By David Figura l dfigura@NYup.com

Sam Perkins couldn’t believe his luck.

Monday, the 35-year-old Plattsburgh hiker was out by himself in the Dix Mountain Wilderness area of the northeastern Adirondacks and he came face to face with moose – a young male that he estimated weighed about 600 pounds.

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“My legs were shaking like crazy. At one one I was within 5 feet of him,” he told NYup.com. “At the same time, I started thinking safety. A moose can attack you if it wants to. I slowly backed away. I’ve learned over the years the best thing to do in such a situation is to put something between you and the moose.

“I got behind a rock and tried to stay still. He felt comfortable with me behind the rock, so I pulled out my iphone and took pictures and a video. In one picture, he looked like he was actually smiling at me.”

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“I stayed still and at one point, he turned and actually laid down. I then don’t know what happened. Maybe the wind shifted or something or he was ready to go. He just turned and walked away.

“I was in his home. To see one that close, it was a once in a lifetime experience.”

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Sam Perkins

Perkins went into greater detail in an account he posted on his Facebook page.

“With a sunny day expected, I decided to go explore the Dix Mountain Wilderness Area. I was only on the marked trail for a short time before I started to bushwhack toward my destination. The woods were thick and scratchy, so I followed a small brook which would lead me up the mountain with less resistance.

“It still wasn’t easy going. I came upon a pile of moose scat and some tracks in the sand. The scat still had a shine to it, so I knew it was fresh. As I continued up the drainage, I saw more scat and tracks. On top of that, I keep smelling a strong urine odor, much like a horse.

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“As the drainage became steeper, I didn’t see any more signs. I figured the moose had exited and climbed the steep bank to the ridge. I continued on, constantly watching my foot placement on the wet rocks. I’m always cautious, especially while I’m out there by myself. I came to a slanted rock (the one he’s standing behind) and as soon as I started up it, I heard this odd grunt.

“I looked up and there was the moose, towering above me! I was literally five feet away! Needless to say, I was shocked. It took a few seconds for my brain to process it. I froze. He didn’t even stop eating. Luckily, he was young and didn’t see me as a threat."

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Sam Perkins

“ I slowly backed away and got behind a big rock. I needed to put something between us, in case he became aggressive. He never did. I watched him eat for about ten minutes. My legs were shaking the whole time. After he was done, he turned around and started to slowly walk up the drainage. After a few feet he stopped and laid down.

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“I was still frozen, completely amazed by what I was watching. I was able to move a little closer, while getting behind an even bigger rock. He laid there for about five minutes, enjoying the nice day. He turned and looked at me, then decided it was time to move on. He stood up and effortlessly walked up the drainage."

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Sam Perkins

“He kept turning around to look at me. He was in no rush to leave. After a few minutes, he climbed up the steep bank and disappeared into the trees. I stopped and sat down on a rock. My heart was still racing. “Did that just happen?!”, I thought to myself. It sure did. It was pretty special.”

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Perkins added: “If you see a moose, never approach it. Luckily, he was completely OK with me being there, but it could have been much worse. Bull (male) moose can be very aggressive, especially in late fall during the rut. It wouldn’t take much to kill a human. Also, a cow can be very aggressive if she has calves. I made a point of slowly distancing myself from this moose, while putting a large rock between us. A large tree would have worked, too.”

Check the DEC website for more information on moose.

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David Figura | dfigura@nyup.com

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