Moose Tracks- and no, not the Ice Cream

Living in Fairbanks has been an awesome experience so far and everyday I have the opportunity to have a new experience.  Last Monday I nearly had a heart attack- so not cool at 6am when its only 15* out! Let me explain....

When we let the dogs out we have a few options.  If it is bright out and we are outside, they usually don't get "hooked up", we just let them run the yard and tramp through the woods till they stop from exhaustion. If we are not going to be around or it is pitch black (6am) then we have dog runs for them and they get hooked up.

First time the doggies head out in the morning, I usually have to struggle to get them hooked up so they don't run off into the dark. On this particular morning I went to the door, opened it and the dogs were NOT trying to run out.  At this point I turned to grab Fosters collar and felt his back hackles were raised.  Neither dog was growling or barking and this is unusual for them; they typically bark at the wind.  So I stop and look out and all I can hear is heavy footsteps....close to the house. I instantly had a major case of the heebie jeebies and slammed the door, locked it and pulled the curtains.  I almost tripped over the dogs, my big bad 85lb dogs were hiding behind me- thanks guys:( I ran into the bedroom and got Dale who was just getting ready to get into the shower.  I told him what was going on and he came to the rescue.  Mind you- he was just getting ready to get in the shower so he grabs the .45 slips on his big snow boots and goes to the door.  I wish I would have been smart enough to get a picture of this; 6am, pitch black and my husband is standing on the deck with the porch lights on in his boxers, untied big ol' snowboots and the .45 is at his side.  His was only missing his plaid Elmer Fudd hat :)

We decided it was an animal and it was gone.  We let the dogs out and it was all good.  We headed out to town and when I returned home I had to investigate - because I need to know what my neighbors are :)  So I got all my winter gear on and took on the yard.  The dogs were off leash because I was with them, and immediately they ran to the bottom of the driveway and started flipping out.  They were running back and forth, back and forth across the driveway and barking at me "Look Ma- it was here- see the tracks!"  By the time I made it down the driveway they had pretty much made a mess of anything that was down there but I did manage to find a semi decent track, via the picture it is hard to tell its a moose track, but my hand is in a moose track in my front yard. I have moose for neighbors- beat that Salt Lake!!

Hard to tell because the dogs ran through here and we got early morning snow- but totally a moose track in my driveway :)