Yeah, they used to be native to the Appalachians but were pretty much extinct by 1865 due to unregulated harvesting. The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Department started a reintroduction program and brought over 1,500 in from Western states between 1997-2003.

They have taken well, and Kentucky has the largest free ranging herd of elk of any state west of Montana. They say the cows have an 85% breed rate and a good survival rate for calfs, so it sounds promising for continued growth.

A lottery is run for tags. I think I heard that 10% of the tags are allocated for non-residents. It is a good opportunity for folks on the eastern side of the country to hunt for elk without incurring the expense of the trip out west.