Buckrail (Alpine, Wyo.) – Last weekend, the Alpine Game Warden received a call from a local resident that an elk cow was trapped in an old cistern.
According to Wildlife Management Coordinator Doug Brimeyer, local Wyoming Game and Fish Wardens Jordan Winter, Kyle Lash and Todd Graham as well as Brimeyer quickly mobilized to help the elk.
“The animal appeared to be in very good health, no injuries,” said Brimeyer.
Officials gave the elk a sedative to temporarily immobilize her and a few people got into the cistern to keep her from falling into the water after she was sedated. They put a heavy tarp around her and carefully lifted her out of the hole. From there, they took the elk via snowmobile to the horse trailer, where they reversed the sedative. Within a few minutes, she was alert and standing.
“We drove her down south of Alpine and let her out on the feedground with the rest of the elk,” said Brimeyer.
Game and Fish then went back to the cistern to cover up the hole so no other animals would get trapped.
“This time of year, animals are moving around looking for food and people who have old electric fences or other things up should get them wrapped up so animals don’t get tangled in them — including Christmas lights,” Brimeyer said.