Colorado Parks and Wildlife is investigating a report of a moose attack on a man walking his dogs in Coal Creek Canyon Monday morning. Coal Creek Canyon is just west of Golden, Colo., near the entrance to Golden Gate Canyon State Park, which has campgrounds.
The man, in his late 50s, told Colorado Park and Wildlife (CPW) officers he was walking two dogs along Coal Creek when he surprised a cow moose and her calf around a hairpin turn in the trail. The moose charged and knocked the man down, stomping him several times.
The man was armed and fired two shots into the ground to startle the moose, scaring it away. The moose and calf were not shot and retreated. The man was transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The dogs were not injured and were off-leash at the time.
CPW officers searched Coal Creek Canyon for the moose and calf, but they were not found.
During late spring and early summer, cow moose can be aggressive while their calves are young, and they can view dogs as predators or threats. Calves are born in a 3- to 4-week period in May and June.
Colorado’s moose population is healthy and thriving, with an estimated 3,000 statewide. CPW encourages hikers to avoid thick willow habitat in riparian areas, where moose like to eat and rest, to decrease chances of moose interactions. CPW urges dog owners to keep their dogs leashed while hiking, and give moose extra space on trails.
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Actually, Coal Creek Canyon is about 10 miles North of Golden, not “just west.”