Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Pulled From Icy River By Colorado Wildlife Managers

Happy to report a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in distress was safely rescued and returned to the wild thanks to a pair of Colorado wildlife managers. Colorado Parks & Wildlife received a report late Monday afternoon of a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep that had fallen through the ice on the Taylor River and was stuck with its hind legs in the frigid water.

“A big thanks to the folks who helped report this bighorn stuck in the ice. Nature is brutal, but this bighorn is getting a second chance at life thanks to this epic rescue by our team.” -Colorado Parks and Wildlife – Gunnison

District Wildlife Managers Codi Prior and Clayton BonDurant were dispatched to the scene and were in a race against time to try save her. Prior first tried to slip a catch pole over the ewe’s head and body but couldn’t get it underneath her front legs. She then switched plans and used a tow strap. Using the two strap, BonDurant and Prior were able to extract the ewe out of the icy river.

The team immediately went to work to try to warm up this bighorn ewe. They put a covering over her face to reduce the stress and loaded her into a horse trailer and gave her a ride to a warm place.

The ewe was kept over night to make sure she’d survive the stress and impacts from the time she spent in the freezing water.

The following morning she was driving back to her herd’s location on a mountain and released back into the wild. The ewe bolted out of the horse trailer in excellent health which was a massive to relief entire Gunnison area office staff. Cheers to District Wildlife Managers Codi Prior and Clayton BonDurant for their speedy and ultimately successful save. Well done!

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