Why do moose make gun shot sounds?
 

Did you ever hear a moose make a sound that sounds like somebody fired a gun? I've heard gun shots in the woods out of hunting season before, the latest being in early August while trout fishing, and an old timer tells me that moose sometimes point their snout to the ground and make a "bang" sound with their lips that sounds just like a .22, and even leaves a ring clearing in the dirt if they do it on a dirt road.
Has anyone else ever heard tell of this? I've heard tell of this on three different occaisions over the years by three different people. If you have, can you tell me WHY they do this?

never heard of it...

Well, I found the answer to my question. Bull moose will do a sound with their lips that sounds just like a .22 when they are annoyed. When I heard it those times, I would have been in relative close proximity to a bull moose, and he was letting me know he was rather aggrivated with my presence.

Moose make a sound like a 22 shot with their mouth?
That's a new one !!

Yep. It's even on a moose calling video a guy told me about.

Is it popping their teeth like a bear will do or some kind of noise made by forcing air out?

No joke.

Lived my whole life around moose and never heard a noise like that.

Iv never heard such a thing either

Well, now you know. I've heard it three times over the last thirty years. (we have a lot of mose in these parts). I'm not sure how they DO it as I've never seen them do it (just heard it while the moose would theoretically be maybe twenty - thirty yards away or closer?), but I'm told they just puff air out their lips with their snout down to the ground, kind of like you would hold your lips closed tightly, then all of a sudden let the air out to make a popping sound.

These moose need to knock it off with the firecrackers in the back woods.

Don't they know about the fire danger?

Maybe there was no fire ban on at the time?i hope he knew his target and beyond.

Not our moose. These things are lawless rogues. They pay no mind to all the signs the USFS puts up. But then I guess those signs are meant for out of staters anyway.

I think i should write my local co and tell him we should not have to wear orange anymore dureing rifle moose season considering we are dealing with outlaw moose that are armed.

Thought you guys were talking about poachers. Hearing gunshots in the moose woods when there is no season. :D

The moose around here "shoot" their mouths off so much it's common to see them wearing ear phones as if they were on a pistol range.
Makes them easy to find though. Just listen for the loud pops and sneak right on up.

Lol!guess ill have to switch my hunting methods

New evidence and theories are begining to pop up here: http://newbrunswickhunting.com/forum...n-shot-sounds/

I live around moose territory here and I have never had one come running and shooting at. me. LOL Not even with thier mouths. For the most part they appear to fear me and run the other way. Now I have had more than one cow with a calf or 2 come running straight at me and that sort of made me run as fast as I could to get away from them.. LOL Even then they never shot at me yet.. When they do start shooting at me I hope they miss so as I can bring a gun back to defend myself..

Joking a side.. I know that it is possible for one to step on a piece of dried up dead wood that may appear to sound some what like a gun shot if you are close enough to hear it. Perhaps that is what you have heard. Because no matter how aggitated they have become around me at times non of them ever made the sounds you are saying..

While scouting this past weekend, I had a cow Moose that
had a calf with her make a very loud snort/ grunt/ bellow
sound several times. It was not a normal sound, I think
she was very irritated and letting us know it. I wouldn't
say it sounded exactly like a gunshot but it's the
closest sound to one I've heard a Moose make.