Drivers on I-90 near Manhattan, Montana, witnessed an unusual sight on a frigid Sunday morning. Four bull elk stood locked in a frozen pond, their bodies submerged to their stomachs as temperatures hovered in the single digits. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) received the first call around 9 a.m., according to KRTV.

The animals had broken through thin ice along Heeb Road and were unable to climb out. A game warden arrived to find the elk exhausted but calm. One rested its head on another’s back as hours passed, wildlife photographer Beth Moos told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

Four bull elk became trapped in a frozen Montana pond.

Failed Attempts and Rising Stakes

Rescuers knew the situation was growing urgent. The elk were surrounded by unstable ice, making it impossible for anyone to walk out safely. The warden tried multiple methods: “purchasing ice melt to create a path toward safety and hazing the elk with rubber bullets,” FWP spokesperson Morgan Jacobsen told KTVQ.

Nothing worked. Hours passed. The animals grew weaker.

Moos, a retired physical therapist who now photographs wildlife, rushed to the site after her husband spotted the trapped elk from the freeway.

“I scooped up my gear right away,” she told both KRTV

Though she arrived after several failed rescue attempts, she witnessed the turning point.

The animals were stuck for several hours in frigid water.

A Helicopter Steps In

A bystander and helicopter pilot with Central Copters offered help. The aircraft swept low over the pond, pushing wind toward the elk. “They got in very close — I estimated maybe 15 yards,” Moos said in interviews with both television outlets.

The pressure worked. The elk began fighting forward, breaking chunks of ice as they climbed back the way they came. Within about ten minutes, they reached the shoreline. Officers watched in surprise as the animals cleared two fences and disappeared into an open field.

A Close Call Captured

Moos documented the entire escape.

“To see them rescued was just a unique experience,” she told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Officials have not seen the elk since, but all four appeared strong as they bounded away — a rare victory on a harsh winter day.