks to Headwaters on Sunday afternoon.

Granted, no one thinks something as out-of-the-blue as an otter attack will happen to them, especially after it just happened less than two weeks ago on a different river. We went, and we half-heartedly joked about it happening to us because "it would be our luck" and then...Moose. Not just one, not just two, but four in the course of a few hours' float trip.

Our first close encounter: we were getting stuck in the brush at the side of the river. As we fought our way through, our tubes rotated so we were looking where we had just come from, not ahead of us. And then a momma moose and two babies appeared literally feet from where we just were struggling with our tubes. Deep breath...stay alert...and keep floating. Once we were out of sight of the momma, we were worried about the other floaters who may come behind us, but there was nothing that could be done.

About two hours later, just as we were all forgetting about our first encounter, the second encounter happened - and fast.

I was looking to my right when I noticed what I thought were tree branches - and called out that we were about to float into....uh, not trees! A MOOSE. A BULL moose.

While this guy was just cooling off in the river, he gave the four of us quite the scare. And the only advice I can give...stay aware of where you're floating and what's around you! We were very lucky not to have anything more serious than a short heart flutter and not injured in any way. Be careful out there!