moose attack

Last Fall, my partner and I were bluff charged a few times on the same day on the west side of RMNP. The whole trip we saw and/or heard around 25 moose, including several mom/calf pairs.

The first charge was a mommy moose right after breakfast as we were leaving the first site, ears back/hair up. We retreated to the trees. The second incident was a group of five bulls who wanted to be in the trees where we’d set up tents. They grunted, pawed, raked at the trees, bluff charged and finally ran through the site. Again, we ran into in the trees. I freaked out and we planned on moving to another site, but when we got to each site, more moose. We ended up just walking out that night and detouring far around a few more pairs.

I don’t know how many times I’ve nearly walked right into the side of moose, bison, elk… but that was the first time I’d been charged. The higher tension was pretty clearly due to moose calving season and lots of people on the trails.

A few years ago during the rut, a big bull started moving quickly towards me and Zelda through the willows. I didn’t wait to determine its intention, I leashed Zelda, snapped a photo, and headed the other direction at a rapid pace.

This was the big guy.

The human fatality on the UA-Anchorage campus in 1995 in which a 71-y-o was trampled to death occurred after the moose had been harassed by youths throwing snowballs at the moose.

That’s my sense and understanding of most “attacks” – that the moose is feeling cornered or harassed and responds as they would to an attack by a pack of wolves.

For all the times (a few hundred?), I’ve encountered moose on the trail and around the yard, there’s only been a few times their ears go back and I’ve never seen the more worrisome signs.  But I’m always trying to be respectful of their space, keep our dogs under control and turn around ASAP.  They seem to sense that we’re trying and our own “yard moose”, especially, are pretty chill.  Almost bumping into them in the dark and both species understand it was a mistake and go their own way.

I think moose are smarter than most people give them credit for. Maybe other deer are too. The moose that visit the yard are tolerant of us to a point, but quickly put distance between us if we move too quickly, or accidentally come close without seeing them first. Sometimes they wait in the woods just beyond my garden fence, and I’ll toss the broccoli stalks and old cabbage plants over the fence. I’m probably 20 feet away, separated by an 8 foot fence. A minute after I leave the area, they come to dine. They are so much more aware of us and how close we are than we are of them.

I have been charged by a cow moose, and also approached by a bull moose, too close for comfort. I always keep my distance. I’m not going to put any faith in any 90% of the time they’re docile kind of blather. They are bigger, stronger, faster, and have 4 deadly weapons on their feet (plus antlers on males). Don’t pick a fight you cannot win.

Follow up question though, esp since I see my fellow Alaskans on thread. Last summer a friend and I had decided to cowboy camp in Glacier National Park, MT. Then another camper (tent) let us know that there was a cow moose close by. We decided to pitch our tents, because we weren’t sure if she would be able to tell what we were in the dark, lying on the ground. What do you all think? Was that silly? Would she see us and not step on us? I wasn’t really thinking we’d be stomped, just that she might not realize we weren’t the ground and walk on us. At which point we’d wake up screaming and then who knows!

Sorry, one more thought. Acc to the NYT article, moose won’t pursue people too long. That seems to be what Ryan posted too. But I’ve seen evidence to the contrary or heard it from reliable sources. A friend was skiing and encountered a moose that had been chasing people off trail. He quickly got behind a tree and was there for more than an hour, before the moose finally let up and he could get away safely. Last summer my friends and I took refuge behind a tree in Glacier NP, while a bull moose stayed close by and watched us curiously – never charged, but he was also not relaxed enough or far enough away for us to feel comfortable moving on. We were there for 15 minutes or more, all the while arguing whose tree it was and if someone should go to a different tree (lol – we all stayed put!). Sometimes they are ridiculously persistent about attacking, chasing, and of course stomping. At the point you’re on the ground covering you head, you’re pretty well done for.

During the mating season (late September and lasts into early October) it is best to keep your distance as these animals do become “different “critters”…….

Has anyone mentioned the Moose attack (and controversy thereafter) during the iditarod this year?

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/other-sports/news/iditarod-2024-moose-mushers-punch-shoot-dress-sled-dog-race/b1a36d717f1acbdc76de9eac

that is a weird rule that they have to gut the moose and be penalized for doing it improperly

Why waste a perfectly good moose?

Alaskans are pretty united on the issue of dead game animals; don’t waste the meat. Roadkill still gets collected by individuals or groups that are notified by State Troopers when a moose gets hit. Hunters are not allowed to waste meat, with specific regulations on what they must take. However, the regs are all based on white cultural values (not even sure whose culture precisely) because Alaska Native peoples traditionally used much more of the animal than is currently required by law.  Moose nose soup is highly prized. Caribou heart is often stuffed for Thanksgiving or Christmas. etc.

I don’t know the origin of the Iditarod regs, but since the trail travels through native communities, it’s important for any animal killed by a musher to be used fully. The food is needed. There are no Walmarts out there.

Thread drift!

Alaska law allows a person to kill a moose in defense of life or property. If you do this, you are required to butcher the moose and turn the meat over to the State Troopers, who generally distribute it to people in the community who need it. The Iditarod has entered into an agreement with the Troopers that if a race participant kills a moose, they only have to gut it to prevent spoiling; race volunteers come by later to butcher the carcass and dispose of the meat as directed by the Troopers. Hence the penalty for improper gutting.

Jerry: It’s a state law, not just a race rule.  The race rule allows race officials to impose sanctions so it’s a level playing field for any musher who is unlucky enough to have to have to kill a moose on the trail.  Seavey is presumably still subject to prosecution for violating state law by not adequately harvesting useable meat.  Maybe that’s why he’s publicly supporting the 2-hour time penalty by race officials (“they did the right thing”) as state game officials might see that as adequate punishment.  Mushers are already granted a lot of leeway in only having to remove internal organs and notifying race officials at the next checkpoint.  Anyone else in the same situation would have to fully dress out the animal – not into individual roasts and such, but getting the organs out and the hide off so it can cool more quickly.

10 minutes to gut a moose?  By yourself?  That’s impossibly quick and clearly wasn’t done well.

It’s been an evolving area of Iditarod rules.  Originally it wasn’t addressed.  Then it was that you have process the carcass and while other mushers *could* help you (generally, no assistance is allowed between mushers), they didn’t have to.  Now they have to help if they come upon the scene.

I was amused that for the longest time there were long and detailed rules around drug testing.  Of dogs.  But none about the mushers.  Now there is but that created its own drama as pot use is very common among mushers (and handlers!) and one front runner used his own drug cocktails as a cancer survivor that didn’t pass muster.

Of the 10 or so serious mushers I know, only one had a serious moose incident.  The moose came through her dog team, its hooves clipped the tug lines, her two leaders took off, got to the checkpoint before her, she bounced off the moose, concussing herself (she didn’t have complete recall of the incident) and had moose fur stuck in the zipper of her parka.

25 years ago, .357 and .44 revolvers were commonly carried for defense against moose (and the much rarer possibility of a bear up and around in winter).  I assume some have now switched to Glocks in 10mm.

I was a bit surprised a few years back when the rangers for the Weminuche (Silverton, Durango area) included a moose sighting when I inquired about early summer conditions.  Seems they don’t want to get cornered, like any animal, but then there’s mating season.

Who knew “the moose is loose” was more than just a Canadian beer slogan?

I’m not sure how you could ever avoid running into moose in the Weminuche. They are everywhere.

moose in the Weminuche .. are everywhere

Back then I was sticking to the areas above treeline, relying on a MLD Solomid XL (DCF) to take the weather punches.  Never saw a moose.

Moose probably likes the lower forests if all the pictures I’ve seen accurately portray their preferred habitat.   Not that I actively avoided the forests, but driving all that way .. I went for the vistas at higher elevations. I’ll have to look at the critter’s habits if I return to moose country.

In all my years hiking in the Sierra, I never saw a moose. I put it down to their recognizing me as a bad-ass and staying clear. Or maybe it’s my bad breath.

Apparently one or more  moose have been coming down out of Canada into the area around Stehekin in Washington state over the last 20 years or so. A moose, or different mooses, often like to browse in the marshy area where the Stehekin river enters into lake Chelan.

My brother lives in Chewelah in eastern washington. Up near the border above Spokane. He sees herds of elk and all sorts of wildlife. Never a moose, as far as I know.

I live near Spokane and have had moose in our yard as recently as two weeks ago. It was a rather calm young cow.

We had a grumpy bull that was hanging out at our place a few years ago. It went after my wife one day, she didn’t see it until it came out of the bushes very aggressively.  At the time we had an Australian shepherd that heard the commotion and came running. Being bred to avoid hooves, it kept the moose occupied long enough for my wife to get away.

“I live near Spokane and have had moose in our yard as recently as two weeks ago.”

well there ya go!

Can nothing be done about the hordes of illegal moose crossing our border? they’re ill tempered and don’t speak English and are taking away jobs from…squirrels. good ol’ American squirrels.

Moose probably likes the lower forests if all the pictures I’ve seen accurately portray their preferred habitat.   Not that I actively avoided the forests, but driving all that way .. I went for the vistas at higher elevations. I’ll have to look at the critter’s habits if I return to moose country.

Haha, not my experience. I’ve been to the Weminuche many times, and always see moose in the high country. I could dig up many photos of them hanging out in ponds surrounded by willows.

Here’s one example from last summer. We were camping at a large pond above Rock Lake, at 12,000 feet. This guy was in the tiny pond when we got up in the morning. Another bull came up to check out the pond, but saw that big fella and thought better of it. He wasn’t aggressive at all, but also not even slightly bothered by us or inclined to leave.

After eating breakfast, we went for a little hike to check out some lakes over a nearby ridge, hoping he’d leave while we were away, but he was still there an hour or two later when we came back. So we had to tie up the dogs as we packed up. We were in that general area for 5 days, mostly above timberline, and saw moose frequently, 4 bulls and 2 cows, as I recall.

Interestingly, I don’t see moose in the South San Juan Wilderness, where I go even more often, even though it’s not too far east of the Weminuche.

Here is a female from that same trip. We turned a corner on the trail in the upper Ute Creek drainage, and she was right in front of us! She was shy. She bashed through the willows, and peeked back at us. Can you see her?  :-)

This Ute Lakes, Twin Lakes, Flint Lake, Rock Lake area is very nice, BTW. You can also connect up to The Window and Weminuche Pass towards the east, or to the Grenadiers or Hunchback Pass to the west.

We saw another female just below The Window in the area of this photo, but I don’t think I got a shot of her. Probably too busy grabbing Max.