Charging rogue elk killed by Swedish hunter
An angry elk, whose behaviour had worried residents in the small town of Vagnhärad, 60kms south of Stockholm, was shot dead by a local hunter as the elk charged him.
Several residents had called Trosa municipality on Thursday after seeing the elk behaving strangely in the centre of town.
Hunter Håkan Eriksson was called to bring his dogs to scare the elk away from the area.
“There are many children playing in the woods next to the houses and the parents were worried about the moose’s behaviour,” Eriksson told Swedish regional newspaper, Eskilstuna-Kuriren.
Eriksson’s dogs succeeded in scaring off the elk but the animal returned on Friday. Ericsson again attempted to scare off the elk but this time the animal was not intimidated.
Eriksson then called the police to ask for advice.
“When I was on the phone with the duty officer, the moose started to move towards me. I had not even loaded my gun. I told the police that I could not talk any more as the moose was starting to threaten me.”
“I do not think I have been charged so fast before. I managed to load the gun and fired one shot when the moose was about one meter away.”
Eriksson had to jump out of the way and the elk fell, dead, where he had stood just a moment before.
The elk died on the spot - Eriksson had shot the animal between the eyes at close range.
“It was in a sense lucky that it was me the elk attacked as I had the opportunity to defend myself. If it had been a child in my place it might have all ended rather worse.”
“All I had to do after the incident was go home to change my underwear,” Ericsson joked.
Earlier this month, an aggressive elk so terrorised joggers in parks around the Swedish town of Halmstad that locals called the police. Two years ago, The Local reported how a curious elk had to be put down after it sustained injuries while breaking into a family house in southern Sweden.
In 2011 a drunken elk got stuck in a tree after feasting on too many fermented apples.
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Several residents had called Trosa municipality on Thursday after seeing the elk behaving strangely in the centre of town.
Hunter Håkan Eriksson was called to bring his dogs to scare the elk away from the area.
“There are many children playing in the woods next to the houses and the parents were worried about the moose’s behaviour,” Eriksson told Swedish regional newspaper, Eskilstuna-Kuriren.
Eriksson’s dogs succeeded in scaring off the elk but the animal returned on Friday. Ericsson again attempted to scare off the elk but this time the animal was not intimidated.
Eriksson then called the police to ask for advice.
“When I was on the phone with the duty officer, the moose started to move towards me. I had not even loaded my gun. I told the police that I could not talk any more as the moose was starting to threaten me.”
“I do not think I have been charged so fast before. I managed to load the gun and fired one shot when the moose was about one meter away.”
Eriksson had to jump out of the way and the elk fell, dead, where he had stood just a moment before.
The elk died on the spot - Eriksson had shot the animal between the eyes at close range.
“It was in a sense lucky that it was me the elk attacked as I had the opportunity to defend myself. If it had been a child in my place it might have all ended rather worse.”
“All I had to do after the incident was go home to change my underwear,” Ericsson joked.
Earlier this month, an aggressive elk so terrorised joggers in parks around the Swedish town of Halmstad that locals called the police. Two years ago, The Local reported how a curious elk had to be put down after it sustained injuries while breaking into a family house in southern Sweden.
In 2011 a drunken elk got stuck in a tree after feasting on too many fermented apples.
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