This woodland creature was once hunted to extinction in Kentucky, now it flourishes
BY AARON MUDD UPDATED JUNE 09, 2023 10:07 AM
An elk is seen at the Jenny Wiley State Resort Park in Prestonsburg in this file photo. Kentucky Department of Tourism
Before European settlers arrived in Kentucky, elk were the most wide-ranging member of the deer family in all of North America. Accounts from early Kentucky settlers suggest a plentiful elk population, and many place names across the state hint at their presence. Eventually, however, their numbers dwindled because of over-hunting. By 1847, the naturalist and ornithologist John James Audubon wrote “we believe there are none to be found within hundreds of miles.”
The last wild elk of Kentucky’s pioneer era was said to have been killed just before the Civil War, according to a history in Kentucky’s Elk Management Plan. But the state’s elk population has roared back to life over the last 20 years, and the herd now numbers in the thousands. It’s largely due to the efforts of the Kentucky’s wildlife conservation agency and a restocking project in the late 90s. To help you appreciate these awe-inspiring animals, we’ve put together this guide answering some common questions, including where you can observe the largest elk herd east of the Rocky Mountains.
WHERE ARE ELK LOCATED IN KENTUCKY? Kentucky’s elk restoration zone spans 16 counties in the far eastern half of the state encompassing 4.3 million acres.
Current counties in the zone include Bell, Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, McCreary, Perry, Pike and Whitley counties. Originally, the area included 14 counties, but Whitley and McCreary counties were added in 2004 to bridge Kentucky and Tennessee’s respective restoration zones. The area in the Cumberland Plateau is defined by its winding ridges and narrow valleys. Land use by humans in the zone has produced a landscape of mostly deciduous woodlands, followed by active or reclaimed surface mines and other cleared land.
WHERE CAN YOU SEE ELK IN KENTUCKY? Head to the wildlands of Eastern Kentucky and you can see the largest elk herd east of the Rocky Mountains. One viewing spot to checkout is Southfork Elk View in Breathitt County, where the facility allows visitors to observe the massive elk herd. Surrounded by wetlands, ponds and an abundance of plant and animal life, you can also take in the panoramic views of Kentucky’s Appalachian Mountains. Southfork Elk View is located along Highway 1098 about 20 miles east of Jackson. If you’re starting from Lexington, you can get there in less than two hours.
WHAT’S THE SIZE OF KENTUCKY’S ELK POPULATION? The effort to restore Kentucky’s depleted elk population began in 1997 and continued into 2002, when 1,541 elk were released in the restoration zone. Contributing states included Utah, Kansas, Oregon, North Dakota, Arizona and New Mexico. The current population in Kentucky is estimated at more than 10,000, according to the latest publicly available 2021 Kentucky Elk Report. The program got its start due to the advocacy of the late Tom Baker, who served two terms as Kentucky Fish and Wildlife commissioner between 1998 and 2006. Today’s top headlines Sign up for the PM Newsletter and get the day’s biggest stories in your inbox.
“Baker displayed a gutsy determination when he convinced a federal judge and federal prosecutor to divert the fines of 27 people caught dove hunting over bait in Simpson County into funding for an elk study,” an article from Kentucky Fish and Wildlife says of the effort. “That seed money eventually led to the release of 29 elk into a 700-acre fenced area at Land Between the Lakes in western Kentucky in 1996.” Although the Western Kentucky elk were corralled within a fence, the success of the effort acted as a springboard for restoration in Eastern Kentucky, where elk could roam freely.
CAN YOU HUNT ELK IN KENTUCKY? Yes, but you need a legal permit to hunt one. In 2021, the latest year for which data are available, the state wildlife agency granted 594 permits. Many different kinds of permits are available, but most are issued by a randomized drawing. Applicants have to apply online each year between Jan. 1 and April 30. They can apply for three permits, but no more than once for each permit type, according to rules laid out in the 2021 Kentucky Elk Report. You don’t have to be a Kentucky resident to apply, though most of the permits will go to state residents. Elk hunters may take only one elk per year. In May, applicants’ names are drawn at random and randomly assigned a permit type based on their application choices. Once you’re drawn for a permit, you can’t apply again for three years.
HOW OFTEN ARE ELK POACHED IN KENTUCKY? While poaching does occur, figures from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife indicate it isn’t a substantial threat to the health of the elk population. In recent years, fewer than a handful of elk were poached, at least according to the cases the department has been able to investigate and confirm. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife conservation officer John Fields told the Herald-Leader those who suspect poaching can report tips to 1-800-255-ALERT. There’s also the KFWLaw app available on the App Store. According to Fields, most poaching violations happen because of irresponsible hunters who don’t do their homework, rather than any malice for the animals. He said regulators depend on the public to report illegal hunting, adding that with more eyes on the ground, the more secure Kentucky’s elk population will be.
Read more at: kentucky.com |
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