Two people, and a dog, charged by moose near the West Magnolia Trailhead
One person sustained serious bodily injuries
Boulder County, Colo. - Shortly before 8:00 a.m. this morning, June 8, the Boulder County Communications Center received a call regarding a person who was injured after being charged by a moose near the West Magnolia Trailhead, a United State Forest Service property, near the Town of Nederland in unincorporated Boulder County.
The moose charged at two people, a 31-year-old male sustained serious bodily injury, one female sustained minor injuries, and their dog sustained injuries.
After arriving on-scene, a Boulder County Sheriff’s Office deputy encountered the cow moose as he was locating the injured parties who were yelling for help. He attempted to scare off the moose by firing bean bags rounds at it. The moose ran off at that time. The deputy was assisting the two injured parties when the moose returned to the area. The deputy fired a warning shot and the moose left the area a second time. As the deputy and medics were evacuating the injured male to the trailhead, the moose returned to the area for a third time, the moose continued to charge at people, so the deputy discharged his weapon and killed the moose.
Wildlife officers from Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be investigating the circumstances around this cow moose. This incident would be the third known moose attack on a person this year, following ones in Breckenridge (May 26) and Grand Lake (May 31). Both of those incidents were from cows exhibiting defensive behavior of their nearby calves.
One way to avoid an unnecessary run-in with a moose is to steer clear of thick willow habitat in riparian areas where they are likely to be found eating or resting. To learn more about moose and what to do if you encounter one, please visit: https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/LivingwithWildlifeMoose.aspx.
The following agencies responded to the incident: Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Nederland Fire Protection District, Nederland Police Department, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and American Medical Response.
The associated Boulder County Sheriff’s Office case number is: 22-2636.
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/s/ Carrie Haverfield, Public Information and Community Outreach Specialist
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