In Bienfait, Saskatchewan, Angie Tuffnell faced bone-chilling -40 wind chill when she ventured outside to start her car, an ordinary day that took a terrifying turn. Hearing her cries, her son Shawn rushed down to find a moose looming over her.
The emaciated moose sought warmth near a dryer vent against the house and turned aggressive, attacking Angie. In a moment of instinctive bravery, Shawn confronted the animal by delivering a swift punch to its face, causing a split lip but failing to deter the moose. Armed with a shovel, Shawn struck the moose multiple times, yet it persisted in its aggression.
With the moose following him inside, Shawn found himself in a life-threatening situation, shielding his mother from the animal’s attack. Wrestling the moose into a headlock, Shawn managed to subdue it, using all his strength to ensure his mother’s safety.
The dramatic ordeal only ended when Angie’s boyfriend brought a rifle, and Shawn, in a bid to protect his mother, fired multiple shots, eventually taking down the moose after a relentless struggle.
A subsequent examination by the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative revealed that the moose succumbed to numerous gunshot wounds to the head, confirming Shawn’s assessment of its weakened state due to starvation.
The moose was not afflicted with any diseases but was driven by extreme hunger and the need for warmth, as Shawn described it being in “survival mode.” Reflecting on the intense encounter, Shawn expressed regret over the necessity of killing the moose but acknowledged that their survival took precedence.
Moose expert Ryan Brook explained that in severe cold, moose seek shelter wherever possible, even resorting to aggressive behavior when feeling threatened. The incident underscores the changing landscape in Saskatchewan, where moose are increasingly encroaching on human-populated areas.
The Tuffnells bear the physical and emotional scars from the harrowing encounter, with Angie recovering from a leg injury and Shawn nursing a cracked rib and head injury. Despite the ordeal, they are grateful to have emerged alive from the dangerous situation.
