Elk Sees Boys Playing Soccer & Decides To Join In On The Fun!

Who knew that elks were good soccer players? Two young men discovered they could be adept at returning kicks. Two kids overshot the goal while playing soccer in their backyard, which sits against a hillside. The ball landed near a grazing elk. The boys watched as the animal stomped and head-butted the ball. When the ball rolled back down the hill, they thought the young elk might want to play soccer, too.

To test their theory, the boys tossed the ball back up the hill, careful not to aim directly at the elk. The elk’s reaction sealed the deal — he was there to play. Shira Moffatt captured and shared the video with 9News, an NBC affiliate.

The news team spoke with a Colorado Parks and Wildlife representative. They commended the boys for remaining at a safe distance from the elk. Rather than agreeing that the animal was being playful, park officials thought the elk’s actions were a prey response. They think the stomping and headbutting were similar to warning signs an elk would project to small prey.

Several other elk were grazing on the hillside and did not seem bothered by the pickup soccer game. They would likely have run from the area if they felt a threat. Whether the elk was responding to a prey instinct or actually playing will never be known. The boys can boast that they played soccer with an elk!

Interestingly, the elk seemed to “bounce” in pursuit of the ball in a playful manner. The animal chased the ball several times and moved it until it rolled back to the boys. It does appear to be playful behavior.

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You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.