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Do Moose Chase People

Wilhelmson

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I was camping in NH and took a solo bike ride up a big hill and saw a moose about 50 feet away from me near a ski area parking lot. I don't see moose that often, but it was about as tall as a mother moose I had seen before in UT. I didn't see any baby moose, but the moose started walking towards me quickly so I took off. I don't have any pictures because I don't like to use the phone when I'm camping, but it would have been helpfull when I was semi-lost at dusk.

So, my questions are, do moose usually chase people and is it wise to get away before they get too close?
 

Doug Briggs

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They will charge you if they feel threatened. They will just keep doing whatever they were doing before they encountered you if they don't feel threatened. It is best to keep your distance or be prepared to have something large between you and them, like a tree, car, boulder, etc.

As you can see in the video in this story, https://www.summitdaily.com/news/saturday-night-live-makes-light-of-frisco-moose-matters/, moose can be deceptively relaxed and appear non-threatening. Note also that the moose takes a kick at the idiot.

I've been for a walk with my dog and unexpectedly found myself less than 10 feet from a momma and her 2 calves. I was shocked and totally surprised as I'd been paying attention to my dog who was old and lame. Momma started to try to trample my dog, but she fortunately missed. I did exactly what you aren't supposed to do (I repeat THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU SHOULD DO) and confronted the moose in order to protect my dog. The momma just looked at me kind of nonplussed and just walked away with her calves. I was prepared to run behind a tree if my confrontation had resulted in aggression towards me. This was a pretty weird situation where I wasn't fully aware of my surroundings and got way to close by mistake. I was only 150 feet from the neighborhood of 200 homes where I live.

Do not ever assume that the moose will not attack. They are big, fast and unpredictable.
 

James

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@cgeib got attacked with a trample run. It veered off. Moose are not to be trusted. Just like don't pet the Buffallo in Yellowstone.
 
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TS
Wilhelmson

Wilhelmson

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I guess the same goes for any large animal. One time I had hopped some barbed wire to shovel manure for my garden and all of a sudden the whole herd of cows started running towards me. I hopped that barbed wire like a track star.

Later when I asked the farmer if cows usually attack people he said no, and about 20 seconds later the bull kicked the post next to his head.
 

SShore

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A lot of people I know here in SW Montana are more concerned about getting attacked by a moose than they are a grizzly. The females are very protective of their young and the males just have a nasty temperament, especially during the rut.
 

SBrown

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A lot of people I know here in SW Montana are more concerned about getting attacked by a moose than they are a grizzly. The females are very protective of their young and the males just have a nasty temperament, especially during the rut.

Word on the street is that moose kill and injure more people than bears, but I don't know how accurate it is. Moose and bears don't really kill THAT many people, statistically -- not that it matters if you're the one getting trampled.
 

SShore

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A guy shot and killed a female in Lions Park in Ennis last fall that he said was threatening his grandchildren. That story sounds a little fishy to me. Why would you just happen to be armed in Lions Park, and if you weren't wouldn't it be easier to put the grandkids in the car than go back to the car and get you gun to shoot the mother? Anyway, one of the "baby" moose hung out in Ennis all winter. I was leaving the bank one day and they stopped me and told me not to leave because there was a moose outside. We looked and didn't see it so I left. I saw it eating someone's shrubs just around the corner. Talked to the gal that lives in that house and she said she couldn't let the kids out of the house for a week until it left.
5RY13YvvTGSFpV63sIjVkQ.jpg
 

Monique

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I fully expect that I will die by moose attack. My dogs will find a moose, the moose will charge them, and they will run back to mom for help.
 

David Chaus

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I fully expect that I will die by moose attack. My dogs will find a moose, the moose will charge them, and they will run back to mom for help.

What you need is a Pyrenees.

 

Talisman

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A lot of people I know here in SW Montana are more concerned about getting attacked by a moose than they are a grizzly. The females are very protective of their young and the males just have a nasty temperament, especially during the rut.
The only time I have ever used bear spray was on a cow moose who aggressively advanced towards me with hackles up on a trail through alders. After the cloud of bear spray reoriented the cow, I saw the half grown calf she was defending. The bears and one puma I have seen while hiking ran away from me.
 

François Pugh

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I'm only concerned about bulls in rutting season, but I also keep my distance from Mom with calves.

Agree with Sib. For the first half dozen years of my life or so, our family included a dog who was a cross between a Newfoundland and a Collie. It had the size of the Newfoundland and the instincts/intelligence of the collie (thankfully not the other way around). A great dog, with a few bad habits. It would chase cars, left alone it would round up the neighbour's cows, and it thought cats were vermin to be destroyed by a quick snap of the neck. If my dad called the dog, it would immediately come to him, even if it were in full charge at a cat or car.
 

scott43

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A clear case of a dog NOT under control of the owner, harassing wildlife. The owner should be cited. If your dog doesn't come INSTANTLY it should be on a leash.
S'funny how some people have different interpretations of "recall" is for dogs..
 

Tricia

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