Wayward moose relocated

LIVINGSTON, Mont. – A young bull moose spotted chewing its cud in Fleshman Creek near Sacajawea Park here was tranquilized, its antlers sawed off and moved out of town.

Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks wardens decided to move the 800-pound animal because the annual rutting season was near and there was risk the moose would become dangerous.

They sawed off its antlers because the tranquilizer dart would render the meat unfit for human consumption for a few weeks and moose hunting season opens Sept. 15, Warden Joe Knarr said.

The wardens, Livingston police officers and firefighters first tried to haze the moose across the Yellowstone River late Monday afternoon, but the moose moved farther into town, and began eating apples off a tree.

About 6 p.m., Tom Roffe, a wildlife veterinarian and biologist, shot a dart with narcotics into the animal’s shoulder. Less than two minutes later, the moose started wobbling, took a few steps and crashed into the side of an FWP pickup truck, creating a couple small dents.

It took about 10 men to roll the moose onto a tarp and load it into a horse trailer, where Roffe tied tourniquets around its antlers to reduce bleeding and biologist Tom Lemke used a handsaw to remove them.

The moose was to be released in a hunting district where only bull moose can be shot.

The moose will grow a new set of antlers next spring, Lemke said.