If you are ever along on a single of Jan Ferris’ Siblings of the world Adventures to Isle Royale Park, you will not visit a single white-colored-tailed deer … or perhaps a black bear … or perhaps a coyote or bobcat, or perhaps a chipmunk.

That is because all of individuals species is absent out of this rugged island backwoods north of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

But you might be lucky enough to catch a peek at among the island’s fairly famous moose population.

And should you choose luck right into a “moose encounter,” as Ferris describes it, don’t approach your pet, stay at least 50 ft away, and become prepared to get away from there in a rush.

Regardless of the common thought that moose are “big, dumb and harmless, that’s simply not so,” states the 3 Oaks, Michigan native, you never know her subject material first-hands, getting been saved by boat from her very own moose encounter in regards to a dozen years back.

With this existence-lesson under her belt, Ferris, who now resides in Buchanan, wishes to compile enough tales about moose-to-human interactions to fill a magazine she’s writing about them. She also uses the actual-existence experience to educate clients of Siblings of the world Adventures some valuable safety recommendations on respect within the backwoods.

“I do not plan to scare anybody, but it is important that people understand that the caricature of Bullwinkle the Moose is not accurate,” she states. “The moose of Isle Royale are excellent, they are beautiful, but they may be harmful anytime. Just like any animal you encounter, you cannot realize that animal’s history, or its history with humans.”

Men moose — a bull moose — can stand 8-ft high at his shoulders, and weigh a complete ton. Typically, moose are usually somewhat shy, Ferris states, and aren’t usually aggressive. They often hide themselves within the forest and brush, but are visible in the waters all around the island, as well as on trails, particularly when attempting to escape the periodic biting flies that vex them.

And like good mamas everywhere, the feminine moose — a cow — is going to do whatever she thinks they must to be able to safeguard her youthful. This is the situation that brought Ferris into unpredicted danger.