Not even park rangers are off limits for angry bull elk.
This video out of Yellowstone National Park is believed to have been recorded during rut season, where males (bulls) typically fight each other for the right to mate with females (cows). That period typically extends from the middle of September to the middle of October, and if you happen to live in elk country, you know that it’s best to avoid elk during this time.
In case you were wondering, the National Park Service advises tourists to stay 25 yards away from animals that are deemed “non-violent.” That list includes bison, elk, and other creatures that tend to be relatively docile – though docile is a relative term (especially during rut season). When it comes to bears, wolves, and other apex predators, the NPS warns park goers to keep 100-yards between them and the animals.
I do my best to include those guidelines anytime I write up these types of stories. Why? Well, I’m hopeful that by spreading the helpful information, my words will reach the group of people that may not be informed on how to act around wild animals. That being said, I do need things to write about, and the “tourist approaches wild animal” stories kind of write themselves.
The park ranger in this video was doing everything by the book, and still couldn’t avoid the wrath of an angry bull elk.
In the clip, some tourists parked in the Mammoth Hot Springs area of Yellowstone National Park spotted a male elk standing near the road. Their car was sitting a safe distance away from the animal (shout out to them), and they were observing the massive 800-pound creature staring down a park ranger’s vehicle.
Did the elk have a preexisting problem with the park ranger? Or was this an unprovoked attack by an animal going through its annual estrus cycle? It’s honestly tough to say, and all we do know is that when the park ranger sped up and tried to avoid the elk’s fury, it seemed to only make matters worse.
The tourists watched (and recorded) as the park ranger started burning rubber trying to get away around the same time that the elk lowered its noggin and propelled its antlers right into the side of the fleeing vehicle. I hope it wasn’t a fresh paint job on the official Yellowstone suburban… because it undoubtedly had a nasty dent after this viscous impact.
Check it out:
At least the elk didn’t go for one of the tires I guess? They have been known to easily gore a gaping hole right into a tire.
It just goes to show that it’s always best to leave plenty of space between yourself and wild animals. This park ranger was in their car and they still had a close call with an elk. And you can’t blame the elk for… being an elk. That’s how most of social media felt about the video when they came across it on Tourons of Yellowstone:
“At the entrance to the national parks, this video should be playing on a loop/large monitor… so visitors will think twice about getting too close to an elk and other wild animals for that selfie.”
“The lady who is saying ‘He’s out of control’ or whatever.. lady, he’s a WILD animal.”
“Around rut season… they’ll fight anything.”
“Unnecessary roughness.”
“He’s not out of control… he is a wild elk doing wild elk stuff.”
