EDITOR’S NOTE: This elk was spotted several days earlier this week by local Cannon Beach resident Deb Coyle Atiyeh who shared photos of the distressed elk wandering on Arch Cape beach (south of Cannon Beach) with a tangle of ropes and dragging a buoy.
Here’s the ODFW recap of the successful tranquilizing and relocation of the elk.
On Wednesday evening, Feb. 12 staff from ODFW, Oregon State Police, Cannon Beach Fire District, Cannon Beach Police Department and the Mist-Birkenfeld Rural Fire Protection District’s Large Animal Rescue Team worked together to dart a bull elk, remove rope and buoy tangled in its antlers and relocate it from the beach at Arch Cape.
The agencies conducted a pre-operation and safety briefing. Once resources were in place on the beach, ODFW successfully darted and secured the elk. Mist-Birkenfeld and Cannon Beach Fire assisted ODFW and OSP staff to load and transport the elk off the beach and into an ODFW trailer. The elk was transported and successfully released in the Coast Range of Clatsop County.
Wildlife capture and immobilization involve various risks and each situation is unique. ODFW biologists are highly trained in these procedures and carefully consider the risks in their decision-making. ODFW and OSP monitored the elk daily this week, and the necessary resources and conditions for a safe operation aligned on Wednesday afternoon.
ODFW would like to thank all the agencies involved for their assistance in making this operation a success!
The rope and buoy in the elk’s antlers likely came from yard decorations. One of the main causes of elk and deer entanglement is items that come from yards. Holiday lights are particularly problematic along with hammocks, dog lines, tomato cages, volleyball/soccer nets, and items like ropes/buoys used for decoration.
ODFW encourages people to put away unused items to help prevent wildlife entanglement and keep the danger to wildlife in mind when selecting yard decor.
