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Are there Elk in Boone County? Oct. 25, 2006
By: L.E. Keeney III
An official from the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources has confirmed rumors that have been spreading throughout Boone County for weeks.

There are definitely Elk in the county. The problem is, the state didn’t put them here, and they have no idea who did.

Rumors have run rampant for several days. Coal miners, elected officials and others have reported sighting the large, elusive game animals. From the sides of the highway, to the back yards of residences, alleged sightings of Elk abounded for weeks. Now, a state official has confirmed the massive animals are definitely living in the woods of Boone County, in small numbers at least.

The Elk, originally native to California, Oregon, Washington State, Canada and Alaska are related to the Deer family, but much larger. They have been known to grow to over 1,300 lbs at maturity. The Elk is the largest native game animal on the North American continent.

In past years, the state of Kentucky allowed herds of captured wild Elk to be released onto abandoned, reclaimed strip mines. Reports indicate some of the herd may have migrated from Kentucky to lower lands with better food supplies. The Virginia Division of Natural Resources has also confirmed that Elk, which are not native to the state, have been sighted in areas bordering Kentucky,

“We’ve seen photos of the Elk in Boone, so we are sure they are there,” said WV DNR Biologist Tom Dotson. “There have been confirmed sightings of three cows and several bulls, and a bear hunter reported to us he saw one. Now, how they got here we don’t really know.” He also noted a report that a resident of Madison recently saw a trailer being transported through town with several Elk inside.

Dotson doubts the often-repeated rumor that a local coal company brought the animals into the area and let them loose on strip mine property. “Elk don’t seem to like the food sources on strip mines,” he said. “They don’t like the grass.” He also doubts the Elk have migrated from Kentucky. “From what we know, the Elk people are seeing have been feeding in people’s gardens and back yards. That leads me to believe they are tame, and probably came from a game farm.” Some commercial game farms breed Elk for zoos and private preserves. These animals are tame, and are not intended to be hunted.

He said the DNR Law Enforcement Division was investigating the case, because importing the Elk without a permit is against the law. “Whoever did it didn’t take into account the possibility of Chronic Wasting Disease, which has been a problem in other states.

Dotson said that even if the Elk herds expand and breeding begins between cows and bulls, it would be a few years before the state would consider opening an Elk hunting season in the area. “This is a decision that would have to be made by the administration of the DNR at a future date, but it is a possibility.”

He said that it was at least five years after Kentucky officials allowed the stocking of Elk in their state before sport hunting of the animal was authorized.

Right now, however, Dotson reminded hunters that any Elk they might encounter while hunting currently are protected animals, and if they shoot one, it is a crime. Story created Wednesday, October 25, 2006.

Cannonball

,But elk are native to WV!!!!!!!

Rebel Hog

Kentucky
The Bluegrass state has the biggest elk herd east of the Mississippi River because the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources implemented the most ambitious elk restoration project in the history of the eastern United States. Doug Hensley, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife commissioner who serves on the Elk Foundation’s Appalachians Initiative advisory board, says when the department began the effort back in 1995 he never imagined it would gain such momentum.

WVHunter129

I have heard the rumors that there were some elk in the southwestern counties of WV.

hillbillyhunter1

I wish Elk were introduced into this state in several places FOR REAL by the dnr or concerned hunting groups. Even if the tags were very limited it would still be cool.

Sylvan

[quote]The Elk is the largest native game animal on the North American continent. [/quoute] I thought moose were the largest?

nohillbilly

[quote]ORIGINAL: Sylvan

According to Outdoor Life Network the plains bison is.

Sylvan

That makes sense. So it seems to me maybe elk are 3rd largest. Bison, moose, then elk. That is unless someone wants to argue that one of the big bears is larger than an elk. If true then the elk slips to 4th the way I see it. But certainly not the largest.