Elk Vigil

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I just read that several hundred people attended a vigil for an elk that was killed by a cop in Boulder (Col.?).They held candles,sang songs,and told stories.The cop is on admin.leave.No kidding.Google it.
 
The vigil seems a bit weird, but this cop was just stupid too! This was a very large bull that lived in the City of Boulder. Apparently, some folks considered him to be sort of a town mascot. In any event, one local resident said that a cop showed up one night, knocked on her door and told her not worry if she happened to hear a gunshot. Next thing, KABOOM, and the elk is dead on the street. Now we see pictures of the cop posing with this dead elk like he had hunted him down in the mountains and we learn that he tossed the carcass in the trunk and hauled it away to be processed for meat at a friend's house. He says the bull "appeared to be injured." Maybe, maybe not. But if you're going to shoot a trophy animal like that, don't be taking "heroic" pictures while you grin at the camera and posting them up for public consumption, then hauling it away in the back of a police car for processing! Especially in a town like Boulder. Best thing I can say is that this was just not well-handled by the Boulder PD. As for the "vigil," well, it is what it is. It's Boulder.
 
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So a bull elk has been hanging around a populated area, probably being fed by local idiots who think they're doing a good thing. The officer may not have handled things well, but he may have saved a life.
 
The downside is that it's a crowded residential area.The only clear shot would be straight west on Mapleton.The good news is most of the houses are masonry.
Who knows what really happened.The pd originally denied it because he didn't report it.Then he said it was a threat ( 6 pt bull).Then he said it was injured...
I'm guessing panic or buck fever...
 
Yep,it's fishy.The bull had been around for a few weeks.I've never seen elk in Boulder,Lot's of mulies,bears,bobcats,mountain lions,coyotes etc. One of my favorite spots for bow hunting big bucks was just a few miles west on Mapleton in sunshine canyon.
 
Back in 1960 I worked in yosemite for the NPS. There was a coyote that was a regular ornament that staked out a pull over near glacier point turnoff as his own private begging grounds. One day I and my partner came around the curve to the turnout in our goverment marked panel truck. I couldnt belive what I was seeing! A old doge was pulled over with this serious looking guy injuning around the car with a shotgun getting ready to off this viscious willey coyote that some old lady tourist with a torqoise cowboy hat was feeding some bread. The guys wife was sitting in the car with a couple kids.
Boss was driveing and we skidded to a stop between the man with the shotgun and the coyote with the woman a couple yards away.
Alright fella, give me the gun! Aint nobody gonna take muh gun! With that boss man got out and both had both hands wresteling the shotgun. I had to bail out the passenger side and go around the truck and pile on.
We got the gun. He wasnt going to try and shoot us (I think) but he didnt want to give up that old single barrel either. We had the family follow us to the wawona ranger station and wrote out a report. Never did hear the outcome. Guns were a definet no no in the parks back then.
I did feel kinda embaressed though as his wife and kids seen it all.
 
The vigil sounds like mush and the cop sounds stupid. But who knows? These things get distorted.

Here are two photos I took in the summer of 2006 at the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park. A bachelor herd was calmly working an area next to the development.

DSCF0762_01.jpg


DSCF0757_01.jpg


Old Barney would have needed more than one bullet that morning!
 
Well, I grew up between Boulder and Longmont. I went to Boulder High. Graduated in 1975. The place was full of weirdos then! The cop IS a moron. Proof positive that strange people of all persuasions live in Boulder! There were still a few old timers left when I lived there that were interesting.

John
 
That town really changed between the early 60s and now.Still has a fair amount of weirdos,but they have more money now ;-)
 
Elk: "Why did you stop me, Officer?"

Cop: "You were swaying side to side as you hoofed down the street"
And I smell marijuana on your breath" (note: this is a Boulder elk).

Elk: "No way -- that was some old hay that one of the ski instructors left out for me."

Cop: "Put your front hooves on the car"

Elk: "Aren't you going to read me my rights first?"

Cop: "You have the right to be skinned and filleted"; ......... at this point, Elk runs away"

Cop: "Stop or I'll Tase you"

Elk: "Don't tase me, dude" (note, this is a Boulder elk) -- a West Coast elk would say "Don't tase me, bro" -- a Southern elk would say
"Don't tase me, cuz" ---- A Chicago elk would say "tase me and I'll shove that squad car up your ***" :eek:
 
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