Moose Get Drunk, Form "Gang"

by
posted on September 19, 2013
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
wilder_ah2015_fs.jpg (33)

undefinedAlcohol has a habit of driving those consuming it to do crazy things—though, in most cases, the perpetrators of are the human variety. In what's becoming a bit of an annual event, in Sweden, however, local moose have been getting inebriated and wreaking havoc across the countryside. The most recent event? A Stockholm man was forced to call the police after being barred from entrance to his own house by a group of downright drunk moose (which are more commonly called elk in Europe).

Before I get ahead of myself, I should note that our troublemakers aren't actually getting fix in the traditional fashion. No one's left a brewery unattended, or anything like that. According to reports, the moose are actually reaching their new "frame of mind," because they're eating rotten apples that have fermented. Apparently, this is a yearly occurrence in Sweden—when the apples fall from the trees each fall, local wildlife snacks on them. If the apples have been fermenting long enough, they do the same thing to a moose that a couple pints at the local bar would do to you or me. Heck, in 2011 a drunk moose managed to get itself tangled in a tree. Rescue services had to chop down branches to free the cow.

The aforementioned incident found our Stockholm resident returning to his home one evening, only to find no less than five surly moose standing between him and the front door. He called the police, but the "gang" of moose had moved on before the authorities arrived. That's always how things go, don't they? First they start drinking with their friends, the next thing you know, they join a gang.

Swedish authorities have said they receive dozens of calls about rogue drunk moose each fall. They take the issue quite seriously—moose can be dangerous sober, let alone when they're hammered. We've all seen what a human being can act like when they've had more than they can handle and start feeling bulletproof. Now imagine that same behavior from a wild bull moose—and not the Teddy Roosevelt kind—that could be pushing 1,500 lbs. That's not something to be trifled with.

So, for now, the folks over in Sweden will have to keep their eyes peeled for large mammals that have consumed a few too many barbiturates. The silver lining, I suppose, is that it's not often hard to see a moose coming. They tend to stand out.

I mean, really, the only alternative may be encouraging the local animal populations to seek help. "My name is Bullwinkle, and I'm..."

Latest

Henry Lever Action Supreme On White
Henry Lever Action Supreme On White

Hardware Review: Henry Lever Action Supreme Rifle

Check out Frank Melloni's Hardware review of the Henry Lever Action Supreme.

NRA 2025 Subsidies for Hunters for the Hungry Programs

The National Rifle Association of America has announced its 2025 subsidy program for Hunters for the Hungry (HFH) organizations in the United States by making $100,000 available.

A Shotgun for All Seasons: Savage Renegauge in Argentina

If you want to test a shotgun’s reliability and recoil control, you take it on a high-volume hunt. If you want that trial to more resemble torture than test, you make that a high-volume Argentina dove hunt. Read on to find out how the Savage Renegauge performed.

NRA Names Kyle Lamb as Brand Ambassador for America’s Rifle Challenge

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) proudly announces Sergeant Major (Ret.) Kyle Lamb as a Brand Ambassador for the NRA America’s Rifle Challenge (ARC), an innovative training and competition program built around the safe and effective use of the AR-15 platform.

#SundayGunday: Banish 46-V2

On this week's #SundayGunday, we're talking about suppressors, specifically the Banish 46-V2, capable of taming nearly every gun in your safe, up to and including the big boys like .338 Lapua.

KelTec Named Official Stage Sponsor for 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is proud to announce KelTec as an official sponsor of the 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship, returning to Camp Atterbury, Ind., from September 30 to October 4, 2025.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.