Two male elk got tangled up in barbed wire in Arvada on Wednesday, and ranchers with rope and bolt cutters had to lend a hand.
Joel Brown stumbled onto the two bull elk on what will soon be the Candelas Development just west of Standley Lake. Their antlers showed evidence of their struggle as they were connected by yards of barbed wire wrapped numerous times around each.
While they waited for the Division of Wildlife to arrive, Brown and other ranchers roped the animals, laid them down, stretched them out and held on. They took turns using bolt cutters and pliers to cut the wire loose.
When DOW Officer Jerrie McKee arrived, the ranchers were doing something she would not normally recommend.
“Typically, what we’re going to do is we’re going to tranquilize the animal,” she said. “Right now, it’s breeding season for these animals. They’re very strong, very powerful animals. Especially during this time of year, they can inflict a lot of injuries, not only on people but on other wildlife.”
After 15 minutes of cutting, Brown and the other half-dozen ranchers freed the two elk and quickly jumped out of the way. In seconds, both animals got to their feet and trotted away, over a nearby hill. One had remnants of the wire still hanging from its rack.
See a video of the ranchers cutting the elk loose at .
