Moose killed in vehicle collision on Gunflint

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office has released details on a moose/vehicle collision on the Gunflint Trail on Friday, September 22. 

Matthew VanHorn, 29, of Grand Marais, was heading south on the Gunflint Trail at about 8:30 p.m. He rounded a corner near the Moose Viewing Trail and saw a moose in the road. 

VanHorn tried to slow down, but struck the moose, which acted as if it was going off into the woods, but then changed direction and remained on the roadway. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office noted vehicle skid marks for approximately 25 yards from VanHorn’s attempt to stop. 

The moose landed on the hood of VanHorn’s small truck and slid into the windshield. The animal ended up in the ditch a short distance from where it was hit. 

A passenger in the pickup, Brian Hallila, 41, was uninjured. VanHorn received a small cut on his hand from a glass shard. 

The vehicle had a smashed windshield, smashed passenger’s side window, hood damage, front-end damage and a large leak in the radiator. 

The moose was a large bull. A federal Conservation Officer retrieved the dead moose.