News
Cow Moose Shot and Killed in Confrontation with Angler in Bighorn National Forest
On the morning of June 14, 2025, Wyoming Game and Fish Department personnel received a report that a cow moose had been shot in a confrontation with an angler on the North Tongue River in the Bighorn National Forest near Bear Lodge Resort. When game wardens responded, they found the moose deceased from her injuries.
The game wardens interviewed the angler who said he had encountered the moose at close range in thick willows. He fired multiple shots at the moose when she became agitated and charged him.
The wardens searched the surrounding area and found two young-of-the-year moose calves that they believed the cow was defending. Due to their inability to survive without their mother, the calves were euthanized.
The North Tongue River and nearby areas are prime moose habitat. These areas are also popular with anglers and other recreationists who can take steps to prevent conflicts with moose and other wildlife.
Please consider these actions to avoid a potential conflict:
While moose can be found in many areas of the Bighorn National Forest and adjoining lands, they spend significant time in riparian areas – the areas in and around rivers, streams and ponds. Pay particular attention to your surroundings while in these areas, watching and listening for movement.
Despite their large size, moose can be difficult to spot in thick vegetation such as willows. Make noise and move carefully through areas with low visibility. Be especially watchful during times of low light, such as early morning or late evening, as their dark coloring makes moose hard to see.
Always give moose and other wildlife as much space as possible and an escape route. All wildlife can be unpredictable and become defensive if they feel threatened.
Doe deer, cow moose and elk may become quickly protective of fawns or calves that are hidden nearby, but not observable to you.
Choose another route of travel if your path will take you near visible wildlife. Be alert to an animal becoming agitated by your presence. Signs of agitation include interruption of feeding, staring, ears pinned back and head lowered.
Dogs should be on a leash or under voice control. Dogs can trigger protective behavior in deer, moose and other animals. It is also illegal to allow dogs to chase or harass wildlife.
Consider carrying bear spray while recreating. It can be an effective, nonlethal deterrent in a conflict situation with moose, bears or other wildlife. Learn how to properly carry and use bear spray at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Bear Wise information webpage.
Please report any conflicts with wildlife to the Game and Fish Sheridan Regional Office at 307-672-7418 or to the Stop Poaching Hotline at 1-877-WGFD-TIP (1-877-943-3847).
PENNY R.JACOBSON
June 17, 2025 at 5:30 pm
SO THREE LIVES WERE TAKEN ( NOT JUST ONE) HOPE THE INDIVIDUAL INVOLVED ” ENJOYD’S HIS FISH” I AM A WYOMINGIT ! BORN & RAISED .I AM AT THE AGE OF 76 EVEN I KNOW THE THING TO DO IS DROP YOU POLE . BACK OFF EASILY AND GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE . I ALSO AM AWARE THAT THIS TIME OF YEAR THE WILDLIVE ARE dropping BIRTHED CALVES AND ARE VERY “PROATECTIVE ” OF THE NEW BORN . IT IS SO VERY SAD THAT NOT JUST COW MOOSE WAS PUT DOWN & HE TWO NEW BORN’S EUTHANIZED INSTEAD OF FINDING ANOTHER ALTURNATIVE .
Harold Smith
June 18, 2025 at 6:15 am
Have fished there for over 50 years and many moose encounters. Always so easily to avoid an aggressive moose. Obviously, we don’t know the total situation but smells like a “trigger happy gonna stand my ground” angler. Hope not that is not the case!
Harriett Oleson
June 18, 2025 at 10:56 am
I agree Harold, even though we don’t know the actual actions of the moose. In my eighties now and I have dodged aggressive moose { with or without calves”MANY, MANY TIMES!!! Carrying guns often leads to a panic use of them. Seems very sad for three moose to die because of this new macho man John Wayne gun carrying garbage….
Carol Arzy Webb
June 19, 2025 at 7:27 pm
My dad was a game warden for 20 plus years. One time a couple of teenagers killed a mama moose with twins. He found the twins too weak to take them. He also found that the mama was carrying twins. The teens had actually killed 5. He kept the fetus to remind him of why he tried to protect the wildlife. The teens were in court and lost hunting privileges for several years.
This story reminded me of how badly my dad would feel,if he was still here.
Michael Cooper
June 18, 2025 at 5:17 pm
The wardens should be ashamed of themselves. The fisherman should be prosecuted. Many places in this country would have raised the calves. The actual words that need to be spoken are too extreme to write. How idiotic can a fisherman and two wardens be?
Jacob Williamson
June 19, 2025 at 6:05 am
Close the North Tongue. The fishing up there has been ruined by tourists anyways. I am willing to bet it was an out of stater as well who pulled the trigger. this place is going to hell in a hand basket real fast.
Erin Butler
June 19, 2025 at 10:39 am
Considering that is the moose’s habitat and not the anglers I wonder how he would have reacted to someone walking into his home and shooting at him and his family – obviously the same way the moose did. I agree that that person should have been prosecuted and perhaps had his license taken away. What a disappointing and deadly reaction to an easily navigated situation. How he didn’t simply marvel at his good luck in crossing paths with such a beautiful animal is incomprehensible, clearly not someone who enjoys or respects the natural world.
Nan Gile
June 19, 2025 at 12:23 pm
Angler should be prosecuted.
MIKE ZINTECK
June 20, 2025 at 10:23 am
Again no one knows what really happened? As far as I’m concerned if this person doesn’t have any cuts bruises or scrapes on him he should charged with taking a moose out of season with hunting and fishing privileges lost and also pay restitution on 3 moose.
Lucas Berry
June 23, 2025 at 2:00 pm
Release the name of the angler. We deserve to know and he should be prosecuted.