After noticing broken fences and cattle roaming around in the wrong pasture, Beverly and Ernie Fischer knew something was wrong.

The Fischers noticed the damage during the fall roundup. And they got more than they expected when they gathered their herd on Wednesday.

A moose.

On their ranch near Cannon Ball, 20 miles south of Mandan, a large moose was rounded up along with the rest of the cattle. "We were moving some cattle, and we got a moose," Ernie Fischer said.

The moose followed the cattle all over during the roundup until they were brought into the corral. Ernie Fischer said it was difficult task getting the moose away from the cattle, and it is now staying in a separate corral.

The Fischers reported the moose's capture to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

According to Greg Link, of the NDGFD, any time an animal is held somewhere, it jeopardizes its health. The moose needs to be released as soon as possible. Problems can occur when letting a moose go, but most of the time the moose should move on.

The Fishers said they planned to turn the moose loose this morning so they could track its movements.

It's not the first time a moose has been encountered among cattle. Sam Gross, of Emmons County, recently reported a lone bull moose in his cattle herd. A moose earlier had been spotted west of Venturia in a herd of cattle.

In North Dakota, moose is a once-in-a-lifetime license for hunters. But the animals in Emmons County and the Cannon Ball area don't have to worry. There's no moose season in those areas.

The Cannon Ball moose is fairly large, about 8 feet from the tail to the tip of the ears, Ernie Fischer said.

He encouraged the Tribune to get a photo of the animal.

"The picture really tells the story," he said.