2 kids hurt by hungry elk at mountain picnic near Kingman
KINGMAN, Ariz. — Two children suffered minor injuries after food-seeking elk circled the picnic table from which their family was eating in the Hualapai Mountains about 10 miles southeast of Kingman.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department, noting that this family was not feeding the animals, said the June 29 encounter illustrates why the agency for years has been urging residents and visitors alike to refrain from feeding wildlife.
Deer and elk, nonetheless, commonly approach people frequenting Hualapai Mountain Park as they’ve grown accustomed to handouts.
But the elk present a bigger threat because of their size. They are one of the largest land mammals in North America, weighing as much as 800 pounds, according to the GotHunts website. GotHunts is a hunt consultation agency.
Zen Mocarski, information and education program manager for Game and Fish, said the family was not feeding the elk and that they tried to use the picnic table as a buffer when the elk approached.
He said the boy and his sister, ages and hometowns withheld, fell after they were jostled and that they were bumped or stepped on by the animal’s hooves.
“The girl suffered a bloody nose and minor injuries to the forehead and lower leg while the boy suffered a bump to the forehead,” Mocarski said.
Park Superintendent Brandon Oktay said parents of the children declined medical assistance. “I’m relieved the injuries reported appear to be minor,” Oktay said.
Mocarski said metal lids were removed from the heads of some elk in 2007 after they rummaged through trash cans. They would stick their heads inside to grab a snack, and drag the lids with them.
He said residents feeding hay to elk and deer have rendered them vulnerable to predation as evidenced by a lion killing two deer in three days in driveways of mountainside homes.
“These animals are supposed to disperse and forage, but some people mistakenly believe the animals need assistance,” Mocarski said. “They should have a natural fear of humans, and not expect a handout.
