Moose vs Bear: Who Would Win in a Fight?

By John Blackwell Last updated Jul 3, 2022

Comparing a Moose and a Bear

Moose are generally larger than bears.
A-Z-Animals.com

	Moose	Bear
Size	Weight: 600lbs-1,500lbs or more Height: 4.6ft-6.9ft at shoulder Length 7ft-10ft	Weight: 60lbs – 990lbs Height: 2ft – 5ft at shoulder, up to 9ft standing. Length: 4.5ft – 11ft
Speed and Movement Type	35 mph	25-35 mph
Senses	– Near-sighted, so their vision isn’t great – Great sense of smell – Very good sense of hearing	– Some bears can smell from several miles away – Hearing twice as good as humans – Good vision and some bears can see better at dusk.
Defenses	– Large bodies – Capable of running very fast – Good swimmers	– Large size – Speed to run away – Fierce threat displays – Ability to traverse land and water -Climbing ability
Offensive Capabilities	– Can stomp or kick – Will ram with antlers, causing trauma or severe punctures	– Powerful, bone-breaking bites – Sharp claws that can tear open prey – Uses weight to pin down enemies
Predatory Behavior	– None, herbivorous – Territorial and aggressive at times, especially when rearing their young	– Ambush predator in some cases, waiting for prey to get close before striking – Opportunistic predator that pursues and kills prey in other cases – Typically secures a kill with a single, powerful bite to the throat.

What Are Key Differences Between a Moose and a Bear?

What do grizzly bears eat - leaves — Bears are carnivores while moose are herbivores.
ovbelov/Shutterstock.com

The greatest differences between a moose and a bear include their morphology and size. Moose are the largest deer with palmate antlers that stand up to 7ft tall and grow 10ft long, and bears are large caniforms with shaggy fur that stand up to 5ft tall and grow 11 feet long at their largest.

Although both mammals are quadrupedal, bears can stand on their hind legs for short periods of time. Moreover, bears are carnivores and moose are herbivores.

These unique qualities grant insight into the potential strengths and weaknesses of the animals. That information combined with other key factors will allow us to say with certainty which animal is going to emerge victoriously.

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What Are the Key Factors in a Fight Between a Moose and a Bear?

What do moose eat — Moose are instantly recognizable due to their antlers, dewlap, and shoulder hump.
iStock.com/RichardSeeley

As with many battles in the animal kingdom, the most important factors in this fight are physical qualities like size and defense as well as the way the animals behave when they are trying to kill another creature.

By finding out which animal has an advantage in five different traits, we can make a very educated guess about the results of the battle.

Moose vs Bear: Size

Moose are larger than bears. A moose can weigh as much as 1,500lbs, stand almost 7ft tall at the shoulder, and grow 10ft long. The largest bears in the world usually weigh about 990lbs, stand 5ft tall at the shoulder, and grow 11ft long at their longest.

Moose have the size advantage in this case.

Moose vs Bear: Speed and Movement

Interestingly, moose and bears move at the same speed. The fastest bear can move at about 35 mph, and a fully grown moose in a hurry can tear across the land at 35 mph. However, bears cannot hold that speed nearly as long as a moose. If the moose wanted to get away from a bear, it probably could before the fight started.

Moose have the edge in endurance and overall speed.

Moose vs Bear: Senses

Bears have the senses of a predator, so they can smell prey from miles off, hear twice as well as humans, and they have very good vision even at dusk. Moose are not built to hunt. They are near-sighted, but they have a good sense of hearing and as well as the ability to sniff out food. Still, their senses are not as attuned as a predator’s.

Bears have the advantage in senses.

Moose vs Bear: Physical Defenses

Bears have large bodies that can soak up a lot of punishment before they give out. Cases of bears being shot by hunters and still being able to attack have emerged in the past. Moreover, bears are deceptively fast, capable swimmers and climbers, and have a very scary threat display.

Moose are also very large creatures that are good at swimming and running quickly. They can also absorb a lot of damage and keep moving while demonstrating a powerful threat display.

Aside from the ability to climb trees, physical defenses between these creatures are a tie.

Moose vs Bear: Combat Skills

Although they are herbivores, moose can be very tough in a fight. They can stomp or kick their foes to death, putting all their weight to use. Moreover, they can ram creatures with their palmate antlers, doing blunt damage or puncturing their foes.

Bears are more brutal and direct in their attacks. Their goal is to get ahold of another creature by the neck and bring it to the ground. With their immense size, that is easy to do. While strangling the animal, they also inflict deep puncture wounds as well as deep cuts on their enemies.

Bears fight large animals and know how to effectively neutralize them.

Who Would Win in a Fight Between a Moose and a Bear?

kodiak vs grizzly — A Kodiak bear or a grizzly would have the easiest time killing a moose.
iStock.com/Jess Bray

A bear would win a fight against a moose in the vast majority of cases. Bears know how to track down and kill moose when they are young and juveniles. They’re also familiar with hunting and killing adult moose, too.

However, we mustn’t simply write off a fully grown moose from this battle. A moose could kill a bear with a well-placed kick or by using its antlers. A bear has to chase the moose down and then take kicks while landing a bite on its neck and bringing it to the ground.

That would be the most likely outcome of the fight, though. Bears like to keep their prey from running, and that is a highly effective way to do it. Once the bear gets the moose to the ground, it will leverage its weight to keep it there.

Whether by strangulation or wearing down the moose with bites and cuts, the bear is going to win that fight.

It’s not often that the smaller animal wins a fight in the wild. Yet, a bear is a predator, and a moose is not. The difference in instinct is all it takes to flip the fight in favor of the bear!

About the Author

Kyle Glatz

I am a freelancer specializing in SEO content writing. I write in a variety of niches such as video games, animals, and managed service providers. I’ve been writing full-time since 2018, so I’ve been doing remote work before it was cool. When I’m not working, I can be found reading, trying to catch up on my tv show backlog, playing video games, and starting stories that I’ll never finish.