Two people injured after moose charges group of seven at Montana resort, officials say

A defensive moose charged a group of seven people at a popular Montana resort, officials said.

Two people were injured after a “surprise close encounter” with a moose Wednesday, June 8, at the Big Sky Resort, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks department said.

“A group of seven people were walking between Turkey Leg and Sitting Bull roads at Big Sky Resort about 10 a.m. when they were charged by a cow moose,” wildlife officials said in a June 10 news release. “Two people in the group, a woman and a man, received relatively minor injuries.”

Multiple people in the area told wildlife officials they saw a cow moose and a calf in the area before the encounter.

“It’s likely the moose was acting in defense of the calf, which is normal,” officials said. “FWP staff will monitor moose activity in this area, but no further management action is planned at this time.”

Moose are protective animals and will defend their territory and their young. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said moose can become dangerous if they are surprised by people or dogs.

If someone encounters a moose, they should give it space to move, wildlife officials said. People shouldn’t try to haze a moose out of the way.

“Not only is it dangerous, but this is also considered harassment and is illegal,” Colorado officials said. “If a moose has laid-back ears, pawing the ground, licks its snout, or changes its direction to face you, you’re too close and need to back away.”

Multiple people have been attacked by moose in the West this summer. In Colorado, a sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a moose after it attacked two people and a dog. A 31-year-old man was left with serious injuries from the attack, McClatchy News reported.

A woman was also trampled by a moose on Thursday, May 26, while she was running on a trail near Breckenridge, Colorado, officials said.

“The runner was focused on the trail and looking down at her feet,” district wildlife manager Jacob Kay said in a news release. “When she looked up, she saw the moose, which immediately charged her and eventually trampled her.”

This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 1:56 PM with the headline "Two people injured after moose charges group of seven at Montana resort, officials say."