Elk tangled up in netting to be left alone in Estes Park
It’s a magical time of the year in Colorado as elk flood the mountain town of Estes Park.
Unfortunately, for one bull, things got a little tangled. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials are planning to leave a bull elk whose antlers got tangled up in netting alone. As of now, there are no plans to intervene. The bull is healthy and able to move, eat, and drink freely.
A bull elk has netting wrapped up in it’s antlers in Estes Park. We continue to monitor the bull and will only intervine as a last resort. The bull is healthy, able to move freely, eat and drink. He just has to deal with the annoyance of some plastic. pic.twitter.com/uVrlHcEoqu — CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) October 2, 2019
The bull elk tangled in netting serves as a reminder to keep your yards clean and safe for wildlife. It’s also very important to keep your distance from elk, particularly during the rut season. Elk can be dangerous and aggressive, often attacking without warning. Just last week, an elk roaming through Estes Park knocked a woman down and repeatedly butted her with its massive antlers.
It’s the first day of October 🍂 and all across Colorado love is in the air. The peak of the rut (breeding season) is underway for #moose, #elk & #pronghorn (late September-early October). Upcoming ruts for deer, bighorn sheep & mountain goats occurs in November & December. pic.twitter.com/6V2CozyWKl — CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) October 1, 2019
In two very similar stories, a moose got its antlers caught in a Breckenridge-area zipline and a bobcat survived after becoming trapped in a soccer net in Colorado Springs.
We responded to this bull elk entangled in netting last spring in Estes Park. The netting was later safely removed. This is a reminder to please put away swings, hammocks, clothing lines, volleyball nets & other materials that can get caught in antlers when not in use. pic.twitter.com/1vwOKpaVoq — CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) February 15, 2019
If you see an animal with items stuck in its antlers, please leave it up to the wildlife professionals. Contact your local Colorado Parks and Wildlife office for help regarding any wildlife issues. For a list of regional and area offices, click here.