IOWA CITY, Iowa — A Johnson County Sheriff's Deputy spotted an elk wandering Iowa City on Monday morning.
According to a Facebook post from the sheriff's office, the elk was located on Shannon Drive on Monday, Sept. 9, after being sighted in other locations around Iowa City the previous week. Authorities said encounters with elk in the area are uncommon but encouraged residents to keep their distance if they happen to see one.
Additionally, while elk do not have a population in Iowa, they're still protected under Iowa code, and illegally killing one can lead to a $1,000 fine. However, that code doesn't prevent killing an elk that is causing property damage or causing physical harm, according to the Iowa DNR.