NAMPA, Idaho — A young female moose is on a journey to a new home - this time, one a little farther from the City of Nampa's neighborhoods and cul-de-sacs.
The moose caused a stir early Tuesday morning, when a resident spotted her in town and dialed police.
Ryan McCurdy said the moose crossed through the yard of his home while he was taking a shower. At some point, she jumped over his wooden fence, breaking it in the process.
"I was surprised it could actually jump over this thing," he said. "It's pretty sturdy. It's been here for a while, but it takes some force to bust it down I'm sure."
Nampa officers were eventually able to corral the large creature in someone's backyard, and called in the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to tranquilize her.
IDFG Regional Conservation Officer Charlie Justus said the moose, estimated to be a yearling, did not go quietly.
"She was in a backyard, really calm, laying down," he said. "When the biologist put the drugs in her with the dart, she stood up and she decided she didn't want to hang out there anymore."
The moose took off from the yard, but didn't get far: The tranquilizer kicked in a short time later, and she collapsed.
Moose on the loose in Nampa
Fish and Game worked together with Nampa Police to get the moose onto a tarp, then loaded up into a trailer. Justus said she'll be turned loose north of Emmett, near the Sage Hen Reservoir, where there are other moose.
He said people had reported the young moose making her way toward the Treasure Valley. Run-ins with dogs and other unfamiliar sights might have pushed her farther into urban areas, Justus added.
"We've had several reports of it on the Payette River and then Middleton, and Star, and now it's here," he said. "If she's a youngster, she's looking for a new place, trying to figure out where her home should be."
Moose are native to Idaho, and have made their way into the Treasure Valley before, typically by following the Boise River drainage.
Justus encouraged anyone who spots a moose in an area where they don't belong - such as your neighborhood - to contact authorities. He also warned people against getting too close to the big animals, meaning don't try to pet them, and no selfies.
"Leave them alone, be quiet, don't chase," he said. "Don't do the Yellowstone Park thing."