BEWARE: Moose are on the Loose in Idaho

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Frequent visitors to the South Hills aren’t surprised.  The moose population south of Twin Falls has been growing by leaps and bounds.  Many of the giant beasts are on the move this time of year.  Craig White is the Supervisor for Idaho Fish and Game in our region.  A wildlife biologist by training, he warns you could soon have an encounter with one of the animals.

For the most part, you could say moose and people in the Magic Valley have been lucky.  There have been only a handful of dangerous encounters.  A moose had to be put down as he kept heading for Interstate 84 near Declo as the sun was setting.  That was a few months ago.  At about the same time, a woman in Ketchum was knocked down by a moose in her driveway.  She escaped with a concussion.

Moose are generally shy.  I’ve had three reasonably close encounters in my life.  The first two times, the animals darted back into the forest.  The last time I spotted a moose was outside of Jackson.  A big bull, he appeared not to pay much attention to the tourists along the road and he trotted off on his own and down a bike trail.  On the other hand, if a moose feels you’re too close for comfort, the end could be deadly for you.  They can become most unpleasant.

If you spot one near town or the highway, get in touch with Idaho Fish and Game and local law enforcement.   One of the most serious concerns White has is that someone driving at a high speed could have a collision.  Ones that involve moose are often horrific.