Man Attacked by Charging Bull Moose While Walking his Dog

An incident involving a bull moose has prompted Wyoming officials to issue a reminder to "give wildlife room" in order to avoid dangerous situations.

Though sometimes overshadowed by bears and other more commonly-feared animals, moose, while typically not aggressive, can harm or cause damage to people and property.

According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, a man was walking his dog at the time of the Friday encounter. He was on a bike path near a local elementary school.

He reportedly spotted the bull moose about 50 yards away from him before it began to charge at him. The moose reportedly slammed into the man, knocking him over and causing injuries.

The man was taken to a hospital for medical treatment. It's currently unknown what may have caused the moose to charge.

Officials received a report regarding the incident on Saturday, the agency reported. The site of the attack was investigated but the moose was not located.

The ordeal is just one of many moose-related incidents reported over the past several weeks, highlighting the potential dangers that come with getting too close to the wild creatures.

Earlier this month, a 700-pound moose in Massachusetts ran into traffic, hitting a car and leaving it dented. Officials warned drivers to keep an eye out for these types of situations, as they are more common during moose's breeding season, from September through October.

Days prior, a woman in Colorado was forced to play dead after a moose knocked her down twice. Once the moose left the scene, she sought medical attention for injuries to her back, leg, and wrist.

According to the Department of Fish and Game in Alaska—another area where moose are widespread—the creatures are known to get aggressive for a variety of reasons. "While moose are generally perceived to be less dangerous than bears," noted the agency, "more people in Alaska are injured by moose than by bears each year."

Harassment from humans or dogs, or simply feeling hungry and tired, can trigger aggressive behavior from a moose. Specifically, they tend to "view dogs as enemies and will sometimes go out of their way to kick at one."

In order to "avoid conflict" with moose and other wild animals, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department recommends "[being] especially watchful during times of low light" and keeping an eye out "for fresh signs of wildlife, such as tracks or scat." Moreover, one should "never crowd or surround an animal and always allow the animal an escape route."

The agency added that they tend to see increased reports of moose encounters at this time of year, due to it being their breeding season.