A GPS emergency response device may have saved a man’s life after he was gored by a moose in Colorado.
An archery hunter was near Larimer County’s Trap Creek when he shot at a moose and missed.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a press release, “The moose turned and charged, goring and trampling the man and inflicting life-threatening injuries.”
Jenevieve Kramer, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office stated that the injured hunter activated an emergency signal from his GPS device. The hunter tried to hike out of the area and thankfully another group of hikers found him. A sheriff’s deputy was able to place a tourniquet on the man’s arm and he was flown by helicopter to a hospital. He is expected to live and make a full recovery.
Kramer said, “He was in very bad shape.”
People reported,
“This was an unfortunate incident, but he was prepared,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife Area Wildlife Manager Jason Surface said. “If not for the GPS beacon he activated, he may not have survived.”
He added, “His ability to stay cool after being mangled by a moose, to have that presence of mind is pretty impressive. Having an emergency beacon device contributed to this hunter’s rescue and it is always good to have a plan when in the woods by yourself.”
It was the fourth moose attack on a person this year and the 13th since 2019, according to Travis Duncan, a spokesperson with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a news release, “Big game animals, especially moose, can be aggressive and unpredictable, and hunting comes with risks, especially bow hunting, which requires getting closer to the animal than other forms of hunting.” They continued saying they, “will not be taking management action on the moose.”
Colorado’s archery moose season runs from Sept. 11 to Sept. 30.
