Overview
- Riders traveling between Pittsburg, N.H., and Rangeley, Maine, found the moose buried up to its neck off a remote trail with 4–5 feet of snow.
- With no cell service to reach authorities, the group tamped and dug with hands and boots until the animal could stand and walk away.
- Rescuers reported the moose stayed calm and appeared healthy after regaining its footing, and they observed it for several minutes before departing.
- Accounts differ on the duration of the dig, with most saying roughly 20 minutes and at least one report describing about an hour.
- New Hampshire Fish and Game cautioned that moose can be dangerous and said heavy winter tick loads plus deep snow likely contributed; officials note about 3,000–4,000 moose in N.H. and an estimated 60,000–70,000 in Maine.