Maddie Capron
The Charlotte Observer
LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — A bow hunter shot toward a moose and missed, so the moose gored him, Colorado deputies said.
The man was badly injured after a moose turned and charged toward him Tuesday, Sept. 13, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office said.
“The hunter told our deputy he had been bow hunting and shot at a bull moose but missed, and it subsequently charged and gored him,” deputies said in a Sept. 14 news release.
The man sent an SOS signal from a GPS device and said he had been “seriously injured by an animal,” deputies said.
Deputies rushed to help the man and rendered first aid. They placed a tourniquet on his arm until paramedics arrived.
The hunter was flown to a hospital in an air ambulance because of the “life-threatening severity” of his injuries, deputies said.
Officials did not disclose the man’s name or current condition.
Moose attack
Moose are protective animals and will defend their territory and their young.
If someone encounters a moose, they should give it space to leave, wildlife officials said. People shouldn’t try to haze a moose to move out of the way.
“While moose encounters with people are quite common, moose cause few problems,” wildlife officials said on their website. “However, moose have ‘treed’ people who have approached them too closely, have killed or injured pets or livestock, and have chased people away from territories they are defending.”
Wildlife officials said people should do the following if a moose charges:
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Run away quickly
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Put a tree, rock or other large object between them and the moose
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Get up quickly if knocked down. If injured, seek medical help
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Report the incident to wildlife officials as soon as possible
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