RUSH CITY — A U.S. Army veteran turned to his sharp-shooting skills to free a bald eagle trapped in a Minnesota tree.

The eagle became entangled in a rope and had been hanging upside down from a tree 70 feet off the ground for several days, according to a press release.

The tree is near Jason and Jackie Galvin’s cabin in Rush City. Jason Galvin finally decided on Thursday to try to shoot through the rope in hopes of freeing the bird.

According to a press release, he borrowed a .22-caliber rifle with a scope from a neighbor and opened fire. It took 150 rounds and 90 minutes — the rope was only 4 inches long and conditions were windy — but he finally succeeded in severing the rope without hitting the bird.

The couple wrapped the eagle in a blanket and it was taken to the University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center.

The Galvins have named the eagle Freedom and hope to release the bird near their home after it recovers.