A 66-year-old bowhunter was charged by an elk and killed as he approached the animal to dispatch it.

According to Oregon State Police, 66-year-old bowhunter Mark David was pursuing elk on private land near Tillamook, Oregon. Tillamook is near the Pacific Coast in northwest Oregon, west of Portland.

David, who lived in Hillsboro, Oregon (between Tillamook and Portland), arrowed the 5x5 bull on the afternoon of Aug. 29, the opening day of archery elk season. He was unable to locate bull before dark, so he returned with the landowner the following morning to track the bull.

The landowner said they found the bull at approximately 9:15 a.m., and because the animal was still alive, David approached the mature bull to make a final killing shot with his bow. At that moment, the bull charged and used his antlers to gore David in the neck. 

"The landowner attempted to help David but he sustained fatal injuries and died," Oregon State Police (OSP) said.

As the photo below shows, the elk was later killed. OSP says the meat was donated to the Tillamook County Jail following the investigation.

This recent tragedy serves as a strong reminder to be extremely safe when approaching a wounded animal, especially while bowhunting.

Elk species note: Rocky Mountain elk inhabit eastern Oregon, and Roosevelt elk (also called Olympic elk) live along the coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest. Roosevelt elk are bigger bodied than Rocky Mountain elk; mature Roosevelt bulls typically weigh 700 to 1,000 pounds. Because of Mark David’s hunting location along the Oregon coast, he was killed by a Roosevelt bull.