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J4F: Man vs Elk? (UPDATED)

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J4F – Photographer James York was up early, taking photos of elk at sunrise in the Cataloochee Valley of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, TN when a young buck approached him.

(SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATE)

“He came up peacefully enough,” York told ABC news. “I was hoping he might just take a little sniff and move away but he didn’t.”

Instead of passing by, the elk began to nuzzle York, sniffing at his legs and equipment, and then forcefully butting his head against York’s.  The photographer did his best to keep his own head down.

“I’m thinking, ‘Don’t show him fear,'” York said. “He was prancing and digging his hoofs in the ground and then bouncing back and forth and lowering his horns down and coming at me fairly aggressive.”

Fellow photographer, Vince Camiolo, was able to capture almost the entire encounter on video and posted it to YouTube.

“Everyone says I have a hard head,” York said. “Well, I am glad I do because it came in handy that day.”

November 15, 2013; Posted by: webleed staff

Video Credit: Vince M. Camiolo

UPDATE – November 19,2013 – The elk in the above video has subsequently been euthanized because it was getting too familiar with humans.  After attempts to retrain the elk to fear humans failed, officials told WBIR-TV that the elk had begun associating humans with food.

Sorry to be a downer…so much for Just4Fun…ah well.

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