DENVER — A New Mexico man was attacked and injured by a bull moose while running with his two dogs in Winter Park Wednesday morning.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the 62-year-old was running on Sundog Trail on the west side of Winter Park around 7:30 a.m. when it happened. His off-leash dogs were about 40 to 50 feet ahead when they turned around and came running back towards him. That’s when the man saw the moose at 50 feet.
The man reported to CPW that he took two steps forward to get a better look at the moose, and that’s when it charged at him.
“He’s very lucky that his only injury is a hoof print-shaped laceration on the back of his head.”
The man was taken to the hospital to treat the minor injury and released Wednesday afternoon.
The dogs were not hurt.
“This is a good reminder for folks to keep their dogs on leash and give moose plenty of space when recreating outdoors,” CPW District Wildlife Manager Serena Rocksund said. “It’s hard to see around these corners with the thick vegetation on these trails, so having a dog on a short leash here is key.”
This is one of several moose attacks that have happened just this year.
CPW reported an elderly woman was severely injured after a cow moose attacked her on Aug. 13 near Glenwood Springs. Less than a week before that, a man escaped injury from a bull moose charging him in Clear Creek County. A man was also knocked over on his back and stomped by a cow moose with two calves on May 29 in Steamboat Springs. His injuries were minor.