Downtown Elk - Neatorama

(Video Link)

Elk cows like to graze on the lawns of Estes Park, Colorado. Bulls follow them into town for some lovin'. The scenes in this video from Human Planet are surreal, particularly the golf courses crowded with both humans and elk. Also, very stupid tourists.

via Weer'd World

Fore!

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The town is actually named Estes Park. We live about 40 miles away and about once a week take in a news story of some unfortunate, ignorant tourist in that area getting hurt or killed climbing mountains without safety gear, messing with wildlife as if it were tame, hanging around under trees during electrical storms, etc. It's a lovely area, nonetheless.

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Thanks, Jane. Fixed now.

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This happens in Jasper and Banff, Alberta, Canada as well. I don't know how many idiot tourists I have seen almost get themselves injured or killed by elk. People walk right up to them to take pictures and then have to run for their lives when the elk charge. And I just don't understand - I grew up in a city too, but I wouldn't even think of approaching a wild animal like that. What makes them do it?

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@Agricola - "what makes them do it?"

Darwinism!

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Do they think those antlers are purely decorative? Yeah, because it's THAT convenient for the elk boys to carry around those crazy things on top of their heads. :D

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Estes is very nice. It's a little bit like Switzerland.

Anyone getting near enough to its comfort zone to cause a reaction is asking for it.

Lucky for these particular stupid tourists, Elk are a tiny bit lower in off-the-line torque and horsepower than Deer, which also gore people to death during the rutting season.

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Estes Park is such a lovely town. I've vacationed there often and I'd love to have a little gallery and a cottage there.

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I accidentally walked into a group of elk (caribou?) in Jasper, AB in the middle of the night. I had my head down, and when I looked up, I was surrounded by them. I just kept on walking until I was out of the herd.

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I lived in Estes Park in the mid-80s and when people asked me where to go to see elk, I'd tell them go to the golf course.
A cow ran into my car at a downtown intersection and did about $2,500 in damages. The elk jumped up and ran off.

Follow this link to read about Sampson -- a mighty bull that was killed by a (*^%*& poacher back in the '90s.

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Opps... here's the link: http://estes.on-line.com/samson/samson.htm

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The tourists in Yellowstone are just as stone stupid as it seems they are in Estes Park. Yeah, that bull elk is just sitting there on the ground all peaceful-like, but I'm sure the speed in which it will get up and gore you would shock you; don't be stupid and stand next to it for a souvenier photo.

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Estes is beautiful. I especially like the Overlook Hotel, the inspiration for the book "The Shining".

I live in Alberta too, and like Agricola says this happens often.

I have a photo of a line of tourists hiding behind a lamp-post from a gigantic Bull. The Bull moves and they move all in a line, just like a windsock or something.

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