Or a high jumping elk?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/201...-leaps-at-it/9446066

A research helicopter has crashed after an elk it was trying to capture jumped into its tail rotor, authorities in the United States state of Utah reported.

Key points:
A Utah research team was aiming to throw a net from a helicopter over an elk, before sedating it and fitting it with a tracking collar.
But as the pilot slowed the aircraft, the elk collided with its tail rotor and it crashed.
None of the crew were seriously harmed, but the elk died of its injuries on Monday.
The accident happened as crew tried to drop a net on the animal as the aircraft flew about three metres above ground in a mountainous part of eastern Utah, the Wasatch County Sheriff's Office's Jared Rigby said.

The two people on board were not seriously hurt, but the elk died of its injuries Monday afternoon.

The state-contracted Texas-based helicopter crew was trying to capture and sedate the elk and give it a tracking collar to research its movements in the area, about 145 kilometres east of Salt Lake City.

Damaged helicopter lies on a mountainside after the crash.
PHOTO: The accident was the first of its kind (AP)
State Division of Wildlife Resources' Mark Hadley said the crash happened after the crew launched a net to catch the animal, but when that didn't immediately work the pilot started to slow down so someone could jump out and hobble the elk.

As the helicopter slowed down, the elk collided with the rotor, Mr Hadley said.

State officials will review the incident.

Utah state captures about 1,300 animals each winter, almost all using helicopters, and Tuesday's downing of the helicopter was the first accident of its kind, Mr Rigby said.

The tracking collars help wildlife officials monitor elk migration paths and survival rates.

However, environmental groups have protested against the use of helicopters to monitor wildlife.

The group Wilderness Watch is objecting to a plan to study mountain goats using helicopters in a central-Utah wilderness area, calling the aircraft an "unnecessary intrusion into some of our most treasured lands," according to local media.

I understand accidents happen, but those guys should be charged with wanton waste of an elk. Just my opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by larrys:
I understand accidents happen, but those guys should be charged with wanton waste of an elk. Just my opinion.

I hope you were kidding with that response! The elk jumped into them. They didn't fly into the elk!

quote:

Originally posted by Topgun 30-06:

quote:

Originally posted by larrys:
I understand accidents happen, but those guys should be charged with wanton waste of an elk. Just my opinion.

I hope you were kidding with that response! The elk jumped into them. They didn't fly into the elk!

I hope YOU were kidding with that response.

I like the "waste" argument but its probably more of a case of incompetent governmental wildlife harassment. That or the Utards sold an auction tag allowing someone to kill an elk by helicopter.

Or the elk could be charged as a terrorist.

Some must not read the provided links before they make stupid posts! The chopper was owned by an independent private company contracted to net and collar elk for the state for scientific studies and when it got a little low to do it the cow elk jumped up and hit the rear rotor taking it out of use and a chopper can't fly without it! This was a first as far as anyone knows that does that kind of work.

They need to come to NZ to learn how to do it properly, we invented the netting practice using modified guns, often the SMLE action with blanks to fire nets over animals. Note in the video the shooter uses a hand held net gun and the pilot can fire another gun mount on the front of his skid. The net guns had replacement net packs that screwed onto the stubby (not much more than chamber length) gun barrel. Recoil of the hand held guns is ferocious and many shooters had to give it up when their wrists gave out and they could no longer hold and tolerate the recoil. The blanks were special heavy reloads. The skid guns usually used a spring shock absorber to prevent the gun breaking up on firing.
Video below shows same Hughes 500D in action as used in the news story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKWvsS-z9PU

Johnathan who used to fly for Fiordland heli used to go to the states some years to do that for them, last I heard he was netting wolves

An Elk can't jump into you unless you are way too low and being stupid.

quote:

Originally posted by larrys:
An Elk can't jump into you unless you are way too low and being stupid.

You obviously have no idea what you're talking about and must have never watched how they fly low to net animals and collar them for studies! This was just a freak accident that has never happened before in doing that kind of work and they "weren't being stupid"!

Been involved with more than a few when I lived in Colorado. These guys were stupid, at very best.

In 1980 alone, I think we did 10 net and collars when I was volunteering. If the net wasn't deployed properly, as indicated here, we either let the elk go when they were able to get out, or we landed at least 75 yards away to retrieve, or free. We didn't get low and close enough to possibly fly into a thrashing, jumping elk. That's just irresponsible.

How many have you been involved with. Somewhere near zero, I bet.

quote:

Originally posted by larrys:
Been involved with more than a few when I lived in Colorado. These guys were stupid, at very best.

In 1980 alone, I think we did 10 net and collars when I was volunteering. If the net wasn't deployed properly, as indicated here, we either let the elk go when they were able to get out, or we landed at least 75 yards away to retrieve, or free. We didn't get low and close enough to possibly fly into a thrashing, jumping elk. That's just irresponsible.

How many have you been involved with. Somewhere near zero, I bet.

So you did 10 captures almost 38 years ago and are now speaking as an expert, LOL! In case you didn't read the article, it says Utah nets close to 1300 EVERY YEAR and this was the first accident of it's kind. Give them a break, as shit happens now and then no matter how good you are unless it's you that must think he's perfect and everyone else should be too! News flash--It doesn't work that way!

Anyone know how they were "trying to drop a net on the animal from a height of 3 metres". Sounds a bit like early trials here in NZ with the old Bell 47G and Hiller 360 choppers which saw a net stretched under the helicopter a bit like an opened umbrella and it was literally dropped over the animal. This system was dangerous and slow. Maybe just the terminology used in the news report, they could have been using net guns but usually don't have to fly so low.

The net gun really revolutionized live capture.

Well topgun, you just peoved my point. You have no experience other than keyboard and think you know better than anyone else. I will excuse your ignorance. I'm surprised at how angry you seem because someone with any experience disagrees with you, but whatever.

We used net guns and were at least twice their 3 meter height. 3 meters is about 9 feet. Way too low. Being 5-6 feet sometimes at the top of the back, any elk can jump 3 feet. If they were descending to work the animal because the net wasn't right, that was too high to get out of for the people and should have taken the route we did and move 75 yards away and put out.

Shit happens tends to be a young person's excuse for stupidity or lack of preparation.

quote:

Originally posted by larrys:
Well topgun, you just peoved my point. You have no experience other than keyboard and think you know better than anyone else. I will excuse your ignorance. I'm surprised at how angry you seem because someone with any experience disagrees with you, but whatever.

We used net guns and were at least twice their 3 meter height. 3 meters is about 9 feet. Way too low. Being 5-6 feet sometimes at the top of the back, any elk can jump 3 feet. If they were descending to work the animal because the net wasn't right, that was too high to get out of for the people and should have taken the route we did and move 75 yards away and put out.

Shit happens tends to be a young person's excuse for stupidity or lack of preparation.

You haven't proved a friggin thing other than saying you did ten captures and didn't have a problem. Go back out and actually fly a chopper, since that's a lot harder and intense job than just being the net man. They must be pretty dang good doing 1300 a year with no problems and were 100% just like you with your ten captures until that mishap! Now with ten captures you try to come across as the expert, even calling ME ignorant just because I disagree with you! By the way, I'm not the least bit angry, but I am perplexed at how smart you think you are with that little bit of experience you mentioned. The statement "shit happens" you also disagree with has absolutely nothing to do with age, stupidity, or lack of preparation. Look it up because sometimes it does happen no matter what we're talking about since we don't live in a perfect world!

I've proven I have 10 times more experience than you. But you know more. No problem.

Just because they've done 1300 doesn't mean that they shouldn't be responsible for the ones they screw up.

In another perspective, if they've shot 1300 deer legally, they should pay for the one they poached, knowingly or not.

quote:

Originally posted by larrys:
I've proven I have 10 times more experience than you. But you know more. No problem.

Just because they've done 1300 doesn't mean that they shouldn't be responsible for the ones they screw up.

In another perspective, if they've shot 1300 deer legally, they should pay for the one they poached, knowingly or not.

Your head must be ready to burst you know so f***ing much and with that last comment about poaching you have really gone off the deep end, LOL! Nowhere have I said I know more than you do, but where I'm willing to give the guys a damn break for one screwup in many thousands of nettings that they've done over the years it appears you'd like to crucify them for Christ's sake!

Wow, you really have gone round the bend. Since you seem to have forgotten, here was my original response.

quote:

I understand accidents happen, but those guys should be charged with wanton waste of an elk. Just my opinion.

You said I had no idea what I was talking about. I proved I did. You didn't like it, for a number of reasons. No big deal to me whether you like it or not.

I said I don't believe in "shit happens". Really still don't. It is a way of trying to avoid responsibility. You don't like that. No big deal to me.

Then you really go off the deep end, cursing, invoking the name of Christ, inferring things I never said. Wow.

Since I don't believe in "shit happens", let me give you some additional perspective. If I am elk hunting and don't see the cow elk behind the bull I am shooting and kill her, "shit happened". I still will get the ticket from the game warden and be responsible for the payment. Same for the folks that shoot without seeing the whole animal and kill the wrong one. "Shit happens", but you are still responsible for it.

A car slips on the icy street and hits another car and "shit happens". I bet your insurance company doesn't say, "you are right, shit happened and you don't have to pay your deductible". Let me know when that happens.

All I said was that I believed they should pay for their mistake same as anyone else that is pursuing an elk and kills one they don't intend to.

I did not say to crucify anyone. I did not call for the pilot to loose his license. not be able to ever fly again in Utah or any such thing.

And I certainly would not crucify them for Christ's sake since I don't see where He was involved.

We will just disagree. I'm good with that.

Since I'm not sure this is the discussion that Bakes really wanted, I will leave you to it.

Thanks for the fun.

quote:

Originally posted by larrys:
Wow, you really have gone round the bend. Since you seem to have forgotten, here was my original response.

quote:

I understand accidents happen, but those guys should be charged with wanton waste of an elk. Just my opinion.

You said I had no idea what I was talking about. I proved I did. You didn't like it, for a number of reasons. No big deal to me whether you like it or not.

I said I don't believe in "shit happens". Really still don't. It is a way of trying to avoid responsibility. You don't like that. No big deal to me.

Then you really go off the deep end, cursing, invoking the name of Christ, inferring things I never said. Wow.

Since I don't believe in "shit happens", let me give you some additional perspective. If I am elk hunting and don't see the cow elk behind the bull I am shooting and kill her, "shit happened". I still will get the ticket from the game warden and be responsible for the payment. Same for the folks that shoot without seeing the whole animal and kill the wrong one. "Shit happens", but you are still responsible for it.

A car slips on the icy street and hits another car and "shit happens". I bet your insurance company doesn't say, "you are right, shit happened and you don't have to pay your deductible". Let me know when that happens.

All I said was that I believed they should pay for their mistake same as anyone else that is pursuing an elk and kills one they don't intend to.

I did not say to crucify anyone. I did not call for the pilot to loose his license. not be able to ever fly again in Utah or any such thing.

And I certainly would not crucify them for Christ's sake since I don't see where He was involved.

We will just disagree. I'm good with that.

Since I'm not sure this is the discussion that Bakes really wanted, I will leave you to it.

Thanks for the fun.

"Fun" my rear end! You were the one that IMHO made the initial post saying the guys should be charged with wanton waste and I said baloney to that because I thought it was a stupid comment and still do! How do you know the animal wasn't taken to a local food bank or given to a needy family since it probably had minimal damage just to it's head when it hit the rotor. I would think busting up an expensive chopper got their attention and their screwup will be an expensive one and should be enough. You don't, so we'll agree to disagree and go on with life!

quote:

Originally posted by Topgun 30-06:

quote:

Originally posted by larrys:
Wow, you really have gone round the bend. Since you seem to have forgotten, here was my original response.

quote:

I understand accidents happen, but those guys should be charged with wanton waste of an elk. Just my opinion.

You said I had no idea what I was talking about. I proved I did. You didn't like it, for a number of reasons. No big deal to me whether you like it or not.

I said I don't believe in "shit happens". Really still don't. It is a way of trying to avoid responsibility. You don't like that. No big deal to me.

Then you really go off the deep end, cursing, invoking the name of Christ, inferring things I never said. Wow.

Since I don't believe in "shit happens", let me give you some additional perspective. If I am elk hunting and don't see the cow elk behind the bull I am shooting and kill her, "shit happened". I still will get the ticket from the game warden and be responsible for the payment. Same for the folks that shoot without seeing the whole animal and kill the wrong one. "Shit happens", but you are still responsible for it.

A car slips on the icy street and hits another car and "shit happens". I bet your insurance company doesn't say, "you are right, shit happened and you don't have to pay your deductible". Let me know when that happens.

All I said was that I believed they should pay for their mistake same as anyone else that is pursuing an elk and kills one they don't intend to.

I did not say to crucify anyone. I did not call for the pilot to loose his license. not be able to ever fly again in Utah or any such thing.

And I certainly would not crucify them for Christ's sake since I don't see where He was involved.

We will just disagree. I'm good with that.

Since I'm not sure this is the discussion that Bakes really wanted, I will leave you to it.

Thanks for the fun.

"Fun" my rear end! You were the one that IMHO made the initial post saying the guys should be charged with wanton waste and I said baloney to that because I thought it was a stupid comment and still do! How do you know the animal wasn't taken to a local food bank or given to a needy family since it probably had minimal damage just to it's head when it hit the rotor. I would think busting up an expensive chopper got their attention and their screwup will be an expensive one and should be enough. You don't, so we'll agree to disagree and go on with life!

quote:

Originally posted by ismith:
Or the elk could be charged as a terrorist.

On a lighter note, ismith, Elk steaks aside, you left out some important lines on your signature.

The English steel we could disdain,
Secure in valour's station;
But English gold has been our bane-
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!