On Saturday evening, January 28 2006, Todd Wipperman, a game warden from Clintonville WI, was notified about an eagle that was caught in a leg hold trap. It is believed that the bird was in the trap in the cold and the rain for approximately two hours.

The bird was taken to the Feather Rehab Center in New London, WI. It was hard to assess the complete injury to the foot, but it was clear that the left hallux had been caught in the off set leg hold trap. It was held in a quiet cage for a few days and then put on medicine incase of infection from a dirty trap. By day four the swelling in the foot had increased. For ten days the eagle was fed fish, rats, rabbits, mice and squirrels. This bird was not a good eater.

One week after being injured the sheath on the talon came off and the complete quick was intact and was already hard and turning dark brown. It will be awhile before the complete growth will take place. On the twelveth day the bird became aggitated and upset with being confined to a cage. It was determined that in its best interest, it needed to be released. The swelling on the foot was down and looked good.

Before it was to be released, Pat Fisher of the rehab center wanted this bird to be banded. Bands were used from master bander Sergej Postupalsky of Prairie du Sac Wisconsin. But these bands were not within easy reach. So Ginny Perrault, a volunteer for the Feather and her husband Dick made the 3 hour trip the day before the release to transport the bands back to the Feather.

The eagle has a silver US Fish & Wildlife band on the left leg #629-47882 and a black and white color band on the right leg #71:71:71.

This bird was released on Saturday morning in the same area that it came from. The traps in the area were sprung before the bird was released.