Maine Wardens Rescue Moose Trapped for Hours in Abandoned Well

A bull moose was pulled to safety after becoming trapped for hours in an abandoned well on a forested property in northern Maine, in a five-hour operation that involved local landowners, a state biologist, and wardens from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.

The incident unfolded Wednesday on land owned by Cole Brown, whose family recently discovered the old well on their 100-acre property near Pembroke. Brown initially spotted what he thought were turkeys as he walked the canopy of alders and brush. Upon closer inspection, he saw antlers protruding from the darkness and realized a much larger animal was down in the shaft. Delaney Gardner, Brown’s stepsister, captured video of the rescue and described the moment Brown alerted authorities.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife said the team responded quickly, deploying a biologist to sedate the moose and then strapping the animal before lifting it carefully from the roughly 9-foot-deep well. An excavator loaned by the Brown family was used to steady the operation as workers hoisted the animal clear of the opening. Once sedation wore off, the agency noted, the moose stood and bolted away from the scene, seemingly uninjured save for some bruised pride.

The family did not know the well existed until the moose fell in, and they have since capped the opening. They are weighing options for the site, including digging out the well for potential future use as a water source given the surrounding land and nearby water resources. For now, officials say the well will be secured to prevent future incidents involving animals or people.

Gardner, who filmed the rescue, described the day as a mix of relief and happiness. She said the rescue highlighted the way communities can come together when faced with a wildlife and safety issue, noting that an unexpected discovery on rural land can reveal hidden hazards and opportunities alike. The incident underscores the ongoing balance between protecting wildlife and maintaining safe, accessible land for people who live and work on rural properties.

Officials emphasized that abandoned wells pose a hazard not only to wildlife but also to people, especially in areas with changing seasons and wildlife movement. While this rescue had a fortunate ending, authorities urged landowners to survey their property for old, unsecured wells and to take steps to cap or properly seal any that are no longer in use. The Moose’s narrow escape serves as a reminder of the hidden infrastructure that can exist on rural parcels and the importance of proactive safety measures in wildlife-rich ecosystems.