It’s always good to get a non-fatal reminder that wildlife is dangerous.
And if it’s caught on video, that’s a bonus because it serves as a more vivid reminder to all of us that our furry friends can impale, maul, stomp, and buck.
Oh, and don’t forget throw.
The latter was the method of attack that one elk used against a hapless man in Estes Park last month.
Elk were out and about in the community — as they often are — and a videographer noticed a couple were acting aggressively.
“They were showing teeth,” Eric Burley said.
That should send a signal to give the elk some space but one man didn’t have the time. Instead he barreled past the elk even when Burley told him to stay away.
“Watch out sir,” Burley yelled. “Watch out, watch out!!”
As if one cue, the elk put his head down and flipped the clueless man over a wall.
Then to add insult to injury, the elk lorded over him like a linebacker who just pummeled a quarterback.
People shrieked but the man was able to get up and seemed to be ok.
It could have been a whole lot worse, especially with the elk’s impressive rack.
Burley said he shared the video with the media to remind people that wildlife are unpredictable.
Noted Wyoming outdoorsman Paul Ulrich told Cowboy State Daily that all animals should be respected.
“Every single animal is capable of attacking humans,” Ulrich said. “I was attacked by a duck a few years ago and let’s just say I lost by a sizable margin.”
Ulrich would not elaborate on his duck experience.
