COOSEFAN Report post Posted July 19, 2007 Hey guys, I don't think the water situation can get any more "hands on" than this! This was a few years back and this is a wild and free ranging Unit 10 elk. Something obviously was wrong with him and he could barely stand up at first. After the whole event, you'll see he was feeling pretty good! We left him alone for about an hour after this event and he had made it close to a mile to the tree line and disappeared.......I have always believed we saved his life at least for a little while longer! Here's where we found him, unable to jump the fence to make it to the trees so he had no shade....... We got em' up and was able to get him to drink out of my hand...... We were losing too much water that way so he let me hold the bottle up for him.... Then he decided he could do it himself! He seemed to really enjoy drinking from a bottle....he would actually hand it back to me so I could fill it back up with the melted ice water in the cooler! Eventually we ran completely out of water.......and he got a little upset! He literally pushed me over the fence just off camera! I opened a gate about 100 yrds down and we left.......when we came back about an hour later he had gone through and made it to the treeline. It was really cool to physically help an elk like that, I'll never forget it! Thanks to the Arizona Elk Society and the AZGFD there are a bunch of FULL tanks up there right now and new ones being filled every day for the next couple of weeks! Thank you very much guys! JIM> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted July 19, 2007 That s pretty cool. Would be interesting to know if he actually made it after your intervention. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted July 19, 2007 That is cool stuff right there! Thanks for sharing, Jim! Ya know Mother Nature can be a cruel thing..... and the Anti's think were bad???? I'd much rather meet a bullet than die a slow death because of no food and water....... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GameHauler Report post Posted July 19, 2007 Jim that is great thanks for sharing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tucrats Report post Posted July 19, 2007 That is pretty cool, however do you think it would make him not scared of humans? That would make for a Shorter life span come season. Pretty cool never the less! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted July 19, 2007 those are some of the coolest pix ive seen! i like the one where you run like a little girl the best personally Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattys281 Report post Posted July 19, 2007 That's amazing. Thanks for sharing. This is the kind of stuff that the non-hunting public needs to see. Sportsmen & women spending all year hauling water & doing whatever they can to help out the animals. Wonder when the last time was that a PETA member put down their picket sign & actually did something to help an animal, let alone bottle feed a young bull the was fading from dehydration? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted July 19, 2007 Wow, what a neat experience! Glad you got the pics to prove it. who would believe it otherwise? Amanda Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Huntn coues Report post Posted July 19, 2007 At least he did not get you in the shorts with that good ole number 11 while trying to push you over the fence! That's to cool thanks for posting the pics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COOSEFAN Report post Posted July 19, 2007 That is pretty cool, however do you think it would make him not scared of humans? That would make for a Shorter life span come season. Pretty cool never the less! It was out of desperation that he let me get that close. We didn't have anything that held enough water to just leave for him to drink alone. You can obviously tell in the last pic he was feeling more like himself! I had my hand between his horns as he pushed me over the fence to make sure I didn't get "poked"! The video is hilarious at that moment.....I was screaming like a girl! I gave the rights to the video to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation several years ago and it's been shown in several conventions and a bunch of banquets since then....it's even been on a commercial for the organization on OLN I beleive! I was the "Poster Child" for the water project stuff! I hope he made it a couple more years......I know for a fact he didn't die out on the prairie that day Thanks guys....I'm leaving right now for Colorado to scout......be home next week! JIM> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mulie hunter Report post Posted July 19, 2007 That is really cool. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azyoung Report post Posted July 19, 2007 Neat Pictures!! Had to make you feel good! Thanks azyoung Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KGAINES Report post Posted July 20, 2007 Jim did they show the video at the RMEF banquet a couple of years ago, awesome pictures. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crotalus Report post Posted July 21, 2007 Dang Dude! You have got the coolest pixs all the time... That guy was really hurt'n, aye sure glad to see everyone fared none for the worst at the end. What made ya decide to post these...anything else really cool you can share before we die of summer boredom or stress waiting for the fall/winter hunts . Thanx for sharing some "tweet" pix again. Ernest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues79 Report post Posted July 21, 2007 Dang Jim, that is nothing short of a spectacular experience! I appreciate being able to see those pictures. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
