Sioux Center, Iowa — While we don’t often see moose in northwest Iowa, you can’t say we NEVER see them. For instance, a moose has been spotted recently in the Sioux Center area.
The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office says if you see it, please keep your distance and you can report the location to Sioux County Communications at 712-737-3307. The sheriff’s office says they then report the current location to the Iowa DNR who is tracking the moose. Last night, it was near Rock Valley. The public also reported it north of Carmel.
The Sioux Center Police Department says the moose has been reported roaming in Sioux Center near Dordt University. They too are telling the public not to get close to it, and to keep watch for it while driving.
The last moose reported on KIWA was in Plymouth County. One was found dead there in April of 2022. Another was found there over a year earlier, in January 2021. In November of 2021, a moose came down from Luverne, Minnesota and was seen in Lyon County.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says moose aren’t all that unusual. They tell us they don’t normally attempt to relocate them. DNR officials tell us it is illegal to hunt moose in Iowa.
Wildlife officials with the DNR say the home habitat for moose ends in northern Minnesota, but they often venture into central Minnesota. They say it’s a little more unusual to see them in southern Minnesota or northern Iowa, but it does happen.
People across northwest Iowa should probably be on the lookout, as the DNR says moose can travel as far as 150 miles per day if they want to.
