Colorado Parks and Wildlife is investigating after learning that a at Brainard Lake after claiming the animal was killed in front of her and a group of onlookers.
“There is no evidence that a bull moose was harvested in front of onlookers as previously reported,” said a Colorado Parks and Wildlife news release Tuesday.
The witness said she did not hear a gunshot or see an arrow, but saw a hunter in the area, watched the moose “drop” behind tall plants and assumed it had died, the release said.
The park’s investigation determined that a licensed hunter who was also a Parks and Wildlife employee was outside of the lake’s moose hunting closure. He was at the same location at the same time described by the witness and did have an encounter with a bull moose, “but did not shoot it since he had a cow license.”
The hunter later harvested a cow moose that officers confirmed was outside of the closure boundary, the release said.
“When people have concerns about wildlife-related activity, they need to call Colorado State Patrol to contact the on-call wildlife officer,” said Larry Rogstad, area wildlife manager for Boulder.
Parks and Wildlife has posted signs at the entrance to Brainard Lake Recreation Area and at trailheads stating “moose hunting season currently open” to inform the public.
The lake is used for hunting and wildlife observation, parks and wildlife said.
To help nature onlookers from witnessing a moose hunt at Brainard Lake, officials said one-quarter mile from the high waterline of .
“The closure is intended to reduce conflicts between hunters and other user groups while balancing the moose population with existing habitat for the species,” the release said. “While hunters are strongly encouraged to pursue their quarry in a way that minimizes impacts to wildlife watchers and other recreationists, so are wildlife watchers encouraged to seek opportunities to view wildlife in non-huntable areas, such as open space and national parks.”
Elizabeth Hernandez: 303-954-1223, ehernandez@denverpost.com or twitter.com/ehernandez
