Boulder Woman Plays Dead To Survive Crazy Moose Attack

A Colorado woman's morning hike turned dangerous after she encountered an aggressive moose near Winter Park.

Boulder resident Diane Israel told FOX 31 about the scary encounter -- and how she lived to tell the tale. It started Sunday morning (August 29) when she spotted a cow moose on the trail.

“She just saw me and she just went nuts on me,” Israel said, adding that she forgot her headlamp at the time. “She took her hooves and she kicked me for quite a bit. She took her snout and her head and smashed me in my head."

The attack lasted nearly 15 minutes, the 61-year-old woman said. Israel suffered a broken wrist, injuries to her spine, and a deep gash above her ankle from the moose's hoof. She told reporters she survived by playing dead so the creature would leave her alone.

Israel says she's still shaken by the event but will return to the high country to admire wildlife.

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, this is the second human-moose encounter near Winter Park in less than a week. Officials advise people to keep their distance from a moose if they encounter one. Make sure to find a tree, rock, or car for cover, too.