After elk gets stuck on Steamboat Springs property, CPW urges residents to let nature take its course
Millie Freed / Courtesy photo
When an elk got stuck in a snowy gully on a Steamboat Springs resident’s property Thursday, neighbors were prepared to come from miles around to help — but a ranger with Colorado Parks and Wildlife advised them to let nature take its course.
“It’s very tough to see. We’re all humans,” said Rachael Gonzales, the CPW Northwest Region Public Information Officer. “When we see an animal in a bad situation, we all want to help. The reality is, sometimes we could be doing that animal more harm by trying to help it.”
Millie Freed, the Steamboat Springs resident who conducted the rescue mission, came home to an elk walking through her property on Thursday morning and snapped a photo, admiring the beauty. But when Freed walked away, the elk got startled and ran into a gully full of snow.
“I could tell (the elk) was struggling to get through the snow,” said Freed. “But I thought, ‘They’re elk, they deal with this all the time. I’m sure she’ll be okay.'”
According to Freed and CPW, the elk seemed to be in poor health even before getting stuck.
Hours later, the elk was still stuck in the gully and up to its neck in snow, according to Freed.
Freed called CPW seeking help, but a CPW ranger encouraged her to leave the elk alone overnight to see if it could escape the gully without help.
Around 7 p.m. Thursday, Freed decided to “rally the troops” to dig a path in the snow for the elk early the next morning.
“We got a group of about 10 neighbors to agree to help,” said Freed. “Just about everyone I called wanted to help… I was amazed that people were willing to come from five miles away so early in the morning.”
When the neighbors arrived at Freed’s property, the elk was still alive but still stuck. Then, while the group had breakfast inside, the elk died.
“Maybe she was so weak that it was an inevitable ending,” said Freed. “I get it, that’s wildlife. But I wish it had ended better.”
Freed voiced disappointment that CPW did not assess the situation in person or intervene, but CPW said interference can make a bad situation even worse.
“From our standpoint, it’s important to make sure that we’re respecting wildlife and giving them space, especially this time of year when they’re already doing everything they can to conserve energy and calories,” said Gonzales.
According to Gonzales, every situation is different and there’s not just one way to respond to an animal in distress.
She said CPW intervenes when necessary, but tends to lean towards letting nature take its natural course.
Gonzales emphasized that the wildlife agency focuses on preservation, not rehabilitation. When a sick or injured animal is in danger, CPW likely won’t intervene.
“Animals are so resilient, and sometimes when they look like they’re in tricky positions, they can still get themselves out of that situation,” said Gonzales. “Unfortunately, this animal was in very bad health to begin with… But sometimes the worst thing we can do is add more pressure.”
Freed added that a friend is planning on processing the elk for food, which CPW strongly encourages when possible. According to Gonzales, CPW will remove an animal corpse when necessary, but can also help determine if the animal is safe to eat.
Gonzales added that regardless of the manner of death, CPW offers a “roadkill permit,” which allows a person to take the animal for food.
In this case, a CPW officer determined that although the elk was in poor health due to a lack of food, it was still safe for consumption.
“At the end of the day, we would rather the meat go to good use,” said Gonzales.
Gonzales encourages anyone who sees wildlife in distress to alert CPW, even if no action will be taken.
“If you see an animal in distress, please call us. We are more than happy to talk through the situation,” she said. “If we determine that it’s a situation where we need to step in, we absolutely will. But our top priority is the health of the animal, and we may have to let nature take its course.”
To contact the CPW Steamboat Springs office, call 970-870-3333.
