Moose on the loose: How to respect EagleVail’s new resident
Give the moose space, recreate responsibly, take photos from afar, and keep dogs on-leash
Jennifer Haunschild/Courtesy photo
EagleVail’s newest resident is a little taller, a little hairier, and a lot heavier than average. Over the past few weeks, a moose has settled in the neighborhood, visiting various locations around the golf course.
Many EagleVail residents have given the moose nicknames, and regularly dodge it on their daily commutes. Like any other resident, the moose needs to be respected and protected.
This is not the first time a moose has found itself amongst humans in Eagle County. In 2021, Colorado Parks and Wildlife relocated a young bull moose from the Lionshead Village parking structure. Colorado Parks and Wildlife public information officer Rachael Gonzales said the agency has seen an increase in Eagle County’s moose population in recent years.
While moose have been spotted in Colorado since the 1850s, sightings were rare for over a century. In 1978, 24 adult moose from Utah and Wyoming were introduced to Colorado’s North Park by officers of the Colorado Division of Wildlife (now Colorado Parks and Wildlife). In the following years, more moose were introduced throughout Western Colorado. Today, the moose population in Colorado numbers around 3,000.
In the warmer months, moose can be found in sagebrush, high in the mountains above timberline, as well as among willow, aspen and beaver pond habitats. They are often found in places with a stream or a pond with willows, which provides both food and safety against their natural predators.
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As snow starts to build up, moose move from higher elevations to lower elevations in search of easily accessible food sources that enable them to limit excessive movement and preserve calories.
“During the wintertime, food is scarce, and so moose, elk, deer, all wildlife are trying to move as minimally as they possibly can because they want to conserve every single calorie,” Gonzales said. “They want to make sure that they have enough calories that will get them through to where we have ample food.”
‘Keep our distance’
When a moose enters a place surrounded by people, it is the responsibility of humans to protect the moose.
“This is their habitat,” Gonzales said. “This is where we as humans need to do our part, to keep our distance. It’s great to watch wildlife — not everybody gets an opportunity to see a moose, they are beautiful — but they’re also very dangerous.”
An adult Shiras moose, the kind that lives in Colorado, can weigh anywhere from 800 to 1,200 pounds. A bull, or male, moose can stand 6 feet tall from hoof to shoulder.
“They are docile creatures, but when they feel threatened, they will protect themselves,” Gonzales said.
The moose is not a tourist attraction, but a fellow resident, to be respected. If people see the EagleVail moose while out on a walk, bike ride, or ski on the golf course, “give it space,” Gonzales said.
“This is the time of year that wildlife are trying to survive, and it’s our responsibility as humans to recreate responsibly so that they can survive,” Gonzales said.
“Cameras, today, on cell phones, they’re amazing. It’s OK to zoom in to capture that photo,” Gonzales said. “But your safety, your life, your pet’s life, that’s not worth going up close and getting that photo that you think is going to go viral.”
Gonzales said to use the U.S. Forest Service’s suggestion of giving wildlife a thumbs up to ensure it has enough space. A recreator should hold up their arm and see if they can cover the moose with their thumbnail. If they can, they are a safe distance away. If the moose is larger than their thumbnail, they should move further away from the moose.
“But don’t get so caught up in it that you’re not keeping an eye on its movements,” Gonzales said. “A moose is going to tell you if it is uncomfortable.”
The moose may lay back its ears, start licking its snout, and the hairs on its neck may raise.
“If you start to see that, walk away,” Gonzales said.
If a moose starts to charge, unlike with predators, run away.
“Turn and run as fast as you can,” Gonzales said. “If you’re super close, and you don’t think you’re going to outrun that moose, but there’s a car or a boulder or something very large that you can put in (between) you and that moose, do that.”
Keep dogs on-leash
Moose often feel particularly threatened by dogs, as they do not differentiate between dogs and other predators.
“It doesn’t know the difference between a coyote or an animal that lives in your home. It’s going to see (the dog) as a predator, and it will protect itself,” Gonzales said.
Between 2019 and 2023, Colorado Parks and Wildlife received 18 reports of moose attacks in Colorado, which are defined as a moose making contact with human skin. Among these attacks, none took place in Eagle County, and there were no fatalities.
While Colorado Parks and Wildlife does not track moose attacking only dogs, “if you look at some of (the attacks), a lot of them have dogs,” Gonzales said. In some cases, the dog was leashed, and the walking pair startled the moose, and in other cases, the dog was off-leash and the moose went to protect itself against the dog and also harmed the human walking with the dog.
To keep both moose and dogs safe, “when you’re out recreating, keep your dog on a leash,” Gonzales said.
“If we’re going out and taking our dogs for a walk, or we see our neighbor taking their dogs for a walk, and they decide to let them off-leash, it’s holding them accountable, too,” Gonzales said.
If the EagleVail moose’s behavior begins to change, Gonzales encouraged the public to call Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Wildlife officers will ask questions and start to build a profile on the moose, to know if they might need to intervene to protect the moose and people in any way.
“If you do see its behavior change, and it’s becoming more aggressive, that’s absolutely the time to call, because we can start to look and keep an eye on that moose,” Gonzales said.
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There is no way to predict how long the moose will stay. In the meantime, residents can appreciate the large, majestic animal’s presence by observing from afar, taking photographs, and keeping their dogs on leash.
If anyone has a dangerous encounter with the moose, or sees its behavior start to become aggressive, call the Glenwood Springs Colorado Parks and Wildlife office at 970-947-2920. If it is after hours, call the Colorado State Patrol and they will contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
