OAK HARBOR, Wash. — Whidbey Island's most famous resident is also its loneliest.
"I'd be lonely if I had to spend that much time by myself," said Ralph Downes of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
"Bruiser" is the island's only elk.
"This is a unique situation," said biologist Kurt License.
He appears to have migrated to the island from Skagit County more than a decade ago.
"My guess is he somehow ended up down on the tide flats," Downes said, "and he ended up swimming across Skagit Bay."
Turns out, elk are pretty good swimmers.
"It's actually a lot more common than most people think," License said.
Downes was one of the first people to greet the antlered adventurer.
"I got a call from, actually, a friend of mine that said, 'Hey, you won't believe it. There's an elk in my backyard.' Real surprised that he was here, and even more surprised that he didn't leave pretty quickly," Downes said.
It's rare for a lone elk to stay in one place for so long, which is one reason why he's a local celebrity.
"He comes to people's attention relatively often around here," said resident Jim Chicatelli.
They even sell Bruiser merch in a local grocery store.
"It's kind of cool," Downes said.
Despite his celebrity status, License says this solo act likes his privacy.
"Give him as much space as you possibly can," License said. "And appreciate him from afar."
He can get a little aggressive during the rutting season.
Chicatelli said, "He seems to get into mischief a lot."
"Tarps, blankets, bicycles, yard art," Downes added.
He had to be sedated to remove a float that got tangled in his antlers, and he's even attacked a car or two.
"I encourage people to leave him alone all the time, but especially during that window, because he's a little feistier," Downes said.
License added, "His hormones are raging during that time of year."
Alas, his bugle calls go unanswered.
"I'd imagine in this situation where he's not hearing much response, he just gets even more riled up," License said.
Residents like Jan McStay are thrilled to spot their local celebrity.
"Nice to see an animal that size on the island," she said.
But the big guy takes his fame in stride.
"He's in a really good spot," License said.
On hoof - and aloof - Bruiser seems happy to live out the rest of his years as Whidbey's one and only.
"There's a lot of retirees on the island," License said. "And I think he's one of them."
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