ESTES PARK, Colo. -- A large bull elk is now licking his pride after it sparred with a swing and the swing won.

The elk was thrusting his antlers on a large wooden swingset when he got his antlers caught in the chain of a swing Wednesday morning.

He battled and struggled for two hours, even dragging the 400-pound swingset about 25 feet, said Kris Hazelton with Estes Park News.

The bull became so stressed out, distraught and exhausted trying to free himself that he ended up just laying down. An official with the Colorado Department of Wildlife and a veterinarian from Loveland were called in to help out.

They tranquilized the elk, gently removed the chains from his antlers and gave him a shot of antibiotics and painkillers because he had struggled so hard. The also tagged him because anytime an elk gets tranquilized, officials have to identify it so that if a hunter takes it down, they know not to consume the meat because of the drugs in its body.

About 10 minutes later, the elk staggered away, a bit wobbly, but swing free.

He did give the swing a really dirty look, though, when he wandered back into the wilderness.

Wildlife officials say this problem occurs every fall, when the breeding season is just beginning, and elk like to spar with things like hammocks, volleyball nets, tire swings, or anything that moves. Unfortunately, they often get caught up in them.

The CDOW is urging residents in Estes Park to bring these items in for the fall to help the poor guys out.

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