Moose on the loose in Idaho Falls

Several neighbors tell Local News 8 and police they saw a baby moose wandering around a subdivision off Old Butte Road early Sunday morning.

At 8:44 a.m., surveillance footage captured the moose galloping through the neighborhood.

“When I woke up this morning, we looked out the window and we just saw a moose,” said Tyler Campbell, who lives on Simon Street. “I was like, ‘What the heck? Why is it there?'”

Police say the moose was first spotted near Idaho Falls Regional Airport. It then began walking along Old Butte Road, eventually entering the neighborhood, where it made quite the impression.

“We were watching it and people were kind of freaking out a little bit,” said Monte McCall. “They’re just so big and strong and they’ll stomp you to pieces.”

The moose’s journey didn’t end there. Moving down Simon Street, it even found time to stop for a nosh on a neighbor’s tree – and it may not have been acting alone.

“We called the police and they said there’s apparently a mama and a baby moose, but we never saw the mama around,” said McCall.

After roaming the neighborhood, the moose headed to a nearby park where hundreds of kids were playing soccer.

Fearing the worst, McCall said he was prepared to jump into action.

“I brought my gun just in case ’cause you never know what an animal like that’s gonna do,” said McCall.

According to an Idaho Falls animal control officer, officials with the Idaho Fish and Game Department arrived on scene and watched as the moose headed north from the soccer field into some open fields.

They said they’ll keep an eye out to make sure it doesn’t return.