Two horses missing in the mountains north of Moran, Wyoming, since Oct. 27 remain lost, the Teton County Sheriff's Office reports. But there's a high-tech option that could help locate them.
Alex McElligott, a professional mover in Idaho Falls, operates a side business using a $20,000 thermal imaging drone to find lost animals throughout the region.
McElligott’s company, Keystone Operations, hasn't been contacted about the horses missing near Moran.
He said flying a drone over national parks and wilderness areas could require a lot of extra permitting and paperwork.
But if the horses are somewhere in the Teton Wilderness Area north of Moran, a search might play out like the one he did in the backcountry near Hoback Junction.
"It was probably one of the longest, most technical jobs that I've had so far,” McElligott told Cowboy State Daily. “That night we were flying for a little over four hours.
“You definitely do see a lot of different wildlife,” continued McElligott explaining how he’s learned to distinguish between deer, elk and horses when thermal images appear on his screen.
“I know if I'm looking for a horse, then a dog-sized red dot means absolutely nothing to me,” said McElligott. “I'm looking for specific features. It's also an HD thermal, so you can see how long the neck is. You can see how big the animal is. You can see the legs and things like that.”
The horse lost outside Hoback Junction was a pack animal that, said McElligott, “Got a little goofy and the horse decided, you know what, I'm going this way.”
With his drone flying at 35 mph while constantly scanning “a football-sized field with 99% accuracy,” McElligott eventually found the horse.
Mule-Elk Runaway
One client called in McElligott to their elk camp near Palisades Reservoir area under dramatic circumstances.
"They had a lost pack mule. They were just finishing packing their harvest and finished loading it up and then started out their hike," McElligott recalled. "They took a quick break for lunch, and they didn't hear anything.
“All of a sudden their mule goes wild and turns around and takes off up the mountain and absolutely just disappears.”
The hunters had lost their pack animal and the elk on its back. McElligott flew the drone to help search.
"I didn't find it directly, but I cleared several square miles of the mountain," he said. "And so the next day, they just rode to the other side and found her."
Lost Pets
McElligott's services extend beyond lost horses and mules. He's building a reputation for finding lost pets, including a valuable golden retriever that disappeared near Red Lodge, Montana.
Lyla Morrell, who breeds and shows dogs, lost her prized golden retriever named Summer during winter.
“She's, like, 12 generations of my breeding program. This dog is worth a lot to me," Morrell said. "This was a very special girl and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I cannot lose her.’"
When a visitor accidentally let their dog out before Morrell could secure Summer, the golden retriever bolted.
After searching for two days on her 20-acre property surrounded by 1,500 acres of wheat fields, Morrell learned about thermal drone services from a friend.
"I went online and he (McElligott) was the closest one because I live in Montana and he's in Idaho," Morrell said. "And I called him and I said, ‘I'm just so upset and distraught because I can't find my dog.’ And he goes, 'I'll be there tonight.' I'm like, 'What?'"
McElligott drove five hours from Idaho with a friend, arriving at midnight.
"He opened the back of his 4Runner and he got it all out. He goes, 'You just go in the house and I'll let you know when I see something,'" Morrell said. "I'm like, 'You're kidding.' I mean, wow. And yeah, he found her within an hour."
Summer wasn't far from the property but still lost.
"I would have never found her if it wouldn't have been for him," Morrell said. "He called her, and she came to him."
Time Is Critical
McElligott emphasizes that early contact significantly improves the chances of finding lost animals.
"Have people call me early," he suggested. "I understand it's not always budget-friendly for everyone, but I mean, the worst I can do is give you a discount or something if it's in favor of this animal being found.”
His rates start at $150 for the initial response and first hour of flight time, then $50 for each additional hour.
As for the two horses still missing north of Moran, after three weeks in the backcountry, the threat of severe winter weather grows each day.
The National Weather Service forecast Monday predicted snow moving into the area as soon as Wednesday.
Anyone with information about the missing horses can contact the Teton County Sheriff's Office Dispatch at 307-733-2331.
David Madison can be reached at david@cowboystatedaily.com.
