Elk

Elk are one of the largest land animals in North America. Males weigh in at around 600 - 700 pounds and females average about 500 pounds. They measure 7-10 feet from nose to tail and are about four and a half to five feet at the shoulder. In the wild, elk can live about fifteen years. Elk are herbivores and the eat grasses and other flora. They give birth to only one calf per year and the mother and baby rejoin the herd soon after the birth of the calf.

While elk are of the deer family, they have not been part of the National Park in many years. In February, 2001 the re-introduction of Elk to the National Park began. The first twenty-five Elk were added to the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. The next year, the Park Service added another twenty-seven elk. These elk have formed herds and small groups and they are doing well. It is still to be seen whether these elk will assimilate back into the environment. Up until the mid-1800s elk were part of the ecology of this part of the country. This reintroduction of formerly native animals is part of the Park Services plan to get the area as close as it can be to its natural state. They have reintroduced river otter and Peregrine falcon in the past to name just a few of the species.

If you are looking for elk in the Smokies here are some things to expect at different times of the year:

Fall - The fall is the time of the year that elk are famous for. Elk exhibit a behavior called 'bugling.' This call that the elk makes is to challenge other bulls and attract female elk, called cows. If you are able to get to an area that has an elk herd get ready to sit back and enjoy the music this animals make. You may also get to see two bulls fight over dominance of the herd

Winter - You will get to see the elk in their two-layer coats during the colder months. Their hides bush out and they though they may become harder to see in the winter months, while they are looking for food, if you get to see one you will be amazed at how different they look.

Spring - The spring brings yet another change in the appearance of the elk. They lose their antlers in March and began to grow new antlers immediately. If you catch them before before the end of the summer, you will get to see the velvet covering the antlers before it starts getting peeled off. Also during the spring, as the weather begins to warm, they shed their winter coats and start grow out their copper-colored summer coats.

Summer - The calves are born in early June for the most part. If you are lucky you may get to see a mother elk with its young walking the fields. You will see elk rolling in mud to keep the insects away, their antlers are grown in full by the end of summer and the calves have changed to the point that their spots are gone.

Regardless of the time of year, the best time to see an elk is in early morning or late evening. They prefer less-sunny times so overcast days are great for elk viewing. Most of the elk in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park are located in the Catalochee area on the North Carolina side of the park. Elk are much bigger than the deer you are used to seeing in the park. These animals are not as used to people as the deer and they are more aggressive. If your presence makes the elk alter their behavior you are too close. Female elk with calves are especially aggressive and you should make sure to stay farther away from them during the summer months. As with all the animals in the park feeding them or disturbing their habitat is strictly forbidden.