At first, Dean and Mary Tanner couldn't imagine who would want to steal their daughter's 200-pound swing set. But the angry culprit, a 2-year-old moose, was lurking nearby.
The animal stumbled into the 10-foot-high swing set on Wednesday, hooking its antlers around a chain and dragging the set through the neighborhood where the family lives.Dogs barked wildly about 3 a.m. as the moose made a clamor with the swing set in tow. But the Tanners didn't investigate and only discovered it was missing later that morning.
State wildlife officials said the moose got tangled in the swing set after it veered from a trail. As it tried to free itself, it ended up dragging the set around the neighborhood and across a road.
Tired and angry, the moose later returned to the Tanner home and was found resting alongside the house, still connected to the apparatus.
"He wasn't in a good mood," Tanner said. "There were points when he charged us. He was huffing and puffing and stomping around."
Wildlife officers arrived and tried to release the moose with wire cutters. When that failed, they shot it with a tranquilizer and gingerly removed the swings. The moose's antlers were scraped and bleeding slightly.
"He did an excellent job snaring himself," said Ken Pitcher, a state biologist.
Afterward, the moose got up and walked into the woods.