A tourist in Great Smoky Mountains National Park last weekend suffered an "arm puncture" during an elk encounter and was subsequently cited for violating park rules.
It was one of several recent incidents that prompted the park to warn tourists to heed the 25-yard distance rule at all times, but especially during the elk rut, or mating season, which is underway.
During the rut, bull elk are highly protective of harems and less tolerant of human intruders.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park stated in a news release that all recent incidents involved "aggressive bulls."
The park stressed that it’s illegal to approach elk and added that if an elk approaches visitors, they’re supposed to calmly back away until the animal no longer feels threatened.
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"It is your responsibility to safely and calmly maintain the legal distance," the park stated.
The elk rut is underway in several U.S. regions.
In Estes Park, Colo., an area notorious for wild elk encounters, a family of four was recently caught on video boldly walking up to a large bull despite being warned that it was aggressive. Footage shows the family scattering in terror after the elk took aim with its antlers at the husband and wife.
Another video clip shows a bull elk shattering a car window with its antlers as its harem looked on from an Estes Park golf course.
The elk rut in all regions typically runs from early September into late October.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Great Smoky Mountains tourist 'punctured' by elk, then cited
