Jerk Elk Bites the Dust

Well-known, aggressive Yellowstone elk dies in freak circumstances

Whether human or ungulate, the rule of the universe still applies: Karma sure is a b****. A Yellowstone bull elk known as "Number 6" gained fame for attacking cars and even injuring park visitors around the national park. But his reign of terror ended on Sunday night in Gardiner, Montana, where officials found him dead in the most bizarre of circumstances:

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks staff members believe the animal tripped while trying to cross a fence and somersaulted onto his back, where he was pinned between rocks with his antlers beneath him. He then suffocated.

Um, what? I'm having trouble even picturing what that looks like. Yellowstone officials say they usually don't issue news releases when an elk buys the farm, but Number 6 and his main sparring partner Number 10 built quite a reputation with locals for their vehicular assaults. Said Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash:

“They were credited with a fair amount of damage to motor vehicles over the years. Occasionally a visitor gets injured. It may be interesting to see, but it’s a bit disconcerting when it happens to your vehicle."

Now, it might be easy to assume only a revenge-seeking, minivan-owning human could've pulled off a set-up like that—but I think it's the perfect frame job. But who would've wanted Number 6 dead?

Why, none other than ELK NUMBER 10!!!

You can put my honorary detective badge in the mail, Jackson Hole P.D. To the rest of you: Feel free to call me Matlock for the rest of the day.

UPDATE: Reader Chris pointed us to this YouTube clip of the big lug in action:

—Ted Alvarez

Well-known Mammoth elk dies in accident (Jackson Hole Daily)

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READERS COMMENTS

wow... rough crowd.
Posted: Feb 15, 2009 erichapman

He died in Gardiner, MT not in the park. It wasn't an NPS fence. READ the story again.
Posted: Feb 13, 2009

the tenacity of that fence!

bikes are banned from national parks, yet we allow fences to roam free, murdering our mascots of mayhem???

unfair, NPS. unfair!
Posted: Feb 13, 2009 erichapman

Can't believe you didn't look for video of the big guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frL2k_WOtzs
Posted: Feb 13, 2009 Chris

We did not think of Number 6 as a 'jerk'. While you may think it is funny, we will miss the guy. He was the source of a great many stories. Many of us admired his tenacity, smiled at his testosterone crazed behavior (like some men), and while we did not want anyone to get hurt, Number 6 certainly showed us all what a wild animal can do... to many visitors to Yellowstone have no idea of what wild means--they selfishly/thoughtlessly get too close to 'get that photo' . Most of the time, the wildlife comes out on the short end by having to use precious energy to move away--energy which may cause March winter starvation months down the road. But Number 6 got some licks in for all his fellow critters.
Have some respect, Ted.
Posted: Feb 13, 2009 Elizabeth