Six elk killed by freight train passing through Mineral County
Six elk were killed March 25 at the intersection of Cedar Creek and Diamond Match Road. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has been monitoring this herd and said it already was small so recovery time will be over several years. (Monte Turner/Mineral Independent)
Six elk were killed early Monday morning, March 25 by a BNSF Railway freight train where Cedar Creek meets Diamond Road.
Three of the killed elk were salvaged for their meat through the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office dispatch center’s salvage list.
“I don’t know if they came down to feed or for water. There were tracks going down to river (Clark Fork River) but we’ll never know if that was before or after the train strike,” explained Sgt. Derek Schott with Montana FWP. “It looked like there was an adult cow and four yearling calves and was unrecognizable.”
Schott arrived on the scene around 6 a.m. and all the animals were dead and workers with BNSF, Montana Highway Patrol and the Mineral County Sherrif’s Office had most everything cleaned up. He said that their office isn’t normally notified unless the accident involves multiple animals or if an animal is still alive.
“I’ve had several of those in Mineral County over the years as these just happen. A couple hours later just west of Superior, two more elk were killed on I-90. But in both hits, at least no one was injured,” said Schott.
For people who would like to be called when meat is salvageable from accidents, call the MCSO Dispatch 9-11 Center at (406) 822-3555 to be added to the list.