An Idaho Fish and Game officer on Monday fatally shot this bull moose that was close to Interstate 84 near the Declo exit and posing a threat to motorists.
An Idaho Fish and Game officer on Monday fatally shot this bull moose that was close to Interstate 84 near the Declo exit and posing a threat to motorists.
Idaho Fish and Game responded to several moose incidents last month, including one that resulted in the moose being fatally shot and another where the moose died after eating a toxic plant.
The most serious of the incidents involved moose that was close to Interstate 84 near the Declo exit in Southeast Idaho. The moose was within 30 feet of the interstate on Monday night.
A Fish and Game officer was able to get the moose to move away from the interstate to a location near the Snake River, Fish and Game said. This area was also close to a commercial campground.
Activity from the campground agitated the moose, and it attempted to charge the officer, who was able to move to a safe place to avoid being attacked, Fish and Game said.
The officer made repeated attempts to get the moose to move away from the campground , but the moose ran at full speed towards the interstate, Fish and Game said. The officer had to fatally shoot the moose to prevent it from entering the nighttime traffic on the interstate, Fish and Game said.
The meat from the moose was salvaged and will be donated to Idaho Hunters Feeding the Hungry. They will distribute it to food banks in the area.
Fish and Game responded to an earlier incident in which a bull moose was found dead in a backyard north of Ketchum on Jan. 23 after eating a toxic plant.
Fish and Game said the plant the moose ingested was exotic yew, which is known to be dangerous to wildlife and pets. Residents are strongly encouraged to remove a ny yew plants from their yards. If removal is not possible until spring, the yew plants should be covered tightly with burlap.
Fish and Game has also recently relocated several moose from the Sun Valley, Ketchum and Hailey areas.
The first was a cow moose that was in Sun Valley Village. There had been reports of residents coming too close to the moose, causing it to become agitated. The moose was moved to Fish Creek, which is located north of Carey.
The second was also a cow moose that had been standing directly underneath a ski lift at Bald Mountain near Ketchum on Jan. 19. After skiers had been coming too close to the moose, it was relocated to Fish Creek as well. This moose may have been involved in an attack on a Ketchum woman a week before.
The third moose was located on the north end of Hailey. This moose had reportedly charged a dog in a backyard and was considered a public safety risk. This moose was relocated on Jan. 25 to the Bennet Mountains north of Glenns Ferry. Residents are warned to be cautious around moose. They are known to act aggressively when they feel threatened. They are especially aggressive toward dogs, which they consider to be a predatory threat. If you come across a moose, you should keep your distance and notify authorities.
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