Maine Couple Saves Moose Calf from Bear

A Maine couple heading out for a peaceful day of fishing suddenly found themselves in the middle of a heart-pounding wildlife chase — and made a split-second decision that may have saved a young moose’s life.

Elvia and Todd Malcolm were driving through Telos Township, about an hour from their home in Lincoln, when they spotted a female moose standing near the edge of the woods.

Todd quickly told his wife to grab her phone.

“I said to Elvia, I said, ‘Grab your phone because you’re going to get a chance to get a picture of a moose,’” he told The Associated Press.

But the couple soon realized something was wrong.

The mother moose appeared agitated and began grunting, seemingly calling out for her missing calf. Moments later, the frightened calf burst out of the trees — with a large black bear racing close behind it.

The animals were headed straight toward the couple’s truck.

Todd said he immediately feared the bear was about to catch the calf. Rather than sit back and watch the brutal scene unfold, he slammed the truck into drive and stepped on the gas.

“I knew what I had to do and I just did it,” he said.

Todd explained that he was not trying to hit the bear. He only wanted to position the truck between the predator and the terrified calf.

The risky move worked.

The bear suddenly jumped aside and disappeared into the forest.

“Boom, gone, right in the woods,” Todd recalled.

Elvia said her heart was pounding as the chase unfolded in front of them.

“My heart was racing because I did not want to witness the bear catching the calf,” she said.

Seconds later, she spotted the baby moose safely reunited with its mother farther up the road.

“As soon as the calf got past the truck and we were able to get the bear to give up the chase, I looked up the road and saw that they were together, the mom and the calf,” she said.

Elvia also managed to capture several incredible photographs through the truck’s windshield, though she initially worried she had missed the action.

“I really thought I probably got like a bug on the windshield when I started to look at them,” she said.

She made it clear that she never considered stepping outside for a better shot.

“I wasn’t outside the truck,” she said. “No way was I getting outside the truck.”

After confirming that the mother and calf were safely back together, the couple continued on to their fishing spot — where they capped off the unforgettable day by catching brook trout.