OTSEGO COUNTY, Mich. — Officers with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) helped ice-rescue professionals attempt to remove a dozen elk carcasses from an Otsego County lake on Wednesday.
The DNR says the elk fell through the ice on Crapo Lake Tuesday.
“This is a very tragic and unfortunate event,” says Director Dan Eichinger. “Elk are an important species in Michigan’s successful conservation history. We are indebted to the conservation officers and hunting guides who tried to help in responding to this incident Tuesday afternoon.”
We’re told reports were filed by a hunting guide at around 3:30 on Tuesday claiming to have seen up to 12 elk fall through the ice.
The DNR tells us conversation officers showed up a half hour later, finding two guides trying to create an escape route in the ice with a chainsaw.
While not all of the elk were recovered, workers managed to pull the remains of five cows, three calves and three spike bull elk, the DNR says.
The DNR advises the public not to attempt to rescue animals on their own, as doing so can prove fatal.
“We remind people that no ice is safe ice,” says Lt. Jim Gorno. “Putting yourself in danger of drowning is not an acceptable risk.”
