A man near Allagash, Maine, nearly died last month when he encountered a giant bull moose that stared at him before charging. The whole thing was caught on camera.
Caleb Lewis posted a video online saying he was “very lucky to escape with just a few bruises and bruises” after being attacked by the moose.
Lewis said the bull moose was one of three in the area vying for the cow moose's affections.
The video begins with a large moose, looking like a 16-point rack, walking through the woods while staring at Lewis.
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A giant bull moose briefly charged at a man in Maine after staring at him. (Credit: Allagash Antlers/TMX)
The moose looked like a gentle giant as it approached, its big brown eyes trained on Lewis. At one point, he even appeared to tilt his head slightly toward Lewis.
Peeking out between the narrow trunks of several trees, the moose never took its eyes off Lewis.
The moose then turned 180 degrees and started walking in the opposite direction, still staring at Lewis.
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The giant bull moose was staring intently at the man behind the camera. (Credit: Allagash Antlers/TMX)
After about 40 seconds, the moose took a step toward Lewis.
“It's close enough to the bud,” Lewis said. “That's close enough.”
When Lewis said he was close enough, the moose continued to stare.
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The moose was away from the man for a while. (Credit: Allagash Antlers/TMX)
“Get out of here. Go,” Lewis said to the moose.
The moose just stared and at one point licked its mouth.
Then he turned his head to Lewis. Suddenly, the camera caught the moose charging towards Lewis, and Lewis was heard yelling several inaudible phrases before the camera stopped.
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The moose looked at the man before charging. (Credit: Allagash Antlers/TMX)
Lewis told Fox News Digital that this was the first time he had encountered the moose in the area.
“Typically, if we find several pairs of shed antlers in a row, we give them names,” he says.
Lewis said he has not yet named the moose.
Lewis also said he encounters moose almost every day in northern Maine, and that when he introduces himself as a human, 99 percent of the time the moose will take off in the opposite direction.
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“This is the closest I've ever been to a live moose, and I've never been charged with one before,” he said. “I don't think he cared what I was at all because he was so into testosterone (because it's breeding season). He just wanted to keep me away from the cows.”
