North Carolina Elk?

[Spikebuck]

Didn't know there were Elk in NC until last week when I spied this guy in the Smoky Mtn Nat'l Park. Obviously you couldn't hunt in a Nat'l park, but do you have elk outside of the park available for hunting?

Sorry they are a bit fuzzy...was at 30X and trying to hold still without a tripod! He's a nice 6x6.

 

[blackpowderscout]

They were reintroduced back about 10 years or so ago. I don't think there are any huntable populations on public land outside of the park. I could very well be wrong since I only visit and don't live there.

 

[roundball]

"...do you have elk outside of the park available for hunting?..."

No...the NC-WRC is monitoring the elk population growth since being stocked here years ago, but hasn't yet established any draw hunts or season on them.

 

[Spikebuck]

Just wondering since I know neighboring Tennessee has had a very limited elk hunt for several years now. Great to see them being successfully introduced into several of the Eastern states.

Minnesota, on the other hand, is doing it's best to eradicate the tiny remaining herd here.

 

[George]

Kentucky's herd has prospered remarkably. There are now more than 10,000 elk and the state will issue more than 1000 permits this year. Big suckers, too, at least 15% larger on average than western elk.
http://www.nrablog.com/post/2013/0...all-time-high-deadline-approaching-quick.aspx

Spence

 

[crockett]

Yeah, right now Kentucky is the place. I think there are also elk in PA and Michigan. Theoretically, with more rain and vegetation, you would think an Eastern Elk might have the potential to grow larger.
When Moose were re-entroduced to New Hampshire there were a few good sized bulls. I lived up there at the time and there were a fair number around- I saw 7 in one day. I thought that for the first 10 years only "meat" bulls should be shot- any trophy sized bull ought to be spared and maybe the genetics would be passed on and there would be a realy good quality moose. Obviously it wasn't done. I got the idea after reading about some Texas ranches that wanted the inferior deer culled and the trophies spared.
Fall is the best time to see elk in the Smokies but they are around all the time. Last Summer I saw a nice one right near the visitor center on the NC side. Turkeys all over the place. One day I saw 13 deer and 13 turkeys.

 

[Loxahatchee]

What the heck :cursing: You guys get all the cool animals :cursing:

 

[Spikebuck]

What the heck :cursing: You guys get all the cool animals :cursing:

But you guys in Florida get Pythons and those other exotic reptiles that people "throw away" into your swamps!!! :shocked2: :grin:

 

[Loxahatchee]

Too bad its "frowned upon" to try and control invasive animals because the treehuggers want all the animals to "live in peace." Yea they sure are living in peace as they continue to kill our native plants and animals, some of which are endangered. Thats a real peaceful situation :shake: Most of them are so established that eradicating them is nearly impossible. Getting rid of the pythons in the Everglades is going to be one heck of a challenge.

 

[jamesthomas]

I don't mind the pythons, Had one as pet back in the day, Started off at 7' and was 12' long or better when I had to give him up cause I couldn't take him where I was moving too. The Gulf Coast Zoo in Gulf Shores,Al had him till it was mostly blown away by a hurricane. I like to think he's still out there somewhere.

 

[Loxahatchee]

The problems with the pythons are

1)They will eat anything they find in the wild

2)A female lays like 100 eggs at a time

3)There are not any natural predators, so an unusally large number of hatchlings survive. Plus nothing will eat the adults, who go on to lay hundreds of more eggs.

4)They are not like an ordinary predator that can be hunted easily (they're snakes living in a swamp for crying out loud)

5)Our swamps are a perfect habitat for them, so they easily thrive.

So basically the pythons found paradise for them, dozens of animal species that have no natural fear of the pythons, who are able to eat every animal that lives here (gators and deer included) And unfortunately we face a losing battle against them so far

 

[blackpowderscout]

Sort of like all the yankees that moved here.

 

[crockett]

Yeah but not as bad :grin: . Some Pythons in the glades are BIG. Killing deer, gators, etc. http://www.bing.com/images/search?...0D28E9EE90AE350DCE3F1B747B96CC022&FORM=IQFRBA
I like the photo of the one around a tent- imagine seeing that in the morning.

 

[George]

Some Pythons in the glades are BIG.

Yeah, real whoppers. They seem to have eaten the North Carolina elk we were discussing. :haha: :haha:

Spence

 

[Loxahatchee]

Some Pythons in the glades are BIG.

Yeah, real whoppers. They seem to have eaten the North Carolina elk we were discussing. :haha: :haha:

Spence

I wouldnt be surprised if one was discovered trying to eat a calf. Pythons have been found that were trying to eat deer and gators, only to have themselves ripped open due to the fact they bit off more than they could chew :wink:

 

[Spikebuck]

Sort of like all the yankees that moved here.

Why the heck would a Yankee want to live down there and only have those dog-sized deer to hunt! :grin: :wink: Must be all non-hunters! :v

 

[blackpowderscout]

I think you are right. :grin:

 

[nit wit]

Yeah, right now Kentucky is the place. I think there are also elk in PA and Michigan. Theoretically, with more rain and vegetation, you would think an Eastern Elk might have the potential to grow larger.
When Moose were re-entroduced to New Hampshire there were a few good sized bulls. I lived up there at the time and there were a fair number around- I saw 7 in one day. I thought that for the first 10 years only "meat" bulls should be shot- any trophy sized bull ought to be spared and maybe the genetics would be passed on and there would be a realy good quality moose. Obviously it wasn't done. I got the idea after reading about some Texas ranches that wanted the inferior deer culled and the trophies spared.
Fall is the best time to see elk in the Smokies but they are around all the time. Last Summer I saw a nice one right near the visitor center on the NC side. Turkeys all over the place. One day I saw 13 deer and 13 turkeys.

Moose were not reintroduced in NH,the moosehunt was.
Nit Wit

 

[hanshi]

I'm with you about the Yankees. I put them in the same category along with killer bees, gypsy moths, chestnut blight and fire ants.

As for the snakes, well, when I was a kid a favorite sport was shooting rats with our .22s. I believe going out, kicking the snakes up and shooting them instead of rats ought to become a popular sport. Nuisance species deserve no protection. The meat should be edible, too, and the skins make super fine leather.

 

[nit wit]

This is one yankee who is not moving south. Too damn hot for me. We don't get that cold up here anymore but I do like ribs and hushpuppies! :applause: Can I still visit if I promise not to stay? :haha:
Nit Wit