No one could catch him for years… until now. A wild elk roamed the forests of Colorado with a tire stuck around his neck
— for over two years. Rescuers never gave up, and their final attempt led to an incredible moment of freedom Read the full story of this dramatic rescue in the article below!
In late 2021, a long-awaited rescue operation finally succeeded in the forests of Colorado. Wildlife officers, along with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) team, managed to save a deer that had been wandering for years with a car tire stuck around its neck. The story of this dramatic mission is now making waves — and here’s how it all unfolded. The deer, a four-year-old male elk (also known as a wapiti), had first been spotted with the unusual burden in 2019. Somehow, the heavy rubber ring had slipped over his head and become stuck. At the time, officials were focused on a separate mountain goat research project and didn’t have the proper tools to attempt a rescue.
Over the next two years, the deer was occasionally caught on trail cameras, but despite several efforts, he managed to dodge every attempt at capture. Agile and alert, he disappeared into the wild each time help came near. In winter, he traveled with a larger herd, making it even harder to approach him unnoticed.
But everything changed during mating season — when the elk became slightly less cautious. Rangers launched another search and this time, after multiple failed tries, they finally succeeded on their fourth attempt during a week-long operation.
The animal was darted with a tranquilizer, but even then, he made a bold effort to escape — weaving between trees and blending in with other deer. When he finally collapsed safely, rangers got their first close look at the damage.
The tire, packed with dirt and debris, had dug into the skin on his neck. Worse, it had steel wires running through it, making it almost impossible to cut. So, the team made a tough call — they removed the elk’s antlers to slide the tire off cleanly. The wound was cleaned and treated before the animal was released back into the wild.
Weighing around 270kg, the elk was slightly underweight compared to others his age, but otherwise healthy. As soon as he woke up, he wasted no time — bolting back into the woods, free at last.
