By Sharon Larson
Wild Instincts Rehab

Wild Instincts met The Loon Project’s banding team on the shore of an area lake recently to assist in the untangling of a loon from fishing tackle.This is becoming a more frequent occurrence we would like to see end.
Loons sometimes get entangled in fishing line or tackle that has been improperly disposed. You can prevent needless tragedies by picking up discarded fishing line.

Loons may also get caught by anglers who are trying to catch fish. Don’t cast too close to loons. If you accidentally hook or catch a loon while fishing DON’T CUT THE LINE! Try to either net the loon with a landing net or get it to beach on shore. Call Wild Instincts for instructions.

Cutting the line on an entangled loon to leave a hook or sinker in it can mean a slow, awful death for that loon. It can take hours or even days for us to recapture an entangled loon. Many times we cannot until it is too late.
Wild Instincts is available for wildlife emergencies 24/7/365. Call 715-362-WILD (9453)