A cow moose was spotted Tuesday morning on the second level of the Rouse Avenue parking garage in downtown Bozeman, where she remained for approximately forty-five minutes before exiting via the pedestrian stairwell, having apparently validated her parking like a responsible member of the community.

Bozeman Police received six calls about the moose between 7:45 and 8:15 a.m. Officers responded but maintained a safe distance, as department protocol for downtown wildlife encounters is, according to BPD spokesperson Lisa Underhill, “basically stand back and hope it leaves.”

“She seemed calm,” said eyewitness Tom Driscoll, 44, who was walking to his office on Main Street when he noticed the moose ascending the garage ramp. “Very purposeful. Like she had somewhere to be. I’ve seen humans with less direction in that garage.”

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologist Jenna Orvik said urban moose encounters are increasingly common in Bozeman during spring, as animals move to lower elevations following snowmelt. “The riparian corridors along Bozeman Creek bring them right into town,” Orvik said. “A parking garage isn’t ideal habitat, but from the moose’s perspective, it’s shaded, sheltered, and there’s no traffic. She probably thought she found something pretty good.”

The moose caused no damage to vehicles, though one Tesla owner on the second level reported that the animal stood next to his car for several minutes and “appeared to be judging it.”

Downtown business owners took the visit in stride. “This is maybe the fourth moose we’ve had this year,” said Pearl Bergstrom, who manages a boutique on Main. “At this point I just check the garage before I park. It’s like checking for bears at the trailhead, except the trailhead is a municipal parking structure.”

FWP asked residents not to approach, feed, or photograph moose at close range, though social media posts from the incident suggest all three requests were ignored within minutes.

The moose was last seen heading north on Rouse, moving with what one observer described as “more confidence than most people have merging onto North 19th.”

She has not been seen since.