Depending on where you live, it’s not uncommon to spot certain wildlife near your home. Those living in a mountainous region might frequently spot deer and bears. As for people living out on a rural plain, they might come in contact with snakes, rodents, and coyotes. No matter where you reside, it’s important to know what critters to expect to better keep you and your family safe.
In semi-rural Gearhart, Oregon, however, the elk population is pretty large. Nevertheless, one woman came across a surprising occurrence when a large pack of elk was casually gathering around her neighbor’s home!
It all started when the unnamed woman’s father was taking photographs of a group of ten elk near their home. However, as the woman walked a few more blocks with her mother and sister, they discovered not ten but dozens of elk within the proximity! That’s when she pulled out a camera and began recording.
In the footage, the group of wapiti (another term for elk) swiftly walk shoulder to shoulder at the same pace, somewhat in a hurry to get to a new destination. Fortunately, it appeared that the horned creatures weren’t looking to put others in danger. Perhaps they were looking for food or a place to stay.
According to the woman, while elk are not uncommon in the area, the particular situation she filmed was fairly unusual. “This is a local elk herd but seeing them this close together does not happen often (I’ve never seen another video or picture before). My dad had been taking pictures of a smaller group of ten elk and walked back to our house and said ‘you might want to go back out because the elk seem to be gathering,’” she says.
The woman also admits she was a little frazzled by the situation! I mean, who wouldn’t be?
“We were met with a line of elk 10 yards in front of us. They were standing shoulder to shoulder across the entire street about 15 wide and 10 deep. It was very intimidating so we immediately backed up around the corner and stood behind a parked car. A minute later, the elk all started walking towards us and gathered in the front yard as seen in the video,” she explains.
For those who don’t live in a heavily elk-populated area, imagine walking outside to see dozens of cats or dogs walking around. It’s not something you see every day!
Check out the thrilling footage below! What would you do in such a situation?
