Idaho Woman Left Unconscious After Being Headbutted by a Moose

A woman was knocked unconscious by a moose in Ketchum, Idaho, near her property on January 13.

The local resident received substantial but not life-threatening injuries when she was attacked by a moose in her driveway.

Immediately before the attack, the moose encountered a small, unleashed dog. The owner attempted to intervene and the moose, which was around 20 feet away, took charge.

A fully-grown male moose, called a bull, can stand up to six feet high and weigh upwards of 1,600 pounds. Females are smaller but are still large animals, weighing between 800-1,300 pounds.

The moose ran at the woman, hitting her in the head and knocking her unconscious. While nobody saw what happened next, the woman's injuries are consistent with the attack continuing after the woman was on the ground.

The attack was not reported to Idaho Fish and Game until January 17, and the department stressed the importance of timely reporting of animal attacks.

"Having conservation officers and biologists responding immediately to an attack or aggressive wildlife incident, greatly increases our ability to safely provide a service of protecting the public from additional wildlife incidents," said Idaho Fish and Game in a statement. "Regional staff are attempting to locate and relocate the moose to a more remote location. The challenge is that multiple moose have been reported in the Warm Springs neighborhood west of Ketchum.

"Residents who live in areas where moose are common are strongly encouraged to be vigilant when they see a moose nearby. While moose may give the appearance of being slow and plodding, they can react incredibly fast when provoked, and cover distances in a matter of seconds."

Normally moose are not aggressive, but if a moose is stressed, protecting young or in season they can be easily provoked into an attack.

Idaho is home to an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 wild moose and Idaho Fish and Game recommend that anyone who encounters a moose watch their behavior very closely.

"If a moose lays its ears back or the hair on the back of the neck raises, that means it is stressed and could charge at any time. Moose will often snort or grunt or stomp their hooves when stressed or feeling threatened," said Idaho Fish and Game. "If you see any of these behaviors the best course of action is to put something between you and the moose—like a tree or a vehicle, or, if it can be done safely, enter your house or vehicle."

Newsweek reached out to Idaho Fish and Game for further comment.