Remembering Rocky Spencer
A service will be held for Washington State Fish & Wildlife agent Rocky Spencer today. You all may have heard he was killed during an animal relocation project last weekend. He was struck by a helicopter blade and in a flash, Rocky was gone.
There are so many things to remember about him. As our friendship grew over the last seven years, I looked forward to every story I did with him, every time I saw him or called him on the phone. He always answered the same way when I told him it was me. "Hey Gary! How ya doin'?"
He always had that friendly gleam in his eye and little smile you felt like he shared only with you. I have a ton of stories but this is the one I would like to share with you: In 2003, I joined Rocky and other state biologists to track down a young male cougar near Cle Elum so they could put a new location collar on it.
We spent hours tromping through the snow covered woods following a contractor with his blood hounds. Finally the hounds treed the big cat and agents shot it with a tranquilzer dart.
The drugged cougar unexpectantly jumped from its tree and took off. We raced after it and found it in an icy stream. Rocky and crew dragged it so it wouldn't drown, gave it more tranquilizer and went to work measuring it, taking samples and putting on a new collar.
The cat had grown much larger than they expected. It was a 150-pound, healthy mountain lion and it was about to lay another surprise on us.
The cougar started to come out of its tranquilized state earlier than expected. It suddenly jerked up and started pullling and pushing Rocky and the crew around, taking a few woozy swipes at them. Suddenly it tried to jump the stream, but slid down the steep oppsite bank toward the creek.
Rocky grabbed on, but momentum, gravity and the weight of the big cougar were working against him and the next thing we knew, Rocky and the cougar slid into a deep pool in the stream.
There he was, with a cougar that was already coming out of its sedation and now getting a cold water slap in the face. The other agents rushed to pull them out and after a nervous struggle they were all safe but dripping wet on the bank. The cougar safely scampered off into the wilderness where it still roams today, and with its new collar, provides agents with vital migratory information.
"That was some day!" Rocky used to say when we talked about the adventure. But it was really just another day for Rocky who spent a career risking his own life to protect wildlife.
Rest in peace old friend. We'll all miss you.
Comments from our readers
Well dang, what a sad day it was when I read about Rocky, he used to come to the restaurant in North Bend that I worked at. He always had a smile on his face and always shared stories of his adventures in the woods. He will be missed by many.
Posted by: Cathy | September 15, 2007 3:39 PM
Rocky, Bruce, my wife and two sons were associated thru the cougar collaring project 1992-1995. He helped me teach my boys some important lessons on how man and cougars could coincide with each others. Sorry I never told him how well he was love by us but I owe it to Bruce to express our feelings of gratitude up front. Thank you Rocky and Bruce for all the good times. Bud Simpson and Family
Posted by: Bud Simpson | September 16, 2007 8:02 AM
I actually work at the guesthouse inn and suites in tumwater, washington where rocky stayed quite frequently. I obviously didnt know him as well as most of the people who are leaving comments but I must say he was a really "cool" guy. he was always so polite when he would stay with us, at check in we would always conversate a little bit. I knew he worked for the department of wildlife but I had no idea that he had worked with bears and cougars, I really wish I would have had the opportunity to hear some of his stories. He will difinetly be missed by the staff of guesthouse inn and suites!!!
Posted by: Tera | September 20, 2007 11:50 AM
What a great guy, we work together on a shipwreak from 2003, 2006, we had a lot of good laughs together, and caught alot of fish, and we finally got that marlin. Your the best fishing partner a friend could have.
Posted by: Ronald Pate Jr. | November 23, 2007 3:12 AM