Photos by Matthew Jonas
A young elk somehow managed to get 20 feet of a greenhouse’s irrigation drip line wrapped around its antlers. The bull carried his extra headgear around Lyons, Colo., for two days before wildlife officials were finally able to remove the tangled mess on the third.
The bull was first seen with the lines around its rack on Thursday of last week. According to witnesses, the elk didn’t seem to mind it unless it stepped on the lines with its feet.
The Colorado Division of Wildlife would not intervene as long as the animal was upright and moving, citing additional harm that could occur to the animal in the process of removing the line. On Friday around 5 p.m. Boulder County Sheriff’s Deputies and area residents tried to corral the animal on the 5400 Block of Colorado State Highway 66 east of Lyons.
A young bull stands in the middle of Lyons, Colo., with what would later be measured as 20 feet of rubber irrigation drip line.
Residents tried to keep the elk away from Highway 66. Traffic slowed down to avoid the elk, and no injuries occurred.
Parks and Wildlife officials stepped in Saturday night and tranquilized the elk in a nearby field. After the hosing was removed officials administered a reversal agent to the tranquilizer. The elk eventually woke up and left the area safely.