Ever since the First Emu Battle of '06, there have been many questions circulating as to the special physical traits that Emus may or may not possess. For example, are the Emus truly flightless, or is it simply that when an Emu flies into battle, no human has lived to tell the tale? The most fantastic question, however, centers on the possibility that Emus may in fact be naturally invulnerable to shotgun blasts. This would certainly explain why it took 5 shotgun blasts plus 5 high-powered rifle shots to take out this avian invader.

Is it true, then, that an Emu's big feathers are strong and plentiful enough to deflect buckshot?

During my recent trip to Missouri, I had the good fortune of spending time with a man who is an expert animal tracker and has considerable knowledge of animal lore. Once I'd spent some time on the land with him, I asked for his expert opinion on the question of bulletproof Emus.

His response? No, the Emu is not in fact invulnerable to shotgun blasts. While the creature's feathers may aid in deflecting some small amount of buckshot, the rest will break through this natural armor. Therefore, unless you encounter an Emu wearing a Kevlar vest, or perhaps a suit of plate armor, you can rest assured that the bird is indeed vulnerable to ranged weapons.