A woman hiking in northern Colorado was airlifted after getting bowled over by a bull moose over Labor Day weekend. The Coloradoan reports the encounter happened around 2:00pm on September 6th in the Crystal Lakes subdivision near Red Feather Lakes.
The man and woman were hiking in a private subdivision when they first saw the moose around midday. They saw the moose again a couple of hours later and while it attempted to leave the area, it ran over the woman. Prior to the collision the moose reportedly did not show any signs of aggression. The woman was airlifted to a hospital due to the remoteness of the area. The victim’s condition is unreported.
As a general reminder to those in moose territory, please give these animals plenty of room to roam without human interferences. Bulls and cows are equally unpredictable and can inflict serious bodily injury. This is especially critical during the mating season which generally runs from mid-September through October. During mating season, bull moose are known to charge. Females are particularly protective of calves at all times. Moose can top speeds of 35 miles per hour. If you see a moose display a threatening position of “head high” or “head low” it is time to seek safety.
What do I do if a moose displays signs of aggression?
​If a moose displays aggressive behavior or begins to charge, run as fast as you can and try to put a large object between you such as a boulder, car or tree. Avoid animals that are behaving belligerently or abnormally.​ Moose that exhibit dangerous behavior towards people should be reported to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
