How many elk can you count in a video that’s going viral of a massive herd swarming a neighborhood in Estes Park?

Estes Park is well-known for a lot of things – Rocky Mountain National Park, the Stanley Hotel, and great fall colors, to name a few popular reasons to visit. But there’s one natural phenomenon that takes place in Estes Park each fall that’s truly unique and jaw-dropping to experience in person – elk rut.

During this time of the year, elk descend into town in massive numbers to spar and mate, bugling loudly for all to hear.

One side effect of this annual trip into town is that elk are spotted everywhere, regardless of how ‘wild’ or not a space is. That means that elk are commonly found in large herds on golf courses, city sidewalks, and in residential areas, often unfazed by human movement taking place around them. It’s an incredible sight to see.

Footage recently captured by Holly Bean and shared by ViralHog and The Epoch Times shows how stunning this elk presence is, as people in a vehicle can’t help but linger while passing a large number of elk taking a break between several homes.

Imagine if that happened at your house? What’s the move? Call in ‘sick’ for the day?

Remember, elk can be aggressive and have been known to gore humans that get too close. Always aim to keep a distance of at least 30 yards and if an elk starts walking toward you or altering its behavior in your presence, that distance probably needs to increase.

Those headed to Estes Park to spot elk rut in action should do their best to never interfere with this animal’s wild behavior. The safest way to observe the scene is from a distance and from a vehicle.

Let us know how many elk you counted in the video in the comments.

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