Hunters risk eating drug-tainted meat from tranquilized moose, ND officials warn
At first, it seemed like a happy ending.
A moose running wild this week on a University of North Dakota football field in Grand Forks was tranquilized and safely relocated miles outside of town, campus police said.
But now there’s a new problem: The moose still has anesthetics and antibiotics in its system, just as archery hunting season is set to begin — meaning unsuspecting hunters could end up eating moose meat tainted with drugs that have yet to dissipate, state wildlife officials said Thursday in a news release.
Eating the meat could be harmful to human health, which is why North Dakota Game and Fish Department wildlife chief Jeb Williams said “immobilization and relocation efforts were not recommended by the department.”
“Conversations are ongoing with all parties to prevent this situation from occurring in the future,” Williams said, explaining that the “anesthetic drug and antibiotics used in this situation present a hazard to anyone consuming this meat as the withdrawal time for both drugs goes well into the archery hunting season.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn’t approved the anesthetic for humans and research suggests at least a two-week withdrawal period, officials said. Williams said the antibiotic used on the moose “has a label recommendation of a 28-day withdrawal time before the meat should be consumed.”
Archery season for moose hunting kicks off Friday and ends Sept. 29, according to wildlife officials. Regular moose hunting season starts Oct. 11 and runs through Nov. 3.
“We acknowledge that tranquilizing and relocating moose back to the wild is a popular choice with the public,” Williams said. “But in certain situations, it is not the most responsible solution. Our agency takes the use of drugs and the recommended withdrawal period very seriously, because we do not want to put hunters and others at risk due to our actions. This is simply a liability we are not willing to assume.”
Williams said he wanted hunters and drivers — who have a right to take a moose they hit — to be aware of the potential risks.
“If a hunter or motorist encounters this type of a situation, we ask that you contact the department for more information and recommendations for consumption,” Williams said.
Police said euthanizing a healthy animal that isn’t an immediate danger to the public would have violated its policies, the Grand Forks Herald reported.
“There’s really no great option for this,” UND Police Lt. Danny Weigel said, according to the newspaper. “We felt that the option that we had was the best option at the time.”
Campus police shared video of the moose’s release on Tuesday.
The moose now has its own Twitter account.
This story was originally published September 5, 2019 at 6:36 PM with the headline "Hunters risk eating drug-tainted meat from tranquilized moose, ND officials warn."
