Elk roaming Colorado with tire around neck for 2 years freed

PINE, Colo. (AP) — Colorado wildlife officials say an elusive elk that has been wandering the hills with a car tire around its neck for at least two years has finally been freed of the obstruction. The 4 1/2-year-old, 600-pound bull elk was spotted near Pine Junction, southwest of Denver, on Saturday evening and tranquilized. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers had to cut off the elk’s five-point antlers to remove the encumbrance because they couldn’t slice through the steel in the bead of the tire. It’s estimated the elk shed about 35 pounds with the removal of the tire, the antlers and debris inside the tire.