Not really hunting but...


Moose shot by police in Worcester

September 30, 2008 12:18 PM
By Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

A 900-pound bull moose was shot and killed by environmental police this morning in Worcester because the animal ignored the claps and shouts of officials and continued clomping toward downtown during rush hour.

Law enforcement spent 50 minutes trying to corral the 2-year-old antlered moose, which was wandering near two major highways and an active rail line.

"It was in rut, meaning it was in mating season, which means it potentially could have become aggressive," said Lisa Capone, a spokeswoman for the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

Officials feared that the animal could have ambled onto Interstate 290, Route 146, or the train tracks and caused a serious crash.

The first report of the moose came at 5 a.m., when a motorist called Worcester police after spotting the animal near the College of the Holy Cross. State environmental police joined the chase at 7:25 a.m. The moose was shot at 8:15 near Quinsigamond Avenue.

The moose population in Massachusetts is between 850 and 950, a level that has been stable for five years after a significant rebound over the last three decades, Capone said. Prior to the 1970s, moose had completely vanished from the state since the early 1700s. Despite the increased population, moose hunting remains illegal in Massachusetts.

To the north in New Hampshire, there are an estimated 6,000 moose. This fall the state will issue 515 permits for a nine-day hunt, with the season slated to start Oct. 18.

This morning in Worcester, the moose ventured inside a building at one point during the chase, stepping into Castle Metals. After being chased back outside, the animal continued heading downtown.

"In the area where it was in Worcester, there weren't a lot of options where it could go," Capone said.

The animal's remains will be donated to local sportsmen's clubs, where the meat is typically cooked and eaten at game banquets.

Wow! Someone hit and killed one with their car on the Merritt parkway in southern CT last summer. That's pretty much on the coast, I travel the merritt frequently.

Just an observation but man do they grow 'em big in Mass. Sure wish our 2 yr. old bulls ran 900 lbs. What's the secret, anyway? BTW, shooting a young bull just 'cause he's runnin' around in town? Geez, if we did that here in ol' Fairtown, we could feed half of the state. Well, almost. Anyway, ya'll have a good day & don't let them thar mooses run rampant.
Bear in Fairbanks

About 15 years ago there was one running around Cleveland Circle in Boston; it came down the tracks. Thankfully for it, it was afternoon and it managed to wander back west and out of the city. Another one in Natick, a cow, was not so lucky. The cops made the decision to slug the thing in front of about 100 neighbiorhood people, inlcuding lots of kids, despite their lame effort to try to 'hide' the killing by setting up a series of 'blinds' using sheets and the like. Big uproar about that. Why they couldn't have just kept an eye on it to make sure it didn't head into heavier populated areas, or just let it be, I dunno'. Sure must have been nice for the cop that came into work that day, though. "What's on the agenda today, Sarge?" "Well, you've got a moose to shoot, for starters..."