First wild elk sighted in South Carolina in 300 years

PICKENS COUNTY , S.C., Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Wildlife officials have warned South Carolina residents to not approach a wild elk, the first in the area in 300 years.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources shared a photo of the young bull elk grazing in a backyard as they warned residents to keep their distance.

"People get a false sense of security, because elk don't mind being approached," North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission wildlife biologist Justin McVey said. "But they are still wild animals and can be very dangerous. All it would take is for that elk to swing its antlers, and it could really hurt somebody."

Over-hunting and loss of habitat drove elk out of the Carolinas, as the last elk in North Carolina was believed to have been killed in the late 1700s.

"This is a historic moment that some of us knew would eventually come," Pickens County resident Dennis Chastain told USA Today. "This is the first wild elk to roam the woods and wild places in South Carolina since they disappeared in the early 1700's"

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Tammy Wactor said the bull weighed about 700 pounds and was likely pushed down from North Carolina by larger elk.