Moose Attacks Dog Sled in Iditarod

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

This is so awful! A moose attacked a dog sled team for more than an hour during the Iditarod race in Alaska recently. The moose attacked the sled and dogs and stomped on them.

All the dogs are said to have lived but apparently some were injured seriously. The moose was shot four times by the woman driving the sled, but still stayed around until someone with a more powerful rifle showed up and killed it.

If you google it there are more details.

Yikes! I've seen a moose in the wild once and it was huge, and those horns? Oh my! I can't even imagine it.

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

@Sooner That would be a terrifying experience for sure. Poor dogs, I wonder if they were able to airlift them out for medical care? I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often. Moose seem moody and unpredictable.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

phoenixbrd · ‎03-27-2010

Two questions: Why didn't she have a gun powerful enough to take down the moose, knowing the possible danger. She unloaded her gun and the moose keep coming, "tramping" her sled dogs for more than an hour. Secondly, why didn't she call for help earlier rather than allowing this to go on....her friend showed up with a powerful rifle that took down the moose an hour later after she had called.

These were my thoughts as I was reading the article... maybe someone has clarification on these issues. Horrifying that these four dogs were subjected to this abuse. Apparently, they are on the mend after "serious" injuries. It was stated that she was able to release six of the sled dogs before she retreated to the safety of another sled.

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

I'll reserve comment since the moose can't tell us his side of the story. They are magnificent creatures but not to be toyed with. I once had a field job up in Calais ME. We were told that if we encountered a moose on a road. Don't honk or get out of the far. Turn the engine off and wait for the moose to go about its business. Well, one lovely day on a 2 lane road, a moose was laying in the middle of the road. Stretched out across both lanes, I think basking in the sun like cats do. I stopped and waited....and waited.....and waited. It might have been an hour before he stood up. Omg.... the biggest animal I'd ever encountered. Tall and powerful with antlers that looked like a mid sized tree. I was shocked by the majesty of the thing. So, he turned and just stared at my car with me sitting in it and then I was scared. But he just turned and walked off into the woods. It almost felt like a religous experience. I was humbled to see such a magnificent creature in his natural environment.

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

@phoenixbrd wrote:
Two questions: Why didn't she have a gun powerful enough to take down the moose, knowing the possible danger. She unloaded her gun and the moose keep coming, "tramping" her sled dogs for more than an hour. Secondly, why didn't she call for help earlier rather than allowing this to go on....her friend showed up with a powerful rifle that took down the moose an hour later after she had called.

These were my thoughts as I was reading the article... maybe someone has clarification on these issues. Horrifying that these four dogs were subjected to this abuse. Apparently, they are on the mend after "serious" injuries. It was stated that she was able to release six of the sled dogs before she retreated to the safety of another sled.

@phoenixbrd My guess is she just had a pistol which would deter most wild animals. This moose must have been territorial and very riled up. She wouldn't carry a rifle because they're big, heavy and rarely needed, especially in winter when bears aren't out. She may have been out in the middle of nowhere where immediate help was not available. I'm surprised there was cell service, if indeed there was.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

@Kachina624 wrote:

@phoenixbrd wrote:
Two questions: Why didn't she have a gun powerful enough to take down the moose, knowing the possible danger. She unloaded her gun and the moose keep coming, "tramping" her sled dogs for more than an hour. Secondly, why didn't she call for help earlier rather than allowing this to go on....her friend showed up with a powerful rifle that took down the moose an hour later after she had called.

These were my thoughts as I was reading the article... maybe someone has clarification on these issues. Horrifying that these four dogs were subjected to this abuse. Apparently, they are on the mend after "serious" injuries. It was stated that she was able to release six of the sled dogs before she retreated to the safety of another sled.

@phoenixbrd My guess is she just had a pistol which would deter most wild animals. This moose must have been territorial and very riled up. She wouldn't carry a rifle because they're big, heavy and rarely needed, especially in winter when bears aren't out. She may have been out in the middle of nowhere where immediate help was not available. I'm surprised there was cell service, if indeed there was.

My guess is the moose's behavior was totally uncharacteristic and it was something that never happened and she didn't have gun that could take moose down.

Lucky Charm · ‎03-09-2010

Poor dogs. Poor moose. Stupid ~~Idiot~~ Iditarod.

phoenixbrd · ‎03-27-2010

@chrystaltree Yes, your first sentence crossed my mind also. I'm very pro animal and distraught when animals are shot in zoos because a buffoon climbed in to join them in their "protected" environment. It would have been best obviously in this case if no one had been harmed.

We had an experience similar to yours while riding motorcycles in Yellowstone. Powerful animals are a humbling and awe inspiring experience.

@chrystaltree wrote:
I'll reserve comment since the moose can't tell us his side of the story. They are magnificent creatures but not to be toyed with. I once had a field job up in Calais ME. We were told that if we encountered a moose on a road. Don't honk or get out of the far. Turn the engine off and wait for the moose to go about its business. Well, one lovely day on 3 lane road, a moose was lay in the middle of the road. Stretched out across both lanes, I think basking in the sun like cats do. I stopped and waited....and waited.....and waited. It might have been an hour before he stood up. Omg.... the biggest animal I'd ever encountered. Tall and powerful with antlers that looked like a mid sized tree. I was shocked by the majesty of the thing. So, he turned and just stared at my car with me sitting in it and then I was scared. But he just turned and walked off into the woods. It almost felt like a religous experience. I was humbled to see such a magnificent creature in his natural environment.

phoenixbrd · ‎03-27-2010

@Kachina624 That makes sense about the rifle, in competition every ounce counts... you risk that these encounters won't happen. And, most likely, as you say, the moose was asserting himself protecting his territory.

She obviously had a cell phone as the article stated she called her friend....maybe it took her some time to get a connection and her friend to arrive with the rifle. A helicopter was getting ready to fly in, but they got information that the moose had been taken down. Probably there will be more details forthcoming. The good news is the four dogs are surviving.