Update: My hunt for a quiet canyon spring ended with a donkey blocking the path
I heard about this tiny spring in a canyon out west that's not on any maps. When I got close, a donkey was STANDING right in the narrow trail and wouldn't budge. I finally figured out it wanted the apple from my lunch bag, so I tossed it aside as a distraction. After it wandered off, I found the spring, and it was totally worth the weird negotiation.
Wait, so you can actually bargain with big animals like that? I always figured a moose would just stomp you for getting close. That story kind of makes me believe @jade271 is onto something with the whole food toll idea. Maybe wild creatures are just looking for a snack trade. I used to think you should never feed them, but now I'm wondering if carrying extra snacks is just good trail sense.