The moose became increasingly agitated and had repeated close contacts with vehicles and residents. Fish and Game then made the decision to put the moose down once it was in an area that allowed for the action to be taken safely.

Regional Wildlife Biologist Jake Powell stated, “It was unfortunate that Fish and Game staff were unable to dart the moose with anesthetizing drugs over the weekend. Drugs often don’t work as expected with highly agitated wildlife, which could have made this situation even more unsafe for area motorists and residents. Ultimately, the behavior of the moose required staff to act accordingly to prevent injury to residents and passing motorists.”

The moose is being processed by a local meat processor, and the meat will be donated to Idaho Hunters Feeding the Hungry. This organization is a statewide non-profit who work with area food banks to provide protein to Idahoans in need who are faced with food insecurity.

A second yearling moose was found the following day, June 26, also along Interstate 84 near Burley. Fish and Game staff were able to successfully dart and anesthetize the moose and safely relocate the moose to a suitable area in the Jarbidge Mountains.