No. 031 · mammal · Risk: Moderate
Moose
Alces alces
In season · SeptemberNortheast / Mid-AtlanticMountain WestAlaska
- Field tell
- Tallest deer; long legs, humped shoulders, palmate antlers on bulls. Can appear ungainly until it charges.
- Why it matters
- More people are injured by moose than by bears in some northern parks. Give cows with calves a very wide berth.
- Habitat
- Wet woods, willow thickets, pond edges.
- Season
- Year-round. Calving in spring; rut in September–October when bulls are most aggressive.
MOOSE
If a moose approaches or charges
- Give moose at least 25 yards — 50 or more for a cow with a calf.
- If the moose lays back its ears, hacks the ground, or walks toward you, you are too close — back away and put a tree or car between you.
- If it charges, run and get behind something solid. Unlike bears, you can run from a moose; they usually stop once you are out of their space.
- If knocked down, curl up, protect your head, and stay still until the moose moves off.
Not medical advice. Call 911 or Poison Control 1-800-222-1222.
Related mammals
- Mountain Lion — Tan, unspotted coat; long tail with a dark tip. Sightings are usually brief, at a distance, near dawn or dusk.
- Gray Wolf — Larger and longer-legged than a coyote, travels in packs, howls rather than yips.
- American Black Bear — Straight facial profile, no shoulder hump, short claws; color ranges from black to cinnamon.