Opening day of football practice was a little more exciting than usual Monday morning in New Richland.

Shortly after 9 a.m., a beef steer weighing between 900 and 1,000 pounds escaped while being unloaded at Morgan’s Meat Market. The steer proceeded south across Highway 30, where it damaged the left front portion of a pickup truck. It then meandered farther south and onto the NRHEG High School football field, eventually winding up in the southwest corner.

“It caused quite a ruckus,” said New Richland Police Officer Ron Deckard. “There were football players out there. It was a safety issue.”

Deckard, an expert sharpshooter, put down the steer with one shot of a rifle.