Help this soldier find his stolen elk.
A soldier's excitement of taking his first elk quickly turned to sadness after the head of his 6x6 bull was stolen right out of his pickup truck.
Army Specialist Taran Nystrom, who is based at Fort Carson shot the big bull near unit 25/26 in Gypsum, Colorado, Oct. 17 during rifle season. He was on vacation, enjoying a trip he spent months planning.
It took him a few days to haul out the massive bull. He was making his final trip back to his truck around 2 a.m. in the Derby Mesa loop area Oct. 20 when he found someone had taken the head and antlers of his elk.
"Extremely crushed. Whenever you put so much effort into something and it just feels like it's just torn from you," Nystrom told CBS Denver.
While the thief or thieves apparently moved many items from the truck's bed, the head and and antlers are apparently the only things they actually took. They also left behind the soldier's tag on the antlers.
Here's another view of one of the elk's antlers. Authorities are hopeful a distinctive chip on the antlers might help identify them.
"The Eagle County Sheriff's Office and the Eagle County Crime Stoppers want to help this Colorado Soldier with hopes that anyone might have information about this theft and come forward to return the young man's well-earned trophy. Back country users and sportsmen often rely on each other, along with honesty and common courtesy. This type of theft is simply not acceptable or common in our area according to detectives and local agencies are hoping to help spread the word," the Eagle County Sheriff's office said in a press release.
Anyone with any helpful information can contact Crime Stoppers at 970-328-7007 or the Eagle County Sheriff's Office at 970-328-8500.
Tips can also be submitted by texting STOPCRIME and a message to 274637 or online at tipsubmit.com.
A $1,000 reward is possible from Crime Stoppers for information in this case. Take a good look at the photos of the antlers. Let's spread the word on this case and help this soldier get his elk back.
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