COAL CREEK CANYON, Colo. — A man was trampled by a moose that he came across while walking his dogs on a Colorado trail Monday morning, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said.
CPW said the man told them he was walking two dogs along Coal Creek near Hummingbird Lane in Coal Creek Canyon when he went around a hairpin turn in the trail and surprised a cow moose and her calf. The moose charged and knocked the man down, stomping him several times, CPW said.
The man was armed and fired two shots into the ground to startle the moose, CPW said. The moose and calf, which were not shot, left the area.
The man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The dogs, which were off leash, were not injured, CPW said.
CPW searched Coal Creek Canyon for the moose and calf, but did not find them.
CPW said during late spring and early summer, cow moose can be aggressive while their calves are young, and may view dogs as threats. They said calves are born in a three to four week period from the end of May to mid-June.
"Colorado’s moose population is healthy and thriving, with an estimated 3,000 statewide," CPW said in a news release. "CPW encourages hikers to avoid thick willow habitat in riparian areas, where moose like to eat and rest, to decrease chances of moose interactions. CPW urges dog owners to keep their dogs leashed while hiking, and give moose extra space on trails."
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