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Calf elk caught in a fence.

3K views 23 replies 23 participants last post by  Wreckless 
#1 ·
Today my husband and I went to check our trail cams. When we were finished we decided to drive up the road a little ways and found a fence and a locked gate with a ton of elk tracks around it. We got out of our truck and started walking the fence line, I noticed, what I thought, was a dead calf elk that got its right hind leg stuck in the fence. I felt really bad and started to walk back to our truck when my husband said it was still alive and started to struggle. I didn't know what to do. I held the poor little bugger so my husband could try to get its leg out. Sure enough we got him free and he did his best to run off. Hopefully the mom was still around to take care of him and it will be okay. :pray:
Please don't flame me because I "touched" the calf and now my human scent is on it. I just didn't want it to die a slow death.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Great job to you and your husband Elkhuntress. When the kids were young we used to spend quite a few week-ends camping near Crater Lake. We would get up early in the morning and drive the logging roads spotting wildlife. One morning we came across a calf elk that was totally disoriented ........standing in one place, but turning circles with blood running down the side of it's head. We could walk right up to it and it didn't seem aware we were even there. Thinking it might be a case of someone trying to poach an elk with a small caliber rifle, I stayed with the calf while my wife drove to Prospect to get someone from the ranger station. It took well over an hour before she returned with a ranger and during that time, I never saw or heard another person, or any other animals. The forest ranger wanted to load the calf in the back of his truck and take it to Wildlife Images, which is a wildlife rescue facility in Grants Pass. It wasn't until we threw a coat over the calf's head to keep it calm during loading that the cow elk which had been secretly watching the whole time came unglued. Although she never attacked us, she was obviously stressed as she pranced back and forth near us being extremely vocal. As it turned out, the calf had apparently been the victim of an attack by a predator. Unfortunately it died that night at Wildlife Images due to puncture wounds in the top of it's head. Ron
 
#7 ·
Good job on you.:applause: I would have done the same thing. I came across a doe on the side of the road that had hung both back legs through a fence last year. She was very much alive and struggling. My buddy was worried we would get hurt so I just cut the middle wire and off she went. SOrry to the fence and rancher but just could not let the thing suffer and become dinner for some yote that night.
 
#8 ·
it gives you a good feeling when you help wildlife out by granting life to an animal in need. I did the very same thing this spring with a yearling doe. don't get me wrong I am a hunter and have taken my share of them it was just my turn to say thank you is the way I saw it.

good job by doinging your best by giving it a chance.:applause::applause::applause:

Shooter
 
#13 ·
In the past around here I've released two elk calves and a few antelope form fences. It was very easy to do. I inserted a sturdy stick in the wire with the leg and pulled the wire apart, animals fell right out and were fine. The first elk took me a while to figure it out. really easy though.
 
#14 ·
Sounds like you did all you could...Good for you guys...Its funny how all us tough hunters turn to jelly when we see an animal needing help...It only goes to show we aren't heartless animal killers but have a great respect for the wildlife we enjoy so much. Great job!:applause:
 
#16 ·
[/QUOTE] Please don't flame me because I "touched" the calf and now my human scent is on it. I just didn't want it to die a slow death.[/QUOTE]

No one is going to flame you for saving a life. You did the right thing:) good on you and thanks for helping the calf!!!
 
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