This guy was very fortunate but I bet he learned nothing. Could have easily had an eye or two poked out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGQExgOxZMQ

I bet he won't try that in a couple more years and get by with it.

Got out of a similar situation with a bull via palm shot to the eye ball.
He was smart not to escalate and shouldn't have tried getting more pics. He could of easily been gored.

He should be in the movies...
Dumb, Dumber, and Dumber than a box of rocks

I kept wondering why the car with the girl leaning out of it just didn't ease closer and closer. I was astonished to learn there were elk in the Great Smoky Mountains.

The entire time I was thinking how tempting it would be to toss a 6" blade in the jugular.

Mickey, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation helps states that once had a native elk population reintroduce them with the goal of establishing them and managing them for the long term. North Carolina was one of the first states in the program. Kentucky now has them in huntable numbers for a lucky few who are drawn in their annual lottery.

RMEF has recently been helping West Virgina reclaim coal mines for elk habitat to help boost the local economy by creating a tourist and hunting destination in otherwise unuseable land.

E.

A shot of the guy getting impaled was more important than his safety I Would guess.

Too bad it wasn't a big bull bison.

I've been there several times, got photos without getting gored. The story says Gatlnburg TN. The elk are in Catalochee valley in NC. A pretty good drive from Gatlinburg. I've seen lots of elk in the west during summer trips, but it was a thrill to finally hear them bugle. Anyone living in the SE should get up there in October to watch the rutting and hear the bugles.

Some photos.

I wondered the same thing but I am guilty of watching an idiot walk right up to a cow buffalo with her new born calf. I fully expected him to get gored and felt at the time that if he was stupid enough to do that then I would stay out of his life. For some reason, the cow ignored him and it turned out OK and I sure am glad of it.

As a followup - one of my hunting partners has a SIL who works for the Nat Park Svc in Smoky Mtn Nat Park where this happened. Because of all the idiots feeding it, it was getting dangerous and had to be put down. That's too bad but people just can't grasp the idea of wild animals outside of Disney.