BTS of Viral Brown Bear vs. Moose Video — Plus Photos!

Alaskan Fly Fishing Guide Captures Brutal Bear Hunting Moose

Last week, a truly jaw-dropping moment captured the attention of social media when Alaskan fly fishing guide Sam Vassar filmed a brown bear stalking and killing a full-grown moose. The video, shot on Vassar’s phone from his fishing boat, quickly went viral on Instagram, racking up over 162,000 views and garnering attention on YouTube as well.

Vassar called the event a “one-in-a-lifetime occurrence” and continued to work as a guide in the Alaskan backcountry. Amateur photographer Chadwick was also present, capturing stunning photos of the moose’s desperate fight against the predator.

Despite the brutal nature of the encounter, Chadwick noted that the moose’s death was “surprisingly clean,” partly due to the water and the bear breaking its neck instead of going for the throat.

After the moose was dead, Chadwick observed the bear trying to drag it onto shore in three different attempts before giving up. A smaller Alaskan cow moose can weigh up to 1,000 pounds, making it a challenging feat for the brown bear to haul out of the rushing water.

Chadwick left the scene after his group’s 5 p.m. check-in, but returned later to find that a bigger bear had likely driven the initial bear away. The larger bear would eat its fill and then leave, allowing smaller bears to approach the carcass before the big bear returned to chase them off.

“It was pretty exciting to witness the savagery of the food chain up close,” Chadwick admitted, acknowledging that such scenes are a reminder of nature’s reality.