A little more Alaskan drama tonight. Momma moose and her calf are in the pasture. I was going to snowplow a path to the barn, and I got through the gat and about halfway to the barn when the dog took off towards my BIL's 5th wheel thats parked about 20 yards from where I was working. I looked to see what the dog was chasing and see the young calf bolt past the camper and then momma came charging out after the dog. He got out of the way easy enough but I think it surprised him since the other moose (without a calf) had been so non-chalant about everything.
Anyway, while the dog was busily distracting the moose I took the opportunity to hustle my bustle out of the pasture. Then I had to work outside of the pasture till momma and baby went back to their browsing.
Once I felt it was safe enough I made the trip to the barn to do chicken chores. Production in my layer pen is up
Feeding the dog was just a little dicey. The dog gets fed outside in a 3sided shelter that was the old goat house. The moose where on the near side of the trees, about 40 feet away. Fortunately they pretty much ignored us.
When chores are done and I'm back in the house I hear my house dog barking her fool head off
I see baby moose is working his way, nibbling tree to tree, along the fence line. I can't see momma anywhere, but the maremma is sitting about 10 yds from the baby moose just quietly watching.
Next check, baby is over by the compost bins, dog is following it, momma is still nowhere to be seen. A few minutes later we spot baby heading up the path into the woods, dog close behind. He's not harming the baby but he is making it want to move away. He's pushing it away, almost herding it away from the barn and "his" chickens. Momma is finally spotted way back over by the original sighting, out of site of baby and dog. She's calmly browsing.
I'm really glad I was out there early, when it was still light enough to see, and that my dog, although young, is a very quick study.
