A moose in Coal Creek Canyon charged a passerby walking his dogs, knocked him down, and stomped on him, leaving the man with non-life-threatening injuries.
Man and Dogs Attacked By Mother Moose
Rob Standerwick, 58, of Coal Creek, said he and his dogs, Phantom and Magic, inadvertently surprised a moose and its baby after coming around a bend in the trail.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is investigating the moose attack.
“I heard a couple of branches break and looked up and saw this cow, female moose, and she was already at full speed running right at me,” he told a news station.
“I didn’t have a chance to even turn to run or get behind a bigger tree.”
A Close Call
CPW said in a report “The moose charged and knocked the man down, stomping him several times.”
The man was armed and was able to free himself from the moose attack by firing two shots into the ground to startle it, an officer said.
“The moose and calf were not shot and retreated, according to the victim,” the office said.
“The man was transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The dogs were not injured and off-leash at the time.”
Officers searched for the moose and calf but could not locate the pair.
Moose Moms Are Protective
Moose are huge species of deer, native to North America.
Colorado’s Shiras moose subspecies can weigh between 800 to 1,200 pounds, and stand up to 6 feet at the shoulders.
There are around 3,000 across Colorado, mostly as a result of dogged reintroduction efforts by the CPW.
These enormous creatures will only attack when threatened or afraid, especially if the moose is a mother with a young, or if they are startled by the presence of a dog.
Calves are usually born during a three-to-four-week period from the end of May to mid-June, making it a prime time for protective female moose to act aggressively.
“CPW encourages hikers to avoid thick willow habitat in riparian areas, where moose like to eat and rest, to decrease chances of moose interactions,” the CPW office said.
“CPW urges dog owners to keep their dogs leashed while hiking, and give moose extra space on trails.”
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