Pictures captured the moment Joe Tate helped resolve an interesting traffic jam. Tate was on his way back from a fishing trip in Alaska last weekend when he saw a line of cars and a baby moose struggling to get across a guardrail.
"It was trying to get over the guardrail," Tate told KTUU. "It was tired. It was very, very young. Maybe a week, week and a half old."
After watching for about 30 minutes, Tate watched other drivers get impatient and drive around the animal. That's when he took action. Friends were able to use a trailer to block the mother moose from seeing her baby while Tate approached and helped it along.
Tate credits his time in Alaska — more than 15 years — a military career and being a registered hunting guide for giving him the ability to handle the situation.
"Nowhere near expertise, but I had some knowledge of what to do and what not to do, and handled it the best it could be done," Tate said.
Alaska Fish and Game biologist Dave Battle told KTUU that handling wildlife can be dangerous. In most cases, people should call a conservation officer first. But Tate said in this situation, the wait for a wildlife officer to respond may have been too long.
Photo credit Andrea N Salty Bock
"I mean in the time that could have took, something else could have happened," Tate said.
Although it's illegal to handle or "possess" wildlife without a permit in Alaska, wildlife troopers don't plan to cite Tate for what he did. However, Battle said he hopes it doesn't influence others to do the same thing.
"It worked out this time, but we always encourage people to call the professionals," Battle said.
"It worked out for the best," Tate said. "And it could have gone bad and I understand and know that. But it did go the best, and it was worth the risk that I took."
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Photo credit Andrea N Salty Bock
Photo credit Andrea N Salty Bock
After watching for about 30 minutes, Tate watched other drivers get impatient and drive around the animal. That's when he took action. Friends were able to use a trailer to block the mother moose from seeing her baby while Tate approached and helped it along.
Tate credits his time in Alaska — more than 15 years — a military career and being a registered hunting guide for giving him the ability to handle the situation.
"Nowhere near expertise, but I had some knowledge of what to do and what not to do, and handled it the best it could be done," Tate said.
Alaska Fish and Game biologist Dave Battle told KTUU that handling wildlife can be dangerous. In most cases, people should call a conservation officer first. But Tate said in this situation, the wait for a wildlife officer to respond may have been too long.
"I mean in the time that could have took, something else could have happened," Tate said.
Although it's illegal to handle or "possess" wildlife without a permit in Alaska, wildlife troopers don't plan to cite Tate for what he did. However, Battle said he hopes it doesn't influence others to do the same thing.
"It worked out this time, but we always encourage people to call the professionals," Battle said.
"It worked out for the best," Tate said. "And it could have gone bad and I understand and know that. But it did go the best, and it was worth the risk that I took."
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