MOOSE IN THE YARD! OUR SUNDAY MORNING VISITOR

When our back outdoor patio sensor lights went on this morning at about 6:30, little did we know the excitement we'd have in the neighborhood this morning.  We looked out and didn't see anything on the patio.  (Sometimes passing raccoons, cats or dogs set them off).  However, after they turned on for the fourth time in a short time, I looked further back in the yard, and saw a great big, moose!  I ran and got Terry, my husband, and we watched it for awhile.  He was just sitting on the back lawn by the apple trees. At one point, the moose stood up and was eating the apples off our Golden Delicious apple tree, and tasting the Concord grapes that grow along our 4-foot chain link fence, which was about the height of the moose when he was sitting down. After calling Animal Control Services and being referred to a dispatch employee, a police officer came and said he would call it in to The Division of Wildlife Services.  After a short time, 4 DWS officers came, along with 3 additional policemen.  They tranquilized the animal by shooting it in the shoulder with a gun carrying the solution in a dart, and it only took about three minutes before the huge animal got wobbly and knelt down.  The 8 men then took a special big tarp and worked to roll the tranquilized animal onto it, which was no easy task;  they estimated its' weight at about 900 pounds, and thought the male moose was about  5 years old.  It took all eight men to drag him out of the yard and drag him into the trailer.  DWS tags the animal when this happens, and this moose already had a red tag on his ear--so this isn't the first time this moose has come into a residential area.   The moose had an injury on its' underside area that had infection in, and so this moose may have been sick.  The DWS officer said they would document everything, and then set the moose free in the mountains.  At any rate, this Sunday morning visitor caused quite a stir in the neighborhood.  I was happy that they took care of the moose in such a kind, humane way, and that no plants or flowers were ruined in getting him out--and I have some fun pictures for the grand kids!