Woman injured in moose encounter near McAllister

MCALLISTER – A woman was injured by a moose earlier this month on private land near McAllister.

On Oct. 3, the woman was walking her dogs near her home when she encountered a cow moose. The moose reportedly charged and injured the woman, who was later taken to Madison Valley Medical Center for injuries that were significant but fortunately not life threatening.

Game wardens with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks received a report the same day and visited the scene of the incident. They searched the area but did not locate a moose.

Based on the woman’s account, the moose was likely acting defensively in the encounter. No further management action from FWP is planned.

Moose are common in southwestern Montana. They can be defensive and dangerous in surprise close encounters with people or dogs. This is especially true of cow moose with calves. Keep these precautions in mind to avoid negative encounters with moose:

• Be aware of your surroundings and be especially careful around creeks and in areas with dense brush.
• Travel in groups whenever possible and make noise to alert animals to your presence.
• If you encounter a moose, give it lots of space and don’t approach it. Always keep dogs under control.
• If a moose charges or chases you, take cover behind something solid, such as a tree.
• In some situations, bear spray can be an effective defense tool in moose encounters.

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