Moose attack

[Mark Smeltzer]

Hey Guys,
I have a quick question on the best way to handle an encounter with a mother moose and her calf.
I got charged by a mother moose the other day while scouting for elk.
 We spotted a calf and its mother about 60 yards away from us, we were just sitting tight and watching. The calf suddenly started running up the same trail we were on. When the calf was about 25 yards from us I tossed a rock near the calf hoping to scare it back to it's mother or off the trail.  It worked, the calf spooked and turned around and ran back to momma.  The cow however put her head down and ran full throttle right at us.  We scattered quickly, she covered 60 yards in less than seven seconds.  By the time she got to us we had split up, behind a tree and in the brush. She was unable to figure out who or what to stomp to death so after a few minutes she left.

My question is, what could I have done differently to keep her from charging?  Stayed still and let the calf run  up to us?  Yelled and made noise instead of throwing a rock. Or just backed away at the first sign of a mother and a calf.  I hate to run off just because I saw a moose and a calf.
BTW,  Just a half hour earlier while sitting on a hillside a different mother and calf bedded down and fed 30 yards below us while we glassed the other side.  She knew we were there, the wind was at our backs and she looked at us for quite some time. No problem.
I plan to hunt this area during elk season but I have little experience with moose. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,

Mark

[ChuckC]

sounds to me you did everything right that could be done.
ChuckC

[Ragnarok Forge]

Sounds like you just needed to not be there.  Some moose are calm and some are not.  How would your wife respond if one of your kids ran up and said a guy just threw a rock at me?  I bet she would charge over there and wanna stomp him.  Sounds like you did the right thing spooking the baby off.

I live in bear country and avoid them like the plauge, at least until hunting season starts then it is game on and getting close is my goal.  Always a risk though getting close, one I avoid until I can shoot them.

[Ray Borbon]

Angry moose. Keep your distance. No science behind it.

[timmy c]

What part of utah are you hunting in?Have some relatives in St george thinking about mule deer out there some day soon

[Mark Smeltzer]

Sorry Timmy,
Im in N.Utah, hunting in the N.E. corner near Idaho and Wyoming.  I was expecting to see more Elk than moose.  We saw six moose in one small draw.

Mark

[Michael Pfander]

We [my wife, daughter, and I] were in the High Uinta Wilderness last summer and never saw an elk all we saw were moose.  My daughter put a stalk on 2 bulls and got some great pics.  Lots of moose in Utah.
MAP

[steadman]

Where at Mark? I have a cow moose tag this year for the north slope. I could take care of one of those charging moose  

[moebow]

mark,  I lived in Utah for 8 years and Alaska for 20 years.  More folks are hurt by moose in AK than by any other type of wildlife -- including the bears!!!!  Do all you can to avoid close encounters with Mrs Moose and kids.  There is little that is more unpredictable than that.

[Mark Smeltzer]

I do consider my self very lucky... not for living through it but for being able to witness it all. In one trip we saw six moose, one cow and calf at 35 yard suckling then bedding, very cool. But the other cow/calf were very aggressive from much further away.  I tore my calf muscle in the escape and am now in a cast for a few weeks but would do it again in a minute. I'll heal but the experience was once in a life time.
I'll be putting in and building points for the moose draw, no hard feelings. just hunting.
Mark

[Gordon martiniuk]

you were lucky Moose up here in canada Kill people every year a Cow moose with her young will chase you and stomp you so what I do if I see a calf or cow in the summer time I go the other way,, There is nothing more dangerous than the Moose,, If you make a little noise while walking in moose country they will allways go the other way if you sneak around and  corner one as you found out you may pay a high price..I have been chased by Bull Moose in the rut and it is an encounter you will never forget!

[Mark Smeltzer]

Thank you for your insight and experience. I really do respect your knowledge and reply's  I know  moose can be very dangerous. I don't plan on staying out of the woods so i would would rather learn what to do.  Is there any thing I should have done different or is that random as to weather a moose will attack  or not.
Thanks,
Mark

[hunt it]

I'm sure a large canister of Bear spray would have some good effect on moose as well. Anything that breaths and has eyes is not going to like a good blast of pepper spray.

[2treks]

I have a pastor friend in British Columbia. His entire family got stomped by a momma moose last year.He simply got bumm rushed over while his wife took a pretty good beating. The four kids remained un-harmmed for the most part. The wife covered up the smallest (two yrs) and the oldest daughter and Dad took care of the others. Dad was mired in chest deep snow and could not make it to help momma in time before the moose just stopped and walked away. Nothing more than some good bruises. Thankfully.  What do you do to protect yourself from a very large animal? Use your head(be aware) and your knees(pray).
take care.
Chuck

[Jason Hansen]

That is definitely a scary situation, I'm just glad to hear you're alright.

My Dad and I had some real close encounters with bull moose up in the Maine Northwoods last year bear hunting.  It gets the heart pumping, that's for sure.  In both instances, we were followed down the road while the bull's head swayed from side to side.  We were never charged, thank God.

[jhg]

I had a similar experience this past weekend in Colorado with cow and calf. But in my case she only "barked" and postured. I let her see me back out. However, if she'd decided to charge I 'd have been in trouble, as you have seen first hand how fast they can be.
I think you did the right thing in your case except not showing you were retreating earlier when the calf came your way. But any time a calf is involved making assumptions about what a cow will do and when and at what distance is a guess. I think if she saw that you are retreating you will be fine, but maybe not, if the distance to her calf is not to her liking.
 
I think if I get killed or maimed out in the woods by an animal it should be by a bear or sasquatch. A headline saying you were stomped by a cow moose isn't very flattering...

[homerdave]

seriously, i would rather deal with a brown bear than a P.O'd momma moose anyday.
nothing you coulda/shoulda done different. trees are your friends.