The Mystery of the Florescent Orange Antlered Washington Elk Harvested in MT...

[Sytes]

Quite the interesting read!

Castrated (Thankfully), harvested by a color blind hunter in Chouteau / Augusta and dropped off to be processed... Upon P/U, Processor inquired what was up with the florescent orange antler(s)...?
And the mystery began to unfold...

Possible transport of a Roosevelt Elk from the WA Tacoma area harvested in Augusta / bordered Bob Marshall Wilderness? Genetically, apparently so! Interesting to read of the extensive details maintained by Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife! Good on them.

Why and who remains a mystery.

Smuggled elk poses a mystery for Montana wildlife officials

Genetic testing revealed that the young bull is of an exotic sub-species, and that it came from a herd more than 600 miles from where it was shot.

billingsgazette.com

 

[diamond hitch]

The orange horns are a mystery but I think there was a Spike bull in the 90s that was radio-collared and traveled from eastern montana to kansas. I think I read it in the RMEF magazine.

 

[theat]

The orange horns are a mystery but I think there was a Spike bull in the 90s that was radio-collared and traveled from eastern montana to kansas. I think I read it in the RMEF magazine.

I had a professor in college that put the collar on that bull as part of his thesis project. I have been telling that story for years whenever animals traveling long distances comes up. Saw this little article about it a few years ago.

 

[COEngineer]

It seems unlikely that orange paint would last through an 1800 mile migration, but maybe this one found a short-cut?

 

[Sytes]

In the article, FWP is certain someone transported the elk. The concern is whether others may have been relocated as well. While this one was castrated, (another reason to believe human involvement) are there others not castrated? Any cow elk? Why relocate? Etc...

Seems so out of the ordinary, a wild movie themed plot idea, a "secret society" of hunters transports the elk... S/he who kills the elk is the Victor...? It migrated outside their general hunt area and some wild chance a colorblind guy shoots it?

Why go through all this?

 

[RobG]

I understand the ignorant motive of bucket biology for fish, but why would someone would do this? Maybe some sick rancher wants to introduce some disease to knock the popular down.

 

[RobG]

Do castrated elk grow bigger antlers?

 

[diamond hitch]

Only if they are castrated while in velvet. Once they get hard they will shed and be hornless from then on.

 

[golfer]

I had a professor in college that put the collar on that bull as part of his thesis project. I have been telling that story for years whenever animals traveling long distances comes up. Saw this little article about it a few years ago.

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Was that professors name Clayton? If so I also tell that story when I can.