Snapping Pelicans Cut From Tangled Wire

Occurred on October 17, 2021 / Port Mansfield, Willacy County, Texas

Info from Licensor: “I was fishing with my Wife and Stepdaughter on the Port Mansfield fishing pier in Port Mansfield, Texas, when we saw two pelicans were entangled with braided fishing line. My stepdaughter was adamant about saving the pelicans, and I said we should wait for them to swim to shore so we could grab them. They must have swum for a long time like that together. I see they finally make it to shore, and they can’t free themselves, so I spring into action by trying to rescue them without injury to myself or further injury to the pelicans. I ask my stepdaughter to grab a knife from the bed of my pick up, which ends up being not too sharp but sharp enough to cut the braided fishing line. As I approach, the pelicans get scared and try flying away but can’t. I grab the braided line and pull them back to the bank where I can try to handle them. I begin to attempt to free them with my knife, but it isn’t sharp enough to cut the thick monofilament leader line, so I put the knife down and decide to risk getting snapped by their razor-sharp beaks. After a few snaps from the pelican to my right, I’m able to grab the pelican to the left and unhook it. The hook was buried deep in its side, and a nasty wound hand opened from where the other pelican had been pulling, trying to free itself. Once free, it flies close by, and I’m able to turn my attention to the one that was snapping at me. I grab my knife and grab the pelican by the beak and easily cut the braided line away. After I cut the pelican free, it stays close by me and seems okay other than losing some feathers on its wing where the line had dug into it. I decided to keep fishing near the pelicans and walk about 50 feet down the bank, where I noticed a black pointy rod, and I knew immediately what it was. Anglers use a fiberglass push pole to push their boats in shallow water where a motor would make too much noise and scare away the fish. I gather it and take it back to the pier where my Wife and I look up the value of this beached treasure. I figured it was worth 100-200. But to my surprise, it was listed online for almost $700, and they were all out of stock. Lucky for me, I always have my camera handy and was able to capture the whole thing on video.”