[jeffgrant]

That's cool, but I live here in BC, and every year I see the news stories about people that drastically underestimate nature and end up either getting hurt or killed. (Don't get me started about the morons that go hiking or skiing out of bounds).

Around here, a 15 minute drive can land you smack dab in the middle of the wilderness and the wild animals that go along with it, and most of them have no idea how that wildlife behaves or what to do if you come into contact with it.

Hell, I've got black bears that roam around my place every couple of days. I doubt 99% of the people that walk around in the area have any idea what to do if they come into contact with one. One lady got her face ripped up last year as a result, and the black bear was tracked down and killed.


Elk are exactly like Jeff (Higgins) stated... they can be VERY aggressive. For instance, Banff National Park is closed to people during some parts of the year due to the overly aggressive nature of elk during that time (calving). That closing was brought upon by the long history of dangerous elk behaviour and the resulting injuries to people that were just out hiking.


I really think people should not be afraid to head out into the wild, or have fun. They should, however, educate themselves about the wildlife they are likely to meet, and take the appropriate precautions.

Shooting an animal in a non-hunting situation should be a last resort, but I've always been a firm proponent of the fact that it's better to have a gun and not need it, than it is to not have a gun and need it.