RED LODGE — A bull moose trapped in the concrete bowl of Red Lodge’s skate park drew wildlife crews, first responders, and dozens of curious residents Wednesday before crews safely tranquilized and relocated the animal outside town.
Watch the full rescue here:
In a community accustomed to wildlife wandering through town, the scene at the skate park was unusual, even by Red Lodge standards. Christian and Laura Stone were driving their children to school when they noticed emergency lights near the park.
“I was wondering what was going on. Oftentimes it’s somebody getting hurt over here but not typically a moose,” Laura Stone said.
The bull moose had wandered into the skate park and become trapped in the deep, slick-sided concrete bowl. Unable to get enough traction to climb out, the roughly 1,000-pound animal remained in the bowl as crews worked to find a safe way to free it.
“We’ve seen a lot of animals in town, never a moose in the bottom of a skate park,” Steve Langlas said, who came to watch the scene with his wife, Missy.
The moose appeared calm, residents said, but its situation quickly became a community spectacle.
“He didn’t panic,” Missy Langlas said. “But obviously, he can’t get out.”
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks responded around 9 a.m., spokesperson Chrissy Webb said. The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, Red Lodge Fire Rescue, and Red Lodge police also responded.
Authorities closed the skate park and nearby streets around 10th Street West and North Villard Avenue and asked people to stay out of the immediate area. Residents instead gathered along neighboring sidewalks, watching crews work.
Some had seen photos of the moose circulating on social media and came downtown to see what was happening.
“This morning when I got up on social media, I saw a picture of him, his antlers sticking up over the edge of the skate park,” resident Sam Merrick said. “I had to come down on my bike.”
Crews first tried placing rubber mats in the concrete bowl to give the moose enough traction to climb out. The effort was unsuccessful.
“We’re rooting for the moose,” Steve Langlas said.
“So are the game wardens,” Missy Langlas added. "Everybody's trying."
The unusual rescue was met with a mixture of concern and amusement from residents, many of whom said encounters with wildlife are simply part of life in Red Lodge.
The town has seen an increase in bear sightings within city limits this summer, and residents said moose occasionally make appearances as well.
“Seeing it, anything — it’s Red Lodge,” Christian Stone said. “Nothing excites us anymore. Bears running through town, moose in town. It’s all usual.”
Merrick said he believes the bull may be a familiar animal that has wandered through Red Lodge before. He said the moose has become something of a local celebrity.
“The moose is around. It’s kind of known as our local moose,” Merrick said.
He recalled seeing the animal near Roosevelt Center last year, where it mounted a fake moose display, and said residents never know where it might turn up next.
“He likes to just stand beside the road and say hi to people coming into town,” Merrick said.
After several hours, FWP successfully tranquilized the moose at about 2 p.m., following two attempts. The agency determined the animal was in healthy condition and safely relocated it to an area outside town.
For residents who had spent the morning watching the rescue unfold, the successful outcome was the most important part.
“We’re all looking for a safe resolve to the whole situation because he is the town moose,” Merrick said. “We’d like to see him wandering around or going back into the hills at some point again.”
The moose may have left Red Lodge, but its unexpected trip to the skate park gave the town a story likely to stick around long after the animal returned to the hills.
**Original Report**
Authorities are working to free and relocate a moose that was trapped inside the skate park in downtown Red Lodge Wednesday afternoon.
Red Lodge police sent a notice asking the public to stay clear of the area of the park near 10th Street West and North Villard Avenue.
The moose was stuck inside one of the bowls used by skaters.
Officials with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks tranquilized the moose, then managed to free it from the bowl around 2 p.m.
This is a developing story. Check back for details.
