In late Februrary a Rollings Hills Electric Cooperative lineman helped rescue a bald eagle that had been caught in a tree at Lovewell State Park.

Sharon Sahlfeld told the rescue story in the March 3 issue of the Beloit Call newspaper.

Rob Unruh, the public lands manager at the park, and his wife, Joan,  saw the eagle while they were taking photos of geese at the lake. 

The eagle was hanging upside down with its foot caught in a tree.

Unruh tried to use an extension ladder to reach the eagle but wasn’t able to reach that high and feared if he cut limbs from the tree, the bird might fall to the ice below.

Casey Smith of Rolling Hills was able to use a bucket truck and cut some limbs out of the way so the eagle could spread its wings in flight.

In discussing his action, Smith said, “I was able to maneuver the eagle’s leg just enough so he could be free.”

The rescue operation took about two and a half hours.