Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was returning home after playing a dance around 3 o'clock in the morning. The night was dark, very cold, and wind was blowing scouts of snow across the road. The road was extremely icy, and I was the only soul on it for miles.
Uphill, off to my left on the edge of some plowed farm ground, my headlights caught what looked to be two figures walking down to the roadway side by side. Thinking that they may be snowmobilers who got stuck or something and were walking out was the first thing that came to mind.
I began slowly braking my pickup to keep from sliding around. The wind increased, and the visibility grew less as I slowed down.
As I finally reached a stop, what I thought was two men were actually the white legs of a gigantic black bull moose, traveling down into the Snake River canyon. He walked across the road in front of my truck without even glancing at me. He had some white on the underside of his belly, and a fringe of white on his beard. Those extra spots of white only added to the picture I had constructed in my mind of two men. He was at least 6 1/2 feet tall at the shoulder.
I've wondered ever since if I hadn't slowed down- I was only going about 35 due to the lack of visibility and the slick road- if I would have missed him or not. But I was glad I stopped!
One thing about the mid-west is all the lightening bugs, in the early evening / night they can seem like the glint of an animal's eyes. Always made the drive back and forth from Colorado to Northern Wisconsin extra anxious for me. One year I even did it on a motorcycle. Yikes.
In the winter we get moose that come into town. I see one or two every winter, most very close to where I live. One winter we had one eating the apartment plants outside very close to my front door.
What amazes me is how these critters can stand the bitter cold. I would be frozen solid with the intense cold that is coming down from the arctic right now. The temperatures are insane in the middle of the country right now.
Location: When you take flak it means you are on target
7,646 posts, read 9,953,657 times
Reputation: 16466
So, what you guys are saying is that when we come to visit ID next summer I should mount a couple of coach guns on the front fenders to clear the way ahead?
Humm, come to think of it, that might be a good idea for when I have to go down to Phoenix.
I try to drive slow and be extra vigilant when theres hardly any traffic especially on windy backroads/country roads. Going slow might be your best bet at saving your life and a good quality vehicle. I hit a deer out in the country (Pacolet SC). It was awful. I was in a Subaru and survived uninjured. The deer died sadly and so did the car. Thankfully I was not speeding. Pretty sure I had a seatbelt on too.
There are only a few times you need to really be concerned. Dusk, dawn, nighttime and daytime. And the same with weather/season. Sunny, rainy, foggy and snowy. Other than that, you're pretty safe. The key is to minimize the time you spend on the road, by driving really fast.
Seriously though, dusk is the worst, especially if it's at all foggy.
There are only a few times you need to really be concerned. Dusk, dawn, nighttime and daytime. And the same with weather/season. Sunny, rainy, foggy and snowy. Other than that, you're pretty safe. The key is to minimize the time you spend on the road, by driving really fast.
Seriously though, dusk is the worst, especially if it's at all foggy.
Interstate 84 across southern Idaho has several deer and elk migration routes crossing it and can be dangerous too. I saw several dead deer along the Interstate driving from Boise to Idaho Falls for Christmas. Sometimes you have to watch out for deer and the occasional elk crossing streets in downtown Boise and moreso the Warm Springs area of town.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
