A Craig ranch owner now says he won’t put down a popular bull elk suspected of goring a ranch hand Thursday after he learned the death may have been caused by the man’s heart condition.
Lou Wyman, owner of the Wyman Living History Ranch and Museum, said the Craig coroner told him Saturday that 57-year-old John Renner died from a heart-related issue, not from being gored by Clyde, the trophy-sized elk that was a showpiece at the ranch.
Coroner Owen Grant told 9News that the written autopsy won’t be finished until later this week, but the general autopsy showed that Renner died from heart troubles and did not suffer fatal injuries from the elk.
That’s a relief for Wyman, and for others who were urging him to spare the animal.
“We’re not going to put it down now,” he said. “People have been calling us saying not to. They have been taking polls around Craig. Two of the bars have put up posters about it. We had about 20 people calling us from Durango to Wyoming saying they didn’t feel it was the animal’s fault.”
A school and newspaper also conducted a poll, hoping to keep Clyde alive, Wyman said.
Authorities found Renner slumped over, with his face in the feeding trough, about 10:30 a.m. Thursday. One witness told authorities the elk had blood on its antlers.
Wyman believes the elk had probably nudged Renner when he didn’t move. The 9-year-old elk had never bothered anyone before.
“The way we found the fella, he was slumped over, like you would see someone who had had a heart attack,” Wyman said. “The bruising that he had was just from the animal pawing, rubbing him. They do that.”
Staff writer Jeremy P. Meyer may be reached at 303-820-1175 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com.
