Safety first. You'll need to cut back the canes to move that thorny monster. I did. At the time, the canes were about 6 to 8 feet. I thought I was doing a good thing by leaving a lot of cane, but in fact, the plant essentially abandoned those canes I left 3 feet long anyway. So have at it and turn it into a bareroot. Leave 15 inches of the largest but newest canes, leaving only 4 basals at most. It forms a huge root ball, larger than a muck bucket. Get all those large, fleshy roots and don't sweat the feeder roots. You will need to dig down almost 24 inches to get enough of the roots. And when you plant it, treat it like a bareroot, mulch the canes until they leaf out, keeping the canes and the mulch damp and misted.

Thanks, berndoodle! That is just the specific info I needed, and as I suspected, you replied before I had time to dig for it in a rose guide or anywhere else. Thanks very much! Now I can grit my teeth and go for it, and save that bush!
teri2k

And don't forget your heavy gloves!

Heavy gloves, long sleeves, a hat, long pants.......love this rose but it is vicious.

Carol

And some safety glasses might help
Its a monster.
I hand long sleeves on and it still got a chunk of my skin.
I had 3 of them to tackle and boy I had a hard time.
So be very careful.
Niecey