Two days after a bull escaped from the rodeo grounds in the Colorado resort town of Snowmass Village, the animal remains on the run in the upscale Horse Ranch subdivision as police have called off their active search.
John Von Behren, dispatch supervisor for Snowmass Village and other communities, told Cowboy State Daily on Friday that the runaway bull is "out there somewhere in the Horse Ranch subdivision, as far as we know."
Von Behren confirmed that as of Independence Day, police had received fresh evidence of the bull's whereabouts.
"We had a call from a citizen in that subdivision there,” he said. “Cameras picked him up, really early in the morning.”
For the veteran dispatcher, this situation is unprecedented.
"This is the first time I've seen this in my time here," Von Behren said.
The bull initially escaped Wednesday afternoon when it slipped through temporary fencing as stock providers were unloading animals for the Snowmass Rodeo, the Snowmass Village Police Department reports.
A public safety alert went out across Pitkin County, Colorado, at 3:27 p.m., warning residents that, "A bull has gotten loose from the rodeo grounds and is currently believed to be in the Horse Ranch subdivision. Out of caution, if you see the bull, do not approach."
Unfamiliar Freedom
The last official bull sighting was reported to police around 6:25 a.m Thursday at the top of Horse Ranch Drive, about 1.3 miles from the rodeo grounds, Snowmass Police Chief Brian Olson told the Aspen Times.
Police didn't receive that report until 30 minutes later, and by then the bull had moved.
"We're not looking for it anymore," Chief Olson told the Aspen Times on Thursday. "The bull will eventually make itself known, and when it does we'll notify the owner, and the owner can come pick it up."
The Aspen Times reported that the bull's owner told Olson the animal will likely remain elusive for some time. The escaped bull is described as a skinny 3-year-old who's not accustomed to his newfound freedom.
"He's probably running a little bit frightened not being around his normal environment and his other bulls," Olson said, according to the Aspen Times. "He's not hanging out at houses. He's kind of just staying in the brush, and that's according to the owner."
The critter has even eluded drone searches for him.
No Fireworks
The bull's escape coincided with Independence Day festivities in the area, including the traditional 6 a.m. Fourth of July cannon blast in nearby Aspen that echoes through the valley.
However, Von Behren told Cowboy State Daily that fireworks were not a factor in the animal's flight.
"Fireworks are very illegal out here,” he said. “And due to our current fire restrictions, we're not even having, like, a public fireworks show. They're doing a drone show instead of fireworks."
The posh Horse Ranch subdivision regularly deals with wildlife encounters, including bull moose and bears, but this bovine situation is unique for local law enforcement.
A Snowmass resident captured a photograph of the escaped bull around 1:45 p.m. Wednesday less than a mile from the rodeo grounds on Horse Ranch Drive, the police department reports.
The incident has sparked considerable discussion on social media, with local resident Raifie Bass posting humorous updates on Facebook that drew dozens of comments, ranging from jokes about bull riding to suggestions that the animal is "living his best life."
The Snowmass Village bull-on-the-loose situation seems like a minor incident compared to what happened last September. That’s when eightbulls escaped from a rodeo in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, after breaking through a chain-link fence, causing panic among attendees and locals.
One bull was quickly recaptured, while six others were found about 3miles away in a residential yard, where they were safely rounded up without incident.
For now, Snowmass police are taking a wait-and-see approach, confident that the bull will eventually reveal itself when ready to return to captivity.
"But until then, he's enjoying his freedom," said Von Behren.
David Madison can be reached at david@cowboystatedaily.com.
