Elk Trapping

Hi, Twinkle here. And, yes, you read that title right. Elk trapping.

Yesiree, folks, the people here at phoenamenaldays went elk trapping. On Wednesday last week, our story begins...

It was the dead of night (no, for real, it was). At almost half-past 2am, the Mom woke up Twinkle, Chip, Minnie, and Mickey for an adventure like no other. They packed their ski jackets, their hats, their gloves, their scarfs...almost everything except their long-underwear and snow-pants. It was going to be cold up where these brave souls ventured. (Nearly 15 degrees. Who would've guessed???)

Back to the story. The Mom drove up all the winding (well, okay, highway isn't really winding) roads for many hours. Finally, the troupe arrived at their destination. About a half-hour later, they and a few other families were watching a truly amazing spectacle. Elk trapping.

The first elk was feisty and was ramming itself against the rope that kept it from escaping. Finally, the biologists strapped the rambunctious beast to the ground and kept it there while some other biologists put a radio collar over the animal's monstrous head. The biologists also stuck an ear-tag onto the dinner-plate of the elk's ear. Then, Twinkle, Chip, Minnie, Mickey, and the Mom got to pet it. (I know, awesome, right?!?!)

The second elk was a different story. This one was mad and, fellers, I mean ready-to-eat-a-few-nine-year-old-boys mad. (No, the elk didn't eat Mickey.) After it was collared and tagged, the she-elk just sat there, looking at the humans with fire in her eyes. (Okay, maybe it wasn't exactly fire, but it was something like a...er...smoking candle).

Twinkle and Mickey were interviewed by the news channel in Flagstaff (I was thrilled!). Everyone went home. The kids finished their school, the Mom took a nap, and all was well.

The End.

Twinkle

(See the pictures below!!)

Collaring and tagging the elk.

"I can't see! Help! Oh dear, how tiresome humans are!"

This one was throwing herself against the rope. Violent.

All of us.

With the official seal and truck of the Arizona Game and Fish.

This was the silent-but-deadly elk.

Watching...

Look how close we were!

Mickey's hand against the elk's...er...hoof, I guess.

Mickey's head inside the collar.

Oh, and we took a side-trip to Montezuma's Castle. Pretty amazing.