Moose shot by police in Worcester

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.

• Comment
• Permalink
• Email