Southern Minnesota residents unite to track wandering moose

Fans have been tracking⁣ the young male moose for weeks and posting updates on a Facebook page that⁢ as of‍ Tuesday had more than 18,000 followers.

Admirers call the animal⁢ “Bullwinkle” or “Rutt,” the latter in homage to a scatterbrained moose from the movie ⁢”Brother Bear.”

A Minnesota ⁢Department of Natural ‌Resources big game expert told Minnesota’s Star ⁤Tribune that moose typically only roam in northern Minnesota, making the now-famous ⁢moose’s visit⁢ to south ⁣and central Minnesota a rare treat. Todd Froberg, the agency’s big game ​program coordinator, said the young ‍moose⁢ is likely looking⁤ for home territory or other moose and is ​expected to ⁢continue‍ moving north.

“He’s lost, and he’s trying to get home to his family,” said Bernie ⁤Stang,‍ a moose ⁢fan who spotted the​ animal in late October.

Amateur moose-tracker ​Brenda Johnson ⁤said traffic ​on the Facebook page, of which she is the administrator, picked up​ in September when‌ the⁤ moose was spotted in Iowa near⁤ the ⁢border of ⁤Minnesota.

She‍ suspects Rutt‍ traveled from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa before coming back to⁤ Minnesota, based ‍on news reports of moose⁣ sightings in South Dakota that ⁢match⁣ his description.

Johnson said she⁤ created the Central MN Moose on the Loose Facebook page in 2018 ⁤to track another moose whose‍ life‍ tragically‌ ended when⁣ it⁤ was fatally struck by a semi while crossing a highway.

Rutt enthusiasts had‌ been monitoring his fan⁢ page for ⁢weeks hoping for​ news that the colossal creature would avoid a similar fate and safely cross⁤ Interstate 94. (He did.)

Danielle Magnuson began searching for the moose ‍last month as a​ distraction from stressors in her life. She spent several days a week ​searching⁢ before she ​finally found him Nov. 13 near Sauk Centre.

“It’s almost like seeing ⁢a​ unicorn,” Magnuson⁣ said. “They’re just really beautiful animals, and we don’t ​get a chance ⁣to see them around‌ our area.”

Stang​ said seeing Rutt was especially touching for​ her⁤ 26-year-old daughter Holly Stang, who had never seen a moose before. She said​ Holly Stang first named the creature Rutt.

“This⁢ moose has brought so ⁣much joy to so many‍ people and so much hope,”‌ Bernie Stang said, “because most ⁤people in their lifetime never get to​ see a moose.”