First elk sighting in the county where I live

[Pat B]

This was in the Transylvania Times (local newspaper)

"September 19, 2016         

The first elk has been spotted in Transylvania County, according to David Whitmire, co-owner of Headwaters Outfitters.

The elk was seen by a sportsman near the corner of Slick Fisher Road and N.C. 281 North.

The last elk in North Carolina is believed to have been killed in the late 1700s.

But in 2001, the National Park Service reintroduced 25 elk into the Great Smoky Mountains National Par..."

These elk were introduced to Cataloochee Valley near the Great Smoky Mountain Park. This is across the mountains from where I live. Since they were introduced in to Tennessee they may be considered invasive exotics here in NC.   

[Traxx]

Just wait till you see one for the first time.

Back in the 80's,in Lassen County Ca,a rancher was telling people he was seeing Elk tracks at his water holes.People told him he was crazy and seeing his own calf tracks.Kinda PO'ed him as he knew the difference.A few weeks later,while i was on duty,with the USFS,i almost hit one,in a FS pickup,on an old skid trail.People still didnt believe us.Last year,i was told they actually lottery drew out a few Elk tags,in Lassen county.Another time,a few years later,while in Plumas county,i saw something strange among a herd of feeding cattle.It picked its head up to reveal a bull Elk.No one believed me either,till others started coming in with pics of em walking through their yards.

[Zuma]

Pat, That's great news.
They introduced elk in eastern Kentucky
a while back. They have migrated into Virginia and
Kentucky has like 15,000. Virginia since 2012
has introduced 50-60 animals in three counties.
These elk are off limits to hunting at present.

Traxx, I saw some elk near Clear Lake CA when I was out there in 07.
Zuma

[Pat B]

Zuma, some of the original stock came from Kentucky,LBL I think but not sure.

[Chief RID]

Not such good news for mountain motorists, especially ones that love to drift those widened highway turns.

[Pappy]

Ya I think you are right Pat, they have a drawing each year in Tennessee and 1 auction for a tags, I think it was 5 or 6 tags given out last year for that herd.  Maybe not in our life time but in our kids they will spread out a bit more. Lots of push back from the farmers and of course the insurance company's over letting the herd get to large and free roaming.
  Pappy

[Pat B]

They can control the herd size but trying to keep elk from roaming would be like herding cats. 

[Zuma]

It's kinda funny that Virginia is propagating elk in three counties
when they actually initially wanted the KY elk hunted off because
they were causing the problems you-all have been describing.
I sure hope it all works out.
Zuma

[DC]

I think it's more politically correct to "save the wildlife" now than it was say, 20 years ago. Not that PC is a bad thing, it's just another term for "what will get me the most votes"

[looper]

Pat, that young bull has made it down my way. He's been seen in the area where I've been hunting.

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/pickens-county/2016/10/25/pickens-county-first-elk-sighting-state-centuries/92718798/

[nclonghunter]

Kentucky with the help of RMEF established proper habitat (grass lands) for elk when they began the introduction. Large tracts of land that was leveled by strip mining for coal. Elk are truly grass feeders and not so much browsers like deer. They need the big grass areas to do well.

North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia initially did not want to spend the money needed to establish any elk population because the return was not expected to be worth it. Now that they have seen the money made in Kentucky from hunting, groceries, hotels, etc..they are all wanting a piece of the action.

I do not believe that NC,WV,PA,TN and VA have the needed habitat for an expanding elk herd. Hopefully they will develop it but I am doubtful it will be any time soon but they can all claim they have elk now. It is great that it has begun so future generations may have a chance to hunt elk in the eastern states. They are a magnificent game animal!

[looper]

I think they'd do fine in the Jocassee Gorges area. After all, they lived in this area for eons before they were hunted out.

[Orrum]

Hey Pat I was staying in Brevard at the Davidson Campground Park during the Hendersonville Apple Festival this year. WE set up n sold flint knapped knives etc thete for the weekend. We drove over to Cherokee Nc and saw some huge bull at the town limits and a couple cows too. THEY r spreading out!

[BowEd]

It's true especially when they get hit on the road.A moose was hit in northern Iowa lately too.A bear less than a year ago.They've got some free ranging buffalos I'm told in western Iowa in the Loess hills.I really doubt their completely free range though.Our mountain lion population seems to be doing ok here too.That's really all over the state.

[Pat B]

I heard a report this morning of an elk sighting in Pickens County SC. just south of where I live. This is a long way from Southern Tenn.