Its certainly not a disaster. At least not genetically. Maybe pollitically, but the genetics will sort it self out.

If the esacaped elk carry benifical red deertraits and those traitsare spread sufficiantly before the captive elk are removed from the breeding poolthen they will strengthen the native gene pool. If that were to happen it would likely be in some way that was undetectableshort of PCR. Does anyone here know if you can tell visually a difference in the elk carring red deer genes? Do the racks have red deer traits?

If the captive elkcarry negitive traits for the elk in their nativeenvironment time and selection will slowly remove those traits.

Interbreeding between species happens and when fertile, the offspring commanly arn't as well suited to the native environment as the parents and don't long survive.