Elk in the Cataloochee Valley by tennesseecowgirl
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Description
Me and my son drove out to North Carolina last Friday, and we were lucky enough to see over 50 elk. We had a great time, he is back home now, but it was great to spend part of his vacation together. I will try to post a few others from our day in in the Cataloochee Valley very soon.
UPDATE: You all ask such great questions, I wish I had thought to ask a ranger some of them, George you asked where the elk were brought in from, I tried to research that and what I could find was they were brought in from Canada. Thanks for the interest everyone.
The experimental release of elk into Great Smoky Mountains National Park began in February, 2001 with the importation of 25 elk, In 2002, the park imported another 27 animals. All elk are radio collared and are monitored.
Elk once roamed the southern Appalachian Mountains and elsewhere in the eastern United States. They were eliminated from the region by over-hunting and loss of habitat. The last elk in North Carolina was believed to have been killed in the late 1700s.
The best times to view elk are usually early morning and late evening. Elk may also be active on cloudy summer days and before or after storms. Enjoy elk at a distance, using binoculars or a spotting scope for close-up views. Approaching wildlife too closely causes them to expend crucial energy unnecessarily and can result in real harm. If you approach an animal so closely that it stops feeding, changes direction of travel, or otherwise alters its behavior, you are too close!
Elk Facts
SIZE: adult males weigh an average of 600-700 pounds. Cows average 500 pounds. Adults are 7-10 feet long from nose to tail and stand 4.5 - 5 feet tall at the shoulder. Adult males have antlers that may reach a width of five feet.
DIET: grasses, forbs, and acorns; bark, leaves, and buds from shrubs and trees.
PREDATORS: coyotes, bobcats, and black bears may kill young, sick, or injured elk. Gray wolves and mountain lions, both of which have been extirpated from the Great Smoky Mountains, are successful predators of elk elsewhere.
OFFSPRING: cows usually give birth to only one calf per year. Newborns weigh about 35 pounds. They can stand within minutes of birth and calf and cow usually rejoin the herd within a couple of weeks. Calves nurse for 1-7 months. Females are ready to breed in the second autumn of their lives.
LIFESPAN: elk can live as long as 15 years.
SENSES: elk have an acute sense of smell and excellent eyesight.
Cataloochee Valley
Cat House
Cat House
Comments (94)
jendellas
Great info, love the picture, the antlers are beautiful. They can live to 15 years, that is a good age. xx
DananJaya_Chef
Wonderful image, excellent shot!
bangonthedrums
Sweet capture hon! Good thing he didn't feel threatened, those antlers look like they mean business! xo
rockstrider
Excellent capture of him Lynell!
alessimarco
Marvelous capture!
CaressingTheDark
Great shot of this majestic animal
unstart
Fabulous shot of a fabulous creture!!
dragonmuse
Gorgeous capture :) Love the light.
awjay
that is a beautiful animal
knupps
Great wildlife shot.
daggerwilldo
Wow, what a sensational shot. This is really so beautiful and clear. Lovely work!!!!
makron
Preciosa captura.
J5ive
Wow Great shot and closeup!!
magnus073
This is such a great pic Lynell, and it sounds like you both had a wonderful time
Shari123
Looks like he's still keeping an eye on you! He's a beautiful creature. I'm glad to hear they are importing them back in.
mariogiannecchini
Great capture !Excellent photo !
annie5
Fantastic shot..you're lucky, Lynell! :)
lior
SO gorgrous!
coolcatcom
Enjoyed reading your info on this great capture. Do you happen to know from where (which country) these elk where imported from to the states. George
-seek-
very cool shot.
willpee
Terrific shot. I thought maybe you had made a wrong turn and wound up in Canada until I read the story and thanks for the facts !!
Tom42
wow. what wonderful cpature.excellent, my friend
Faemike55
Fantastic capture and very fascinating information
sandra46
EXCELLENT IMAGE, VERY BEAUTIFUL ELK!
jeroni
Excellent composition and capture
ladylake Online Now!
Great shot.
greyone
Excellent capture. There are several wild herds of elk close by here. Actually around this time of year they become a serious problem for drivers. They are in RUT right about now, so they are not near as careful when crossing the highway.
eekdog Online Now!
this is a great shot lynellm, to bad mankind hunts and kills beautiful animals like this. mostly for trophies.
GBCalls
Sounds like fun! Super photo
MOSKETON
MUY BUENA IMAGEN..