The call came from a landowner in Alpine. 🐾 An elk was spotted with electrobraid and a T-post tangled in its antlers. Thanks to that landowner's call to the AZGFD Operation Game Thief Hotline, help arrived in the form of two wildlife managers: Officers Legend Watson and Kalyn Miller.
"Officer Miller was the first one there and was preparing drugs when I arrived," recalls Officer Watson. "The bull elk and approximately 20 cows were across a field bedded down under some pine trees right next to a house."
The two officers darted the bull elk and it laid down nearby. Officers and neighbors safely removed nearly 50 feet of electrobraid and the T-post, then officers administered reversals.
"Shortly after admitting the reversals, the bull got up and reunited with the herd of cows," Officer Watson said. "Several landowners gave their appreciation and loved seeing their neighborhood bull safe and tangle-free."
Well done, officers! 👏 And remember, if you see a potential wildlife violation, you can call the Operation Game Thief Hotline at 800-352-0700.

ALT A bull elk lays tranquilized on a field with some grass, electrobraid and a T-post tangled in its antlers. Its eyes are covered with a cloth.

ALT An elk with large antlers lies on its side in a grassy field, wearing a cloth over its face. Trees and a building are visible in the background. Its antlers are cleared of the electrobraid and the T-post.

ALT A large elk stands on a grassy field, surrounded by trees. In the background, there is a fenced area. The scene is calm and sunlit.

ALT A large herd of elk cows is grazing in an open grassy field surrounded by pine trees under a clear blue sky. A vehicle is parked near the tree line.