elk at sea

[fishisabonus]

I had the pleasure today of going out with Mel on his beautiful boat Miss B Haven. We crossed the CR bar and were about 12 miles out to sea when we spotted something. We were really shocked when it turned and looked at us. It was a spike elk swimming away. There was some talk about catching him, but Mel decided that he was a native and we would have to throw him back anyway.

http://www.ifish.net/uploads/284820232.jpg

We were in shock the rest of the day, but not in such bad shape that we didn't limited the boat out.

Mel has a beautiful boat and my son and I had a wonderful time. His friend, Mike C was a great deck hand. I was in good company all day.

I have fish that still need to be taken care of.

Thanks again Mel!

[Deleted User]

12 miles out? Wow....... You dont see that everyday! :shocked:

[Small Fry]

Can anyone explain why an elk would be this far out? Could he have been washed out to sea?

[fishisabonus]

Sorry it is so grainy. I am really tired. You know how it is, catching fish all day really takes it out of you. I will try to improve on the quality tomorrow after the fish are taken care of and I have had some sleep.

[Hogmaster]

Cool! What was he trolling? :grin:

Glad you had a good time and hope the seas weren't as rolly as Monday's...

[ 08-21-2002, 09:29 PM: Message edited by: Hogmaster ]

[fishisabonus]

We heard another report that he wasn't doing so good later in the day. :sick:

[ 08-21-2002, 09:31 PM: Message edited by: fishisabonus ]

[skeezer]

could of hit a rip then got turned around , or just out for the morning exercise getting ready for hunting season.. :grin: :grin: :grin:

[Otolith]

Maybe he was trying to fill his tag :tongue:

Did you see if he was trolling blue or green labels?

[tag-a-long]

Did he have a license to be trolling any way?

Really, that is pretty odd... You don't see elk in the ocean every day...

[Hogmaster]

If it were hunting season, could he be taken with either state's tags? Or does it depend or where you launch? How do you find which fin they clip?

Oh well, he must be a Tule anyway!

Too bad if he sunk though! I saw a Sitka blacktail a few miles out once, but this is quite the swim to try for Hawaii!

Why didn't you try to save him? :shocked:

[ 08-21-2002, 09:36 PM: Message edited by: Hogmaster ]

[crabbait]

I have seen elk in the strangest places: A 5pt bull on the side of I-5 near Albany, also alongside the freeway just north of Woodland, Washington Park near downtown, the beach at Tolavana (fog lifted and there they were near noon).

One time when elk hunting and not finding a guide told me that elk are born lost and wander around confused their whole lives. Maybe he was right.

[goincoastal]

WoW! 12 miles! Too bad the other one sank at 4miles. :depressed: Wait I think I just saw 2 elephants at the CR! :grin:

[24 on/ 48 off]

What unit is that?

--spud-- :smile:

[DF]

:shocked:

graemlins/program.gif

[Empire]

What would that look like on the fish finder?

[Bill Monroe]

Fishabonus,
If this isn't a ruse (and I'm easily fooled), can you give me a call with the details? I'm at the paper and can email you the address if you email me at nwbill@aol.com or at work at billmonroe@news.oregonian.com...
there is a herd on the Nehalem spit. The calves sometimes chase seals (don't we all?), but this one would have come from somewhere else...
Thanks,
Bill
PS...even if it isn't entirely true, I just have to bite...it's my job...but please, the rest of you, don't get carried away.

[Pete]

Ok, I can imagine an elk swimming out to sea, but the image of a seal, chased by an elk, chased by a reporter out to sea ... well, I knew an old lady who swallowed a fly. I don't know why she swallowed the fly, I think she'll die. I knew an old lady who swallowed a spider, it wriggled and squiggled and wiggled insider her. She swallowed the spider to eat the fly. I don't know why she swallowed the fly, I think she'll die. ... Oh, you said "don't get carried away". sorry. :grin:

[Pilar]

Amazing claims require amazing proof.

What a tale though. Would this be the method for bagging a Great White Shark or is live bait illegal offshore?

[ 08-22-2002, 08:50 AM: Message edited by: Pilar ]

[Fish Hunter]

Spike elk make great topwater baits for Killer Whales. zzzZZZZzzz ...snap. :tongue:

[fishisabonus]

I swear this is a true story. I just got my digital camera a couple months ago. I barely know how to use it. The software that came with it was horrible. I am really not that good, to beable to doctor up a picture.

Mel didn't want to get too close to the elk. He was afraid it would kick his boat, and possibly try to climb aboard., or get tangled up under the boat and break a bunch of stuff. I had to agree with him. I remember one time when an old friend shot a deer and thought it was dead the threw it in the back of the pickup. It came to and kicked the heck out of the canopy, breaking windows and all.

We know of at least 2 other boats that saw him too.

If we did figure out how to kill it and where to punch our tag, and what species code to use, etc... How would we net it?

Lynda

[ 08-22-2002, 10:20 AM: Message edited by: fishisabonus ]

[Phish_on]

poor guy ... the food chain works in mysterious ways sometimes. (crab holiday!)

Maybe he was moving to Hawaii

[Bill Monroe]

Lynda,
I have to hit the road for the valley today (another elk story), but please call me tomorrow at work...503-221-8231 or 888-222-8231. I'm actually ready to believe you, but would like to talk with whoever you were with...or some of the other boats...that's a long way out there...No question but what it drowned and it was absolutely unsafe to try to tow it that far...or even at all...

And yes, if you haven't seen the elk calves in the spring run the beach to play with the harbor seals at the Nehalem haul out, you haven't fished there all that much...( can't catch an elk, but am still young enough to keep up with a seal on the beach...)

[Killertraylor]

I'm kind of suprised about all the jokes being made here. Nobody has expressed any sympathy which really suprises me as a sportsman. My first reaction upon seeing the picture was one of sadness. I'd be really suprised if he made it back to shore, especially if he came in where there was surf. That elk probably drown or died of hypothermia. The water temp was between 52 and 58 where we fished by the CR buoy yesterday. I think it's horrible if nobody did anything to try and save it. I'd have called the Coast Guard or Humane society to see if someone could rescue it. I agree that I'd never try to do it myself as you couldn't tow him across the bar without killing him, and he'd definitely injure you or your boat. Now that I think about it, maybe there's nothing anyone could do unless they tranquilized it and lifted it on board a big boat with a crab hoist or something. Anyway, makes me feel really bad that a bull elk had to die out at sea.

[Get Bent]

If you'd like to email to me the original digital photos I'd be happy to do whatever I can to clean them up for you. My email address is in my profile, or you can PM me.

[TundraIII]

Poor thing, that picture makes me sad :depressed:

P.S. I'm not hunter, obviously.....

[Killertraylor]

Tundra - I'm an avid Elk hunter, and it still makes me just as upset as you. As sportsmen, we have certain responsibilities to the animals we hunt - I think most of us hunters share the same feelings that I do. I know many of us here are also members of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Elk are magnificent creatures and I respect them and want them to thrive, not just because I enjoy hunting them, but because I enjoy being around them. Like I said in my previous post, I doubt there's anything that could have been done here unless someone with a big boat, a well trained diver, a crab hoist and a tranquilizer gun was prepared for a situation like this.

[fishisabonus]

It made us feel bad too. Mel said he could fish, but he couldn't kill anything with brown eyes. There was some talk between the two Mike's about putting it out of it's misery. :depressed:

I was feeling great until I had to look for my camera down where Ralph lives, and then taking the pictures, making sure they were recorded (lots of looking down). The elk looked stressed and sad and doomed. Then they started with the killing it part. I got sick. :hoboy:

But not too sick. Stayed on deck, watching my pole, never missed a bite on my pole either. But if the swells picked up and I looked down, my stomach would roll.

The ocean was beautiful. My son always gets sick on the ocean... he didn't. Which was very good.

[TeamYeeha]

I'm with KillerT. Come on guys this is very SAD. I too am a RMEF member. Someone should have tried to contact the ODFW.

Bummer :depressed:

[Get Bent]

We all must remember that, no matter how cruel it may seem, these things happen for a reason. It is entirely possible that this was a very ill animal (not physically, more mentally) and this is natures way of taking care of it before he breeds.

Even tragedy has a greater purpose.

[Nanook]

One you Bambi killers won't get anyway. :grin: :grin: :grin:

http://www.phillytalkradioonline.com/radiospoof/wwdb/rundeer.gif

I am joking. :depressed: Hope somehow it made it.

[ 08-22-2002, 01:49 PM: Message edited by: ****** ]

[avid]

Here is an article from BC about an elk on Salt Spring Island near Vancouver. They suspect it swam there. Young animals sometimes go on huge treks looking for new territory. I remember one time someone found a beaver in Eastern Montana tens of miles from the nearest water. Moose wander all over the place. There were several Moose spotted near Miles City, Montana 100's of miles from the nearest Moose habitat.

http://www.gulfislands.net/news.asp?ID=915

Imagine if there were islands just off the coast and this young bull could have provided new genes to an existing herd or perhaps a young cow would have followed him there. Not every attempt to find new territory will be successful.

[bigshark]

Tundra III

I am a hunter and have taken many elk for my food supply. But I'm with you on this one. I feel sick when I think of an animal disoriented
like this one appears to be. It is an awful picture if he just kept going. I hope somepne could tell us that this youngster made it back to shore alive. :depressed:

[Pilar]

Sorry, I did not mean to disrespect this animals sorry state of affairs. It is very hard to imagine just how this occured. Swept out of the estuary on the ebb tide?

Although the thought of rescue is a valid response, try to imagine the logistics of it. Nothing short of a 50+ ft Trawler, crabber or CG cutter could touch a rescue like this. How would you subdue your unwilling passenger anyway?

Nature works in mysterious ways. Things like this are among the wonders that await the observant at sea.

[Rubber Robin]

Is that a Rows-avelt elk??? :wink:

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. I too am a hunter! Amazing story. Nature is always surprising us!

[Fish Hunter]

My killer whale joke was only that. Didn't mean to offend. I care a great deal about our elk populations and habitat. I don't take it personally though when nature takes it's course. Natural selection in action. Guess I do get a little fed up with the whale rescues and the like when there are real people in dire need. The whole Keiko circus...what a waste of time and money. I think the best thing folks can do in these situations is stay well away from the animal, our presence only stresses it further.
It's too bad we don't feel this sympathetic reponse when we loose wildlife habitat. That has a much bigger impact over time than the loss of one unfortunate elk.

[RipDatLip]

How much tax money do you want to waste just to save one little elk? Come-on.

Matt

[Killertraylor]

I'd personally pay $100 to save that elk, Matt. A Roosevelt bull elk is worth every penny of the minimal cost to rescue it in my opinion.

No hard feelings to the rest of you who posted funnies - some of them were pretty good and I'm sure you didn't mean any disrespect. I was just trying to make a point that nobody had brought up yet - I'm sure many of you felt really bad for that poor numb critter when you saw the picture.

Rumor has it BOE has some 200 lb. carp string on his Elk bow and was last seen crossing the bar in a duck boat with a camo wet suit....

[Phil Layer]

I was in Sweden a few years back when a moose swam across the Baltic Sea to Denmark. The Danes seized the opportunity to put up those cool "Moose Crossing" signs like Sweden has everywhere. Dang near started a war between those two countries! :mad: Sweden figured it had a patent on that sign, I guess.

Anyways, I don't know how far a swim it was from Sweden to Denmark nor do I know why a moose would pick such a journey. But it happens. :shocked:

[happybrew]

Originally posted by Pete:
Ok, I can imagine an elk swimming out to sea, but the image of a seal, chased by an elk, chased by a reporter out to sea ... :grin: <font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">LMAO Pete! Back in the days when my wife and I only had 3 kids, we took a trip to Redwood National Park. A herd of elk came into the camp and started nosing around, following campers. A bunch of kids started following the elk, and then the park employees showed up and started following the kids. Sounds like the situation you described, only more cameras!

happybrew

[SureSet]

My first impression was that I too felt bad for the animal. Then I thought, God knows if it was a whale with a gilnet on it's tail there would have been a flotilla to rescue the thing, and I would have felt like they were going way overboard in trying to save it. I guess all in all, "Stuff" happens in nature and it's the way things work regardless of man's desire or intentions. It's a reminder of how brutal nature is sometimes......

SureSet

[metalhead madness]

three weeks ago I was 4 wheeling with my family down in coos bay. While riding along the beach we came across a washed up 5 point elk that wasnt there very long. I wondered how this could happen. now I know. Very sad :depressed: :depressed:

[fishbait]

Natural Selection........... Cruel, by some definations, but it has sucessfully worked without mans interferance for more years than man has been walking this small planet.

[Bill Monroe]

Natural selection pretty much covers it. If all elk were genetically pre-disposed to act like lemmings, all elk hunters would, too...

Elk are strong animals and their hair is hollow, although there isn't much of it right now.

It's not likely this one will get back to land.

And I'm not only supposed to ask about it, but also to doubt it...no calls or emails yet (at home), but I'll check in the office. I sure don't want to believe that was a piece of driftwood.

[happybrew]

Seal drowns after 180 mile flood ride escaping from Zoo (http://reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=humannews&StoryID=1350379)

Apparently, there's a lot of this going around. A seal in Czechoslovakia died after escaping from the zoo, and riding flood waters for 180 miles. I'm sure the seal made it farther than the elk did.

happybrew

[superfly]

I too am sadend by this picture, I am an avid hunter as well as fisherman and any of us who have harvested one of these animals has a great respect for them. No matter what the situation was I would have tried my hardest to make something happen for the survival of this animal. Didn't anyone out there have a cell phone ,VHF radio or CB, it is not that hard to call for help, the coast guard would have been there in minutes and they could have flown ODFW people or humane society people there and rescued that poor animal. I just find it amazing that no one tried anything, **** I would have at least made the call and stayed close to it. I hope we all will make different decisions if we see something like this in the future.
Peace Superfly :whazzup: :sick:

[24 on/ 48 off]

A friend of mine who was stationed at the USCG station at T-bay once got a report of a horse in the water 25 miles off Neakhanie Mountain.

They launched, but the horse succumbed prior to their arrival. Nobody could figure out how that happened.

--spud-- :smile:

[Sturgeon 42]

Awesome.. :grin: :grin: :grin:

[Dan Christopher]

i have tought about this being a hunter and fisherman.if this elk was ment to be there so be it..if you tried to bring him in your self you would have not been safe.and to call in a rescue?? $$$thats big bucks for 1 spike elk??
..ya i know it sound harch but i think that saved money is better off someware else.the bill would have been over 5 grand im sure.i hope he made it although im sure he didnt.but all things must pass.and in all loss there is some good..

i hope you understand where i am coming from :depressed:

[Tacklebuster]

I agree with Joe, my first thought on seeing this picture made me sad. It is very doubtfull anything could have been done besides a couple of calls to the Coast Guard or Clatsop County.

Two years ago my family was around the Rice Island area sturgeon fishing when we saw a spike deer struggling to stay above water. It was a sad event to see this creature who I respect deeply as an avid hunter be in this situation. We got along side of him and "steered" him in the right direction. We helped him along and pulled him out of the main current. After a long swim he made it to shore and basically collapsed on land for a few to catch a breather. I stayed with him until he got up and started heading off.

I'm not sure how and why he was that far from shore bobbing around in the main current swimming in circles but he was tickled pink to get back to dry land. See ya on the water..

[kampy]

They've got you all fooled. Anyone can see after zooming in closer that it's really a BIGFOOT with horns taped to it's head.
Come on. Don't be sooooo gullable :wink:

[skein]

Killer,

There wasn't one of us who didn't feel for the animal, but many of us thought maybe it was a trick set up by digital imaging. Even Monroe asked if it was the real thing. There's no doubt the little bull was disoriented, and that he ultimately drowned, but there's also no doubt that none of the boats out there could have done a thing to save it. And I'll bet there wasn't a boat that saw it that didn't think about trying.

Our joking wasn't mean-spirited or callous - it was just joking.

Avid,

They say they've tried to transplant moose to Vancouver Island, but every one of them swims back to the mainland. I can believe it, since in my 25 years in Alaska I saw moose swim across lakes that were 15 miles wide, seemingly without batting an eye.

Skein

[DJFISHS2XS]

Im with you Ripthelip, The orca that just got moved to canada was a big waste of tax money. If they would take the quarter of a million dollars and do some beach/water clean up it would have been better for ALL the whales. No one ever stoped to think maybe this is how new pods are formed. a cow drops off in a area and the next pod to go by a male desides to stay with her?,,, its the same as a elk swimming to an Island and starting a new herd.....it is sad though Ive seen deer fall through the ice before...nature is a funny thing sometimes...DJ

[Bill Monroe]

There's no way anyone could have done anything to help that animal. It's probably happened many times a year for centuries. The Coast Guard has its hands full right now with ocean and buoy 10 and no biologist has been trained to jump into the water, get a rope around a struggling and frightened 500-pound elk and lift it anywhere.

Lynda did reply to my work email, so I'll see what else I can find out...

[fishisabonus]

We saw the elk. We were stunned. We would have liked to help it, but it would have put us in danger.

I don't know about the rest of you, or how you feel... but I hadn't been on the ocean salmon fishing in over a year. We had fish to catch. I didn't want to waste the morning bite on the elk, babysitting it until official forces could arrive. I am glad our skipper thought so too.

The elk didn't look that strong. By the time a rescue effort was put together for it, it would have probably died anyway.

Lynda

[kodiakfisher]

It's sad and part of Natural selection. On another note the news gets ahold of about every animal rescue ever attempted and I can't think of one that ended poorly for the animal or the people helping. Animals can sense danger/predetors and I believe they can tell the difference between something hunting them and something helping them. The animals are afraid at first but the soon realize they aren't becomming a meal and are much more cooperative. graemlins/1zhelp.gif With this piece of knowledge it might have been interesting to put a rope on the horns :hoboy: and the rope in one boat and allow the elk to climb into another boat leaving the rope slack between the two boats. If the elk started to cause a fuss the other boat could jerk the elk out of the boat and back into the water. One question can an elk get into a boat from the water without capsizing the boat or wrecking it in the process. That was probably about 600 pounds of elk. If successfull would be one hell of a story. BTW I want to be the person holding onto the rope in the other boat. I am also not opposed to letting nature take its course. It's weird I have no trouble hunting them for food but I have major trouble watching an animal suffer. This is why I devote soo many hours to shooting practice to ensure quick and humane kills.

[M W Sheller]

Natural selection, aka thining the herd. That bull shouldn't be passing on his genes, and people shouldn't be placeing themselves in danger, or wasteing money, trying to save defective genes. Harsh? Yes. Life can be hard, and it's even harder for those that are stupid. :hoboy:

[Myles]

Has anyone ever noticed how the animals disappear by hunting season? Now we know where to look :wink:

[BUGLEMAN]

Nice summary Pilar

The ocean is a dangerous and unforgiving to both man and the cloven toed. Elk and deer do often swim estuaries. I have seen deer swimming the Columbia and Detroit lake. I have a retired commercial trawler friend who spoted deer swimming the bays quite a few times. When done at the wrong time of tide a cervid could easily be swept out to sea.

My friend once while trolling for salmon at least 10 miles out spotted a doe. It was just about all spent. He says to his fishing partner, "Dad you won't believe what we've got up here". So they brought it aboard. The critter just crashed and was very docile for the entire trip to the bay where they pulled along shore and it swam safely to land.

To rescue an elk at sea would be extremely dangerous to man and equipment. You guys made the right decision.

Sometimes it is better to chuckle than cry.

[pdxkevin]

Is there a season out there? I think you are out in international waters, so do you even need a tag? If you could document its location enough for ODFW, I wonder if you could take it:
1) under the theory that it got turned around
2) it would drowned, thus suffer

so because of that you, as a responsible hunter/sportsman, had to dispatch the elk to end its suffering.

Since it was in international waters, you should be able to keep it, too.

[Thumper]

Matt ---- You meanie!!! Why, no expense should be spared to save the life of such a fine specimen! We all share a responsibility to try our absolute best to save this heroic (though not-too-bright) explorer.

Yeah, right.

[Bill Monroe]

FYI,
I did finally get in touch with most involved, with biologists and with the seaside library (very helpful).
Those in the boat tried to work out a way to help and couldn't think of one that wouldn't jeopardize themselves and two juveniles in the boat.
Biologists are amazed but not particularly skeptical.
In 1986, according to the Seaside paper, about 20 elk ran into the surf at Gearhart and got confused. Most made it back, but two were disoriented...elk don't do well by themselves...one drowned in the surf. The other, a calf, was lifted out of the water by a coast guard chopper, but died of shock onshore.
didn't talk with the coast guard this time, but cannot believe anyone would want to tackle a 600-pound antlered bull 12 miles at sea without more equipment than they probably have...

It's part of Sunday's column...thanks all for the info...

[MasterCaster]

I have a question.......

Has this picture been altered in any way before it was posted?

I took a look at it with a program I have and I hate to say it and dont want to cause any problems but it definately looks "touched up" when you take a zoomed look at it.

it definately looks like something is there but it looks to me that part of it has been added the head and antlers are one solid color and dont look even close to real.

im not calling anyone a liar or anything but take a look for yourselves and tell me what you think.

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

[STGRule]

Mastercaster: I took that picture up to 800% and I'm not sure you could get the brown coat under the water and the "wake" line that easily. I may not be that good at doctoring pictures but, I think the pixels would be clearer if it was pasted.

[Hogmaster]

Oh, please -

fishisabonus already admitted she had to reduce the pixel count on the photo. There were a total of 4 people on board all of whom have been interviewed about the "incident" by Mr Monroe and he found consistency in their stories.

I opened it with imaging software to see what you saw. Yess, the antlers look black, but they are the only contrasting things in the sea. The ocean itself looks dithered out equally.

Really disapointing that you would take a shot at someone who in an earlier post "swore" it was true. You have to start a conspiracy theory!

[MasterCaster]

Im not taking a shot at anyone........

Ill post the picture zoomed in and you can see for yourself!

I said I wasnt calling anyone a liar it just looks like its been altered.

Jon

[Hogmaster]

And now you started a rant. I was one of the folk early on that made a joking reference to the elk.

For the record I hunt, including elk.

For people to express sorrow is one thing, but to suggest that the people on board the boat risk life and limb to try to somehow rescue this beast are just way off base. Rope a bull elk and bring him on board a boat? Have any of you ever stood next to a Bull elk? Think about that (consensus) 600 pound animal on the back of a sport fishing craft. How the hell is that going to work? Comon!

And to expect them to call the Coast Guard and/or the navy or the Rocky Mountain Elk foundation for that matter to come save a weakened panicked and WILD animal that has been stressed to the max is absurd!

Instead of all that effort and even the volunteered contributions of cash to the cause, think about using those resources to save the animals that are being poached and wasted by the hundreds each year on DRY land.

Some of the suggestions of saving this one elk are laughable whether they were intentionally stated that way or not. What isn't is the misguided thoughts or saving a natural cull from the herd while other strong members get pasted and wasted by law breakers every year. We all can and should do more if we are hunters to pursue and identify those odd shots we hear out of season.

Finally, and importantly, some of the people suggesting how tragic it is to lose even one elk are the same ones who are supporting the indiscriminate taking of endangered salmon with nets. Seems kinda ironic to me. Is it that fish have smaller brains? Or they don't have fur? Or breathe air? Why isn't it just as tragic or even more so to lose one of those fish? After all, elk are not "endangered".

OK done ranting and it feels good.

[Hogmaster]

And Jon -

I said I wasnt calling anyone a liar it just looks like its been altered.
<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">If you are saying it is altered you are inherently calling someone who "swore" it was real a liar...

[Point-of-Sale Clerk]

Hey STGRule, Take this up to 800% and see if it's a fake :grin:
http://www.ifish.net/uploads/112222234.bmp

[24 on/ 48 off]

Wow,

Tempers getting heated over a misguided elk.

I don't want to join in on this hogline..

--spud-- :smile:

[MasterCaster]

Again im NOT calling anyone a liar....
All im saying is it LOOKS altered

Hogmaster...you have a right to your OPINION and so do I ill just leave it at that. No need for me to argue with you over something so stupid.

heres the pic zoomed in....tell me what you think..... http://www.ifish.net/uploads/515022234.jpg
If its real so be it but I would like to see the actual photo. I wasnt trying to offend anyone just saw what I saw and there it is.

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

[ 08-23-2002, 11:04 PM: Message edited by: MasterCaster ]

[Hogmaster]

R2 R2 R2 R2!!! :grin:

Hey, OK, you aren't taking shots and you aren't calling anybody a liar. I apologize.

For what it is worth though, I took shots of a moose with my video cam using it's digital zoom feature a couple of years ago. When I stop and enhance that video that moose, which was crossing the Nushagak River in Alaska, looks very similar to this pic in terms of level of detail. I don't currently have the software loaded on my PC to be able to post that, but if I could I would SWEAR that it really was a moose crossing the river.

Digital zooming inherently causes distortion, and when magnified this effect is common. The elk is not standing on top of the twin towers after all. What motivation would there be for posting a doctored pic of this? It is understood and confirmed that elk do swim offshore at least on occasion. The 12 miles out claim can neither be confirmed or denied by the photographic evidence.

Anyway, sorry if I got upset at you, Jon, I guess I am really frustrated that so many people miss the point that the real controllable tragedy concerning elk has little to do with an occasional stray that breaks its leg falling off a cliff or goes for a swim...

[ 08-23-2002, 11:29 PM: Message edited by: Hogmaster ]

[will_e_fish]

I used to live in Dodson across the river from Beacon Rock and several times throughout the winters deer would attempt the crossing from one side to the other. The neighbors would go out in one or two boats and retrieve the animals by lasooing its horns or head wait until the animal was good and tired then sometimes put a blindfold on.This appeared to be the factor to make the rescue sucessful and then bought them in. Never attempting putting them in a boat. I had seen them only lose one that got sucked under and didnt come back up. Really incredible to experience they usually reach a point where panic leaves and they had given in to assistance. The rescues were very risky in that current and flow and the people I was sure had never put themselves in danger.They had exceptional boat skills and had sense enough not to overhandle the animal. I dont want to date myself but videos cams were not available and pictures are long lost usually didnot turn out anyway.

I would be certain an ocean rescue would have taken specialized equipment and personel. As pointed out the Coast Gaurd has a priority to save silly humans over silly elk swimming in the ocean.

[Bill Monroe]

This will all be in the paper in the morning and probably a lot of the same arguments will be repeated...not much to argue about, I think, having talked with most of those aboard (couldn't reach the skipper, who is also an ifisher, but had his cell turned off while he was fishing...can't fault that) and then the biologists. they're nocturnal (elk, but not always biologists) and I think that time of the morning was at or near the end of a strong ebb. six hours of 3-4 miles an hour can carry anything a long way if it's also swimming with the current (she said west). Also, that bull was probably still in velvet, which is naturally dark as it's shed and no telling what the salt might do to the dried blood...
Pretty much just a darned interesting incident...like most of them are in the real wild world...

[Jennie@ifish]

It was mentioned earlier that perhaps I should dicipline Andrew for creating this flash movie.
He also said my front page of ifish had too many links.

Why would I ever dicipline someone that is so astute?
:smile: :smile:

This, by my son, Andrew. (http://www.ifish.net/ifish.html)

[ 08-24-2002, 10:27 AM: Message edited by: Jennie@ifish ]

[fishisabonus]

Okay boys and girls. Here are the other pictures I took that day.

I really don't care if Mastercaster believes me or not. I know I took these pictures. I know what I saw. I don't tell tall tales. I am a very upfront and honest person.

It seems that everytime my folks went on their boat, something out of the blue would happen like me seeing this elk. I guess I carry on the family tradition. That is why I say that being out there is what counts. The experience of the water. If you catch a fish, then that is your bonus.

Also, I do think the elk was still in velvet. I have seen countless wild elk, so I think I am a pretty good judge of that. I even had a herd of 16 or so living behind my house until the poachers thinned them out.
http://www.ifish.net/uploads/124410235.jpg
http://www.ifish.net/uploads/154510235.jpg
http://www.ifish.net/uploads/064610235.jpg

I am also going to take the next hour to send the original, huge files to Jennie for her to review. I have a dial up modem, so it will take some time and I have to do each picture seperately.

Lynda

[ 08-24-2002, 11:50 AM: Message edited by: fishisabonus ]

[Hogmaster]

Jennie -

Pointless? Pointless? Look at the points on that guy!

:grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:

[MasterCaster]

Thanx for posting the other pictures.....

As I said before when zoomed in it LOOKS altered but I never said I didnt believe you. In fact I said "it definately looks like something is there but it looks to me that part of it has been added the head and antlers "

It was not just me that thought so. It was brought to my attention by 2 others on this board. I have had another person go through the pic with another program and he also said its looked altered.

If I caused any hard feelings Im sorry.

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

[Get Bent]

My offer stands.

[Nanook]

Lynda, big whoop on the controversy stuff. Don't let it get to you.

We can see they are real and why would you make this up anyway. I see we have another saga writer in our midst though. :tongue: This ain't Scotland :grin:

[ 08-24-2002, 08:24 PM: Message edited by: ****** ]

[fishbait]

Hey Linda,
Tell us about you bar crossing.......There is a void that need filling :shocked: Just can't let it rest............. Thanks for sharing, I am always amazed at what we see in this wonderful world we live in......... :smile:

[Jennie@ifish]

:smile: I got the pictures, and I was going to show them to you here, but they are here!
Strange happenings out at sea!

Jen

[fishisabonus]

Bar, what bar? The bar was very kind to us, and coming in was even better. :grin:

Mel called me and Friday he said the bar was so flat you could waterski on it. Now there would be a story. "Man :cool: waterskis on CR Bar."

Have any of you read Sunday's paper yet? Bill Monroe did a great job. Thanks Bill.

[BigSpinner]

I am not saying this did not happen but the pic look very funny. The first time i saw it i was like no way. But he said he saw it so i belive him. Maybe I am to trusting sometimes and maybe a lot of us are but its all good. If it is a joke its a joke that hurt no one so way dose it matter. Just fish hard and die happy, no worries mate.

Jeremy,

[dawhunt]

Fishing must be really slow cus your sure beating this to death. :sleep:
Bob :cheers:

[biederboat]

Hey, I'd just like to say thanks for sharing this story with us. While it's sad, it is natures way of culling the herd. I think you did exactly the right thing, including posting of the pictures and telling the story on the internet. I can't actaully believe someone would suggest trying to rescue this thing, it happened for a reason (I really doubt it was directly human caused). When I was at Yellowstone falls three years ago, there at the bottom lay a beautiful 6-point that had obviously been swept over. It was rut so maybe he got chased in and was tired. Maybe he was old and couldn't cross. Who knows why these things happen, I 'm thankful that they are still ABLE to happen which is as a result of this species merely being in existence. If there were no elk, there would be no events like this.


Thanks,
Mark

[Rubber Robin]

Mother nature's events are not decided on emotions. A rescue would not be worth the time, expense or risk for one elk. Coast Guard resources are stretched as is. They are there for people! Not animals!

After reading some of the posts on this thread I am wondering how some of you fisherman are able to kill a fish? Do you know that as you read this, elk, fish and other wildlife are dying every day in this world? :rolleyes:

Why isn't there this much reaction to people drowning or boats swamping at the mouth of the Columbia?

[Get Bent]

Okay, for those who want to look at pictures from the grassy knoll you can see the three originals and two blow-ups that I was able to do here (http://www.thefishinggeek.com/nuke/html/modules.php?set_albumName=album06&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php).

They'll be up there for about a month. so go look at them now while you can.

[Snakebite]

Originally posted by RipDatLip:
How much tax money do you want to waste just to save one little elk? Come-on.

Matt<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Heck, there are rehab places that rehab starlings! How stupid is that? An introduced species that successfully compete with indiginous ones! How many millions of dollars have, and continue to be spent on Keiko? Probably more than the state spends on low income families!

[biederboat]

To Killertraylor & others (who share the same opinion),

Assuming this was an event stictly within natures course of events, I have to say let it be. If this were a man-caused situation or some other mitigating circumstance (e.g. they were nearly extinct, which would have probably been caused by man anyway!), then great, try and save it. I can't speak for ODFW, but at the most, I would think they would have asked someone to put it out of it's misery. I personally wouldn't want my tax money going for something like this.

I guess I'll have to ask, do you bring in a mortally wounded non-fin-clipped steelhead/coho/chinook to see if a vet can save it? Heck, those are human caused but most people accept the incidental loss of thse fish as "statisics" (or they might hide them in their boat which is probably why I have been searched at the dock). I had one in the ocean Sunday where the mooching rig was wound around the head so tight I felt I just HAD to get those hooks out. In doing so, I may have killed the fish but at least I tried to save it (believe me, I didn't need the hooks back).

Well, just my own opionion....
Mark

[Paddlefish]

Fishisabonus,

I like the story behind your moniker! My family may not even qualify as fish eaters, based on the irregularity with which I bring fishies home with me, but, whether I catch fish or not, or of the species originally intended, there always seems to be something special and totally unexpected which makes the day memorable.

Maybe it was the day the great blue heron kept following our canoe around until we got the message and began tossing him undersize crappies, which he'd capture on the first bounce.

Maybe it was the group of four ospreys who used the gorge wind to hover in fighter squadron hunting formation over the mouth of Tanner Creek yesterday.

Or the entire school of dogfish sharks surrounding our sailboat rudder as we glided along (not an afternoon which invited toe dipping!)

And I'd certainly have to include the 10-pound steelhead which picked up my single salmon egg on #12 hook and 2-lb. leader and took me on an extensive tour of a small "trout" creek.

You never know what to expect, but it's almost always good. :cool:

[Killertraylor]

Mark - you can't believe someone would suggest trying to save this elk? Since I'm the first person to suggest it, let me be the first person to say that anyone who wouldn't consider at least a phone call or radio call to the ODFW or Coastguard shouldn't call themselves a sportsman.

I agree that this may have "thinned the herd," but it's far more likely that this elk was crossing the lower Columbia like so many have before and simply got swept out to sea on the strong ebb current. I have a friend who lives in a house with a view of Baker bay and he sees deer swimming regularly from Sand island to Washington and vice versa. Just because an elk or deer takes to the water doesn't mean it's an intellectually challenged member of the species. Such an animal deserves a second chance at life on land if it can be safely and cheaply rescued. As I said in my earlier posts, I'm not sure it's possible, but I think it's worth a 50 cent phone call to find out. I've seen far more dangerous animal rescues on FOX TV for much more plentiful animals such as cats, dogs and birds. I was fishing in this area on Wednesday and wish I would have seen the elk on my way out.

[Killertraylor]

Mark - you're comparing apples to oranges. This is an elk in the ocean - the correct comparison is if a fish ran up on shore, say he was being chased by a seal, I'd put him back in the water. I'm not going to take a salmon out of the water and try to keep it alive while I take it to a vet, but I will try to revive it if it's bleeding. The same would apply to an elk on land - if he's got a broken leg or gangrene, I wouldn't be so concerned, although I'd probably still contact ODFW to see if anyone is interested in saving it. We've beat this issue to death - and I guess it boils down to a difference in opinion. I'd feel very good if my tax dollars were being spent to save bull elk - and I presume you'd rather see them spent rescuing stupid people who made a conscious choice to cross the bar on an ebb tide with an old motor in a 16 ft skiff - to each his own....

[biederboat]

Killertaylor,

I agree, we're beating it too death (no pun intended) and, yes, to each his own.

Good luck fishing,
Mark

[Pitch Pocket]

Let's see, let the stupid people (who can be taught) drown, and spend a bunch of money to save a stupid elk. This is Darwinism at work here. This elk deserves to be crab bait. The species is better off in the long run because of it's ultimate demise.

Maybe we should issue GPS's to all the coastal elk. That way, they would know which way the beach is. Or perhaps assign a guardian to each elk to make sure they don't play too close to the water.

For crying out loud, elk have been around long enough and the species has survived without us plucking a 600 lb marathon swimmer out of the ocean that is probably just wanting to visit Japan and can't afford the plane ticket.

Although sad, and quite a sight, an elk 12 miles out in the ocean is most likely a dead elk. I can't see how anyone can possibly justify spending money to recover this beast unless it was open season and they had a tag.

[Get Bent]

The animal washed up in the Siberian tundra yesterday (boy are those offshore currents wild!), and it turns out that the "elk" wasn't one after all:
http://www.thefishinggeek.com/images/deadhorse.jpg

It's a dead horse, folks. Quit beating on it.

[ 08-27-2002, 06:22 PM: Message edited by: Get Bent Tackle ]

[Miss B Haven]

OK - time for me to speak on this. I'm the skipper who saw the darn thing and yes I still feel bad for that animal. I've been waiting for some 35mm's on this but can't stand it any more.
The crew discussed the options (tow, call, put it out of it's misery) and decided that there was nothing that could or should be done.
I have talked to the Coast Guard (Astoria Group). They did receive a call on some elk (note the SOME, there was apparently at least a small herd at one time) out there. They forwarded the info to the Astoria OSP. As I knew at the scene, the Coast Guard would not and could not respond. They told me even if they had sent the 47, they don't have gear to deal with a 600 lb animal.
I talked to the OSP dispatch. They noted the call and did nothing. First, it's out of State waters and second, there was nothing they could do either even if it was inside the state. They don't have the equipment. They also told me that those elk were dead even if they were alive at the moment. Hypotherma applies to animals just like people. If they had killed them they said the meat is no good due to Adrenaline(SP?) poisoning just like a road hit.
We all feel bad about this. There are no posts that said the animals deserved to die. Those of us who were actually there feel worse than all of you, I guarantee it. You didn't see the look in that poor animals eye, he knew he was a goner.
I learned a long time ago that if you're going to be around animals, you had better get used to some heartaches. Any man who has cried like a baby at the loss of his true best freind knows what I mean. I have more feeling for animals than I do people, people should know better.
Folks - If you can't stand the thought of an animal dying and not being able to do anything about it, you shouldn't be out there. It's a fact of life. Personally, I'll take the pains because the rewards are much greater. To partially quote one of my crew that day "Being out there is what counts". :smile:

And to you guys who think it's fake graemlins/berry.gif

[SKP]

Did anyone ever find out anything about this elk?

SKP

[Miss B Haven]

SKP - Boy you had to dig this one out of the archives. Did you read the last post on it? THe info I got from Coast Guard and OSP was all I heard. ODFW never did get back to me. THey sent a mail and said they were sending my note up the chain, but no one ever got back to me. :whazzup:
Only other thing I can tell you is that there are some pretty dang big crab out there this year! :shocked:

[SKP]

Miss B Haven,

I read about 3/4 of the way down, and had to go, so I made a quick post asking. I should have kept reading.

SKP

[Flying Roast Beef]

Just last year several reliable witnesses saw a moose swim the Columbia and dissapear up into the Entiat. That's a ton of country and a long ways from mooseville.

[1pump]

Miss B-

Well said on your 8/27 post. Nature's cruel, and it kills a lot of people as well as animals.
I personally would have hated to see this in person like you did. But things like this happen every day. If it would have happened a little later in the year, when nobody was fishing, then no one would have known. And we could have found something else to argue about, like that dumba** killer whale that popped up in Norway. He should still be in his aquarium down in Newport. I'm sure once he collides with a boat, or gets himself processed by a whaling fleet , or washes up on a beach, the "experts" and "Free Willy" types will realize they wasted a lot of time and money and put a dent in Newport's economy at the same time.
Sorry, backtracked over a few old posts on this thread and inflamed some old Keiko emotions. :mad:

[KingFisher85]

Its been a long time from the last time I seen this post. :shocked:
How many pages was it back when you found it?