A team of state wildlife officials freed a bull moose that was trapped in an abandoned well in Pembroke.

The Maine Warden Service was notified about the situation before 4 p.m. on Wednesday. 

Officials arrived at around 5 p.m. to find a small crowd that had gathered at the site, according to a statement from Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife regional wildlife biologist Steve Dunham.

The well was among saplings on a lot near Cole’s Sheds. The landowner wasn’t aware of the well on his property until the moose was found.

“No one had seen the moose until a worker at Cole’s Sheds heard something from the area of the well and he discovered the trapped moose,” Dunham said.

The hand dug stone well was between seven and eight feet deep, Duham said. 

The moose was standing in about three feet of water, and “could move but not escape,” Dunham said.

The moose was sedated with a syringe pole. Dunham then climbed into the well and placed a strap around the moose, while others helped to keep its head above water.

“A small excavator was then used to lift the moose up out of the well and move it a short distance away,” Dunham said. “An initial examination of the moose showed no obvious signs of injury.”

The moose was given an injection to reverse the effect of the sedative.

“After the moose sat for a while and appeared to be over the effects of the sedative, I was able to gently persuade the moose to stand and runoff by 6:20 p.m.,” Dunham said. “The moose appeared to be healthy with no lingering effects of being trapped in the well.” 

The rescue was caught on camera by Delaney Reyn Gardner.