The Last Defense

A member of the Canyon pack meets a tremendous blow from an adult elk. The blow sent the wolf airborne and back about three feet. The wolf survived but immediately retreated to shore and sent another pack member into the fight in its place.

When A Elk is alone and surrounded by Wolves its best defense is to head for the waters. Here the incredible agility of the wolf is met with water that is up to its shoulders. The deep water slows its movements and makes evasion difficult.

Meanwhile the towering height of an adult elk allows it to stand its ground and the water hardly slows its speed down.This gives the elk its upper hand here, the elk will stand upon its hind legs and thrash its front legs violently towards its attackers. One single blow from its front hooves has the potential to instantly kill a wolf.

most packs of wolves will think twice before approaching a elk in water, sieges between wolves and elk have been known to last for days. The wolves pin off the elks escape on the shoreline and wear the elk down as it stands in the freezing water.