Man battled moose with slipper - and won---Drunken moose terrorizes family [Norway]

Aftenposten ^ | 6-19-06

[SJackson]

A Norwegian who thought he'd be spending a quiet weekend at his cabin near Kongsvinger ended up battling an angry moose with the first weapon that came to mind - his slipper.

Ivar Smedstad was relaxing at his holiday cabin (called a hytte in Norwegian) when his uninvited visitor suddenly appeared on his property.

"The moose was furious," Smedstad told local newspaper Glåmdalen. "Its ears were pulled back, the moose was snorting loudly and seemed to rear back on its legs."

The object of the moose's anger was Smedstad's dog, a seemingly innocent Leonberger named Shiba. Smedstad had no idea why the moose, a fully grown male, targeted Shiba or what prompted the moose to bound onto his otherwise peaceful retreat near a small lake called Bruntjern at Lunderseter.

"I was scared to death," Smedstad said. So was Shiba, and Smedstad did his best to save his pet.

"I screamed and yelled, trying to scare off the moose, but it was only focused on the dog," Smedstad said. "The moose didn't pay any attention to me at all."

In desperation, Smedstad took off his worn felt slipper and threw it at the moose. It hit the huge animal, known in Norway as "The King of the Forest," right in the forehead.

That was apparently enough to startle the moose, who calmed down, turned around and wandered off.

................

Drunken moose terrorizes family

A Swedish family is being plagued by a fairly common Norwegian problem, the drunken moose

Laila von Scheele no longer dares let her children out of the house, for fear of an unfortunate encounter with the plastered visitor that frequents their garden.

"I am terrified. It can be dangerous when it's drunk," von Scheele told Swedish newspaper Expressen.

The last five nights in a row the same moose has entered their property in Ekerö, west of Stockholm. It helps itself to the fallen fruit from the family's ten apple trees.

As frequently is the case in Norway, the decomposing fruit have begun to ferment, and the result is a tipsy moose. The animal eats all it can, stumbles around the yard and finally falls asleep.

"It stays there until sunrise," von Scheele said.

The family has tried in vain to frighten the animal off, but so far has instead been forced to stay indoors. "I have three children, a cat, a grown dog and six puppies. I don't want any of them to be trampled or injured by the moose," von Scheele told the paper.

[Smokin' Joe]

My wife’s cousin hit a moose—in North Dakota. Totalled her little station wagon. Filled the freezer, though.

[schwing_wifey]

You were right....I’ll always be interested in stuff from that part of the world.... rotf...

;D

[csvset]

I had to look up Leonberger.

Here's a pic of one.

Photo courtesy of Lara Bohinc