A moose that was wandering around parts of Great Falls over the weekend has been safely captured and will be released back into the wild. We saw reports that the moose was seen in the Riverview neighborhood on Saturday night.
It was then seen at about 6:30 a.m. on Sunday wandering along River Drive between 25th Street and 15th Street, stepping over the guardrail toward the steep embankment that leads to the Missouri River.
A few hours later, officers with the Great Falls Police Department arrived and blocked off part of River Drive as they cornered the moose between the 15th Street and 9th Street.
According to witness Michael Cronin, officials with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks shot the moose with a tranquilizer dart, and the moose ran into the water.
FWP wardens on a boat got a rope on the moose and safely pulled it to the shore. Wardens and GFPD officers attached a strap to the moose where they and members of Great Falls Fire Rescue pulled it up the embankment to a FWP trailer.
The moose was taken to FWP region 4 headquarters for monitoring, and will be released back into the mountains.
(UPDATE) FWP posted at about 4:30 p.m. that the moose was released in the Little Belt Mountains and is doing well. They added: "Special thanks to FWP biologists and FWP wardens along with Great Falls Police Department and Great Falls Fire Department for a safe and successful relocation!"
