Live or Die??? (pics)

[browtine]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-05-04 AT 07:59PM (MST)[p]I was shed hunting in colorado this last week with a couple of friends. I came across a cow elk stuck in the mud in a deep ravine. She had been there for atleast a day maybe more. She was exhausted. Myself and two friends pulled on her front feet and completely got here out of the mud and onto the bank where she could have stood up if she had the strength. She appeared to be very hungry and even though she couldnt get up, she still tried to eat what was under her nose. Well, I picked some grass from under the sage brush and offered it to her. She ate it very quikly. I fed her for a while and she would eat right out of my hand. All the while I was questioning weather or not to let nature take it course. Deep down I just could not leave her there without knowing she would get up. Myself and 2 friends feed here for a while and then left her. She must have got up after we left, because she was gone the next morning. What would you do?????

Later, Brandon

 

[bobcatbess]

WELL

I'M REAL PROUD OF YOU!!!

I'M THE SAME WAY,LEAGAL OR NOT,I CAN'T STAND TO SEE AN ANIMAL SUFFER!!!

LOOKS LIKE THE BACK LEGS WERE A LITTLE SORE ON THAT CALF ELK!!!

I ONCE CUT A BUCK OUT OF A FENCE WITH MY BUCK KNIFE,BEFORE I WAS DONE I HAD MORE BATTLE SCARS THAN HE DID!!!

THANKS FOR LENDING A HELPING HAND!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THAT WOULD OF DONE THE SAME!!!

 

[intimidater37]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-05-04 AT 08:27PM (MST)[p]i think you did the right thing just think she may be pregnant with a furture world record or a trophy for a kid or first time hunter you did a great thing you should be proud of yourselves

 

[typical_hunter]

good job i think thats awsome id done the same thing



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Typical_Hunter
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[alwayzbhuntin]

You done right Brandon...I would have helped out the same, good job.

 

[RELH]

Brandon;
You did the right thing, and I would have tried it also. the food you gave her must have helped her to get her strenght back and move on, after you guys freed her from the mud. You earned your beer tonight.

RELH

 

[dakotakid]

Thats a darn tough call to make Brandon, deep down inside I think you did the right thing, I hope that the pics being posted on the net dont land you in some trouble though.

Mike

 

[RACKMASTER]

gotta help! you did the right thing!

 

[polarbear]

Awesome! Great job man! You did the right thing. I couldnt walk away and let her suffer either. I am glad that you didnt get the living crap kicked out of you by that cow. I helped pull a horse from a creek and got the sh!t knocked out of me.
Way to go!
Eric

 

[freedivr2]

Live of course! Nice work!!! Nah, you were put there that morning for more reason than just to find some sheds, methinks. Nothing wrong with intervening when you see something like that in front of you. I think not doing anything (when you could) wouldn't be right at all.

Mother nature is a cruel momma.......you done good!!!!

 

[MartinHunter]

Thats pretty cool, I think you did good.
Michael

 

[Ridge_Runner]

Great job Browtine.. Always good to give back to the animals that give us so much of themselves. Great photos also, you did well.


Happy trails
Ridge Runner
"Now Pilgrim,you sure you can skin griz"

 

[kingfish]

Why would that be the WRONG thing to do???. Great job!. That cow my be the mom someday of a trophy bull...I agree with Freed, It was no accident you being there that morning....Thank you.

 

[songdog]

Browtine,

Great job! I would have done the same thing as well. It's stories like this that go un-published and un-noticed that the general public should be made aware of!!! You're welcome at our fire anytime!

songdog

 

[caelkhnter]

Browtine good job. I think you did the only thing that made sense. I hope the elk recovered. jim

 

[vinihunt]

i think u did right thing! im glad u did!! congrats...

vinihunt

 

[dutch]

Even if it was hunting season and I had a cow tag I probably would of done what you did! Who would ever think an elk could get stuck in the mud!

 

[TheKnack]

Incredible!
I think you had a one in a million encounter and you did a great thing. Hope she made it as well.
Best,
Jerry

 

[sampson]

How come people weren't so understanding and supportive of me when I was helping that poor defenseless sheep get untangled from the fencewire?


Ha Ha, seriously though, you can be proud of yourself Brandon. Thanks for lending a hand and thanks for taking a few photos so that you could share the experience with us.

 

[stanley]

That's pretty cool. Good job!

Nice sheds too!!!


S.

 

[kilowatt]

You did the right thing and that was helping her get free from the mud hole.
Those pictures will always be a rememberance of your great deed that you did.

Brian

 

[Pointer]

I definitely think you did the right thing Brandon. You should feel very good for putting forth the effort to help like that. Pretty amazing encounter.
-Pointer

 

[RLH]

what a great story. amazing how an animal can sense that you're not going to harm it and are there to help. as far as nature taking it's course, as humans, we are part of nature. i know the huggers don't want folks to think that way, but we're one of the wonders of nature just like everything else that walks, crawls, swims, flies or has roots. and you followed human nature to help the helpless. you performed admirably and are to be commmended for your efforts. i cut a calf elk out of a fence once, while it's very worried mother watched. she ran me off a couple times, so i crossed the fence so she couldn't hit me as easy and cut one of the 2 wires that were twisted around the calf's hind foot with my a leatherman. they trotted off a few yards and then the cow stopped and looked straight at me for a few seconds. i always figger she was sayin' thanks.

 

[woodruffhunter]

Once in a liftime pic! You did the right thing.

 

[HunterHarry]

Ya Did Good Man!
This clearly illustrates the paradox we face as hunters.
How we can take such great passion in hunting and killing a magnificent beast,yet find the compassion in our hearts to save an animal in danger.
The anti's probably don't think such an act of kindness could come from a hunter.
Great photo! As impressive as a trophy shot of a big bull.
Thank You!

 

[RANGERCON]

Good on ya!! Really terrific service you did!!

 

[excaliber]

There's no question in my mind that you did the right thing.
I would have done the same. I think it's kind of neat she would let you feed her. I have a felling she may have been in there longer than you think.

Have a cold one you deserve it for sure.

 

[browtine]

Thanks for all the replys guys. Its funny because I was in shock over this whole thing and I thought it was more than chance that we found her out in the boonies. 50 yards in any direction and I wouldnt have seen her. Probably 30 miles from any houses. Thanks again for all the replys, I appreciate it.


Later, Brandon

 

[Gator]

Good Job buddy, It's nice to see that everyone can and will do the right thing.

 

[threelemonbob]

Just think how you would have felt if you hadnt helped her. Nice job I think that anyone who is a true sportsman would have helped her or at least i hope so.

 

[bigbull1]

Great story- You demonstrate the conservationist and humane core of most hunters.

I would have done the same, without a second thought.

 

[ridgetop]

Ditto what everyone else has already said. Cool pictures, thanks for posting them!

While working, we ran across a doe whitetail caught with its back legs on the top wires of a fence about a month or so ago, and it had been there for at least two days. Ill save you from the gory details, but suffice it to say, not a pretty sight. If I was packing a gun, a bullet behind the ear would have been the right thing to do. It couldnt even move even after being upright for a while. We gave it some water, and went about our business but the poor girl was there dead and chewed on by something when we came back a couple days later. You hate to see stuff like that, but you can only do what you can do.