ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – If you\u2019ve noticed more moose in your Anchorage neighborhood, you probably aren\u2019t mistaken. Fish and Game Biologist Cory Stantorf said the recent heavy snow is pushing moose from the mountains down into town.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce we get to that snow level where moose are really having to plow through snow in the higher elevations, they start migrating down into our neighborhoods to get away from that snow, find what forage they can,\u201d Stantorf said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s when we start seeing human – moose conflicts.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2025, when Anchorage had a nearly snowless winter, Stantorf said moose stayed in the mountains and the department had almost no reports of conflicts with humans. So far this year, he said, they haven\u2019t received any recent reports of aggressive moose, but he urged people to be cautious around them. He said moose are hungry and likely to be cranky.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are nutritionally stressed, they have a shorter fuse, so their defense mechanism, instead of to flee, is to stand their ground and fight if they\u2019re being harassed or pressured.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stanford said the best thing to do is avoid moose, if possible.<\/p>\n
\u201cGive moose a wide berth, don\u2019t pressure them if they are on a trail, walk really far away from them to get around them or come back the way you came,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
And if you are charged by a moose, Stantorf advises people to run and hide behind a solid object like a vehicle or a tree. Stantorf said drivers should also be aware that with heavy snow, moose are likely walking in the roads. He said people should be aware that moose are likely all around.<\/p>\n
\u201cTake a peek around when you go to let dogs out in the morning or step out into your front yard,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you do have an encounter with a moose that\u2019s aggressive or stressed please let the Anchorage Fish and Game office<\/a> know or the Alaska Wildlife Troopers so we can take a look at that animal and evaluate it.\u201d<\/p>\n