Moose Attacks and Gores Colorado Hunter Who Fired Arrow at It and Missed

A moose has attacked and gored a bowhunter in the Colorado woods, leaving the man with serious injuries.

The hunter had fired an arrow at the moose and missed, triggering the male to attack him. The man sent an SOS signal on his GPS device at about midday on Tuesday, according to Larimer County Sheriff's Office.

"The hunter had hiked about a mile and a half to Long Draw Road and was being assisted by other passers-by when our deputy arrived. Our deputy immediately rendered first aid to the hunter, placing a tourniquet on his arm and keeping him comfortable until paramedics from Poudre Canyon Fire Protection District arrived," the sheriff's office posted on Facebook.

"The life-threatening severity of the injuries to the hunter required evacuation on an air ambulance, which took him to an area hospital."

Moose are the largest species in the deer family, or Cervidae. They can reach a height at shoulder of 6.5 feet and weigh up to 1,800 pounds, according to National Geographic. The males' antlers can grow up to 5 feet across.

Once sparse in population in Colorado and surrounding areas, moose were reintroduced by Colorado Parks and Wildlife in the late 1970s. The state's moose population is now around 3,000.

Limited moose hunting is permitted in North Park, Middle Park and the Laramie River area.

Moose don't tend to be aggressive towards humans unless provoked. However, they attack more people than wolves and bears combined—albeit with less severe consequences most of the time. In Alaska, 5 to 10 people are attacked by moose each year. In Colorado, Tuesday's incident near Long Draw Road was the fourth reported moose attack this year.

Male moose may be particularly aggressive during the mating season, fighting with other males to get female attention. The mating season is between September and October.

Moose may also become aggressive if a human is accompanied by a dog: a man in Idaho was charged by a moose while walking his dog earlier this year.

"Be sure to keep dogs on leashes," Shannon Schaller, deputy regional manager at Colorado Parks and Wildlife's northeast region, said in a statement after an incident in June. "Dogs can trigger aggressive behavior and both moose and elk will chase a dog right back to their owner, presenting a dangerous situation."

Colorado Parks and Wildlife also advises that if a moose charges, you should run away as fast as possible and get behind a large tree, rock or other object.