In areas where people do a lot of pole fishing, the brown pelican can be a little too enthusiastic about a fisherman's success, and if the fisherman isn't careful, he or she may end up with a large and powerful pelican on the line. Such a situation involves some careful maneuvering to unhook the offender, because no one wants to leave line dangling from them which could later tangle on a wing or foot and cause them or other birds serious harm. There is another reason to be careful: a large pelican can deliver quite a beating with its immense wings when it is frightened.