Holy Crap! Check this out
 

Look what was playing around in my back yard! Re-introduced into the Smoky's a few years back the Elk are really doing well. Waiting patiently for a hunting season !!!!!!!!!!

Wow that has to be a great sight right there

Looks like the middle one has a tracking collar on it. Does your DNR release Elk? Like Kentucky did a few years back?

CVG Ohio

They are free roaming in the park, it's just a matter of time before we'll be able to hunt em. I'm 56.... looking forward to my 60th..... then BAM!

Looks like some future hamburgers and roast lurking about :)

Nice beard btw - You look like you could be one of those Duck guys!

The first and second has a tracking c

Here in Va, with the exception of a few counties, they can be taken during any deer season.

Very nice... :)

Both the cows have collars.

There are a few elk in VA. I have a buddy that grew up on his Grandparents farm over in Smyth County. A couple of years back one of their neighbors popped a spike bull in one of the upper hay meadows during the rifle season. Not a huge bull by my native CO standards, but any elk in VA is grounds for excitement.

What part of NC are they at?
I also am looking forward for a season to open.
I know it's NC mountains, I just curious as to what part.

Thank You.

jrbsr

I took that pic up on Balsam Mountain while I was dirt bike riding. I've seen lots of Elk up there. The location is just above Maggie Valley. Check out this guy, I bet he weighs in at 500 +

cant wait for the state to start a lottery hunt or something. Kinda a downer the WRC doesnt keep any information on how the stocks are doing though. Last i heard the herd was around 140-160 elk on the land and estimated mortality for the year is between 8-13 with 20-30 young being reared annually. So hopefully the numbers keep climbing.

They will, TN has a shrt season, find out more here-http://www.tn.gov/twra/elkmain.html

Dont know where you are located, but the wife and I ride the Harley out to the Gatlinburg/Cherokee area every year. This past Aug we were on 421 from G burg to Cherokee and at the bottom of the hill was a crowd and there were about 40 head of Elk feeding in the meadow. Where we were stopped there was a grand dad of a male and was kind enough to allow my wife to be pictured within about 30yds of him. They are majestic animals to me.

I'm well familiar with that meadow. :)

Are those Montana Bucks?


The color looks like they could be, Please correct me if I am wrong!

Ok not trying to be mean but if you plan on hunting and wish to progress you may want to learn how to identify animals. That would be an Elk.

compulsive multi-drafter
 

Majestic yes! In spite of the wonderous conservation of hunters, I doubt large game populations are up to what habitats could healthily support. Past days I was reading up on Red Wolves and recall that NC has a rather active reestablishment program for them. There was a blip about releasing a few in the Smoky Mtns but they didn't seem to fare well. Those were recapturing and transported closer to the coast. I'm suspious that now the elk are established, you'll have the Red Wolf reintroduced.

Rocky Mtn; or Manitoban; or Rossevelts? Too slender for Tule, these guys are rather red.

Where did you get the idea that those are "Montana Bucks"?

They are Elk, a Bull and two cows.

But now all cows are created equally. If you see one like the one below, don't shoot it. LOL

they were imported from the Rockies...so they very well could resemble the Montana Elk:)

Hi Sosalty, I have high hopes for the reestablishment of a good herd in NC. Kentucky was extremely successful in their efforts and they now have a hunting season on a population exceeding 10,000 animals. Kentucky is also sending seed stock to other states, you can read about it here- http://www.outdoorhub.com/news/resto...-other-states/

Lets hope the population rises so we can hunt them :barmy: