Following three separate moose attacks in Park, Grand, and Routt counties over the weekend, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is urging hikers to remain alert, particularly during moose calving season.
🦌 Recent Incidents Include:
- In Fairplay, two women walking four off-leash dogs on Fourmile Creek Road were trampled multiple times by a cow moose. They escaped serious injury after a neighbor intervened using a fire extinguisher.
- In Grand Lake, a woman was charged and knocked down outside her home after returning from a walk with her leashed dog. Her boyfriend fatally shot the moose in self-defense, a conclusion later confirmed by CPW officers.
- In Steamboat Springs, a woman walking two leashed dogs at River Creek Park was seriously injured in another moose attack and was airlifted to a Front Range hospital.
CPW officials say cow moose can be extremely defensive of their young, especially when dogs are nearby, which moose often perceive as a threat.
🔔 Moose Safety Tips from CPW:
- Keep dogs leashed and under control at all times.
- Stay on designated trails and be especially cautious near dense vegetation or water sources, where moose often hide their calves.
- If you see a moose, give it plenty of space and back away slowly.
- Do not approach moose for photos or to observe calves — mothers are often nearby and ready to charge.
📅 Calving season typically runs from late spring through early summer.
📍 More information and safety tips can be found on the CPW website: cpw.state.co.us
