Our boss elk got kilt by a buffler!

[noahmercy]

One of our city parks has a 20+ acre fenced pasture with a herd of bison and a herd of elk. The bull elk got in a fight and got gored so bad he had to be put down. He'd previously survived one of these tussles, albeit with a passle of stitches to show for it. It's too bad, really. He was a six-point (Western count) with around 54 inch antlers. The herd like to lay under a tree which was up against the fence and many's the day I would sit less than three feet from them and enjoy their presence. I'll miss "Big Boy".

 

[musketman]

The bull elk got in a fight and got gored so bad he had to be put down.

Was the buffler brought up on charges???

Could this have happened in nature it the two herds were not fenced in together, perhaps?

I can only imaging sitting 3 feet from a herd of elk, wow...

 

[noahmercy]

This is Wyoming...the only way that buff would get charged with anything is if he was dealing drugs! :winking:

As to having it happen al fresco, it does from time to time over in Yellowstone as well as the Black Hills/ Custer State Park.

I had one fella tell me he didn't think it was any big deal to sit there with the herd. "It's like settin' next to cows or horses!" he told me. Nope. No way. They may not be "wild" animals (these are captive-bred animals- five or six generations removed from the original herd), but they are NOT domesticated beasts! They're somewhere in between and have a certain "feel" to them you don't get with farm critters.

 

My neighbors down the road have an elk farm. Now this city kid had never seen an elk before I retired and moved here, but sometimes I visit my neighbors when they are starting to feed the elk. To stand within a few feet of a magnificant animal, regardless of it's heritage, is quite impressive. To dump a garbage can full of feed in their trough and have bunch of them walk right up to you is humbling too.

Tough break for the bull elk that was lost. I hope he was well photographed in life.

 

Our local State Park has a Buffalo herd. Same situation. Very impressive to sit only 10 feet away from a 1500-2000 pound buffalo bull.

You would never actually get this close to them in the wild. They would not allow it unless you were skinning one out!

 

[Rebel]

Back when i was younger and dumber i got to within about 5-6 ft of one in Yellowstone Park. I kept a tree between us, and realized later it wasn't the smartest thing to have done. But it was exciting at the time.