Cthemfly25
Well-Known Member
Hey---I'd love to see them in these parts....but unlike your part of Va, we have way too many people, roads, etc. Wouldn't work out too well.
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2000 yards in va
- Thread starter bogger01
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ishootkittens
Well-Known Member
Check out the link i posted in my previous post. We have nothing but farmland, (which COULD work) but no one seems to want the elk. I would like ONE shot at an elk! JUST ONE! until I missed, then i would want TWO SHOTS!
Whitewolf393
Well-Known Member
Couldn't read the page, it's been reported as hostile, likely previously hosted malicious code or malware and was since taken down. But, I did read on the VA fish and game site that the herd drifted over from the KY border into VA. What's cool is that the elk in VA are regulated just like whitetail.
ishootkittens
Well-Known Member
GATE CITY — A pair of neighboring counties in Southwest Virginia reached very different conclusions in recent weeks on a proposed effort to reestablish elk populations in the region.
After tabling the matter in August, both the Scott and Lee county Boards of Supervisors passed measures this month pertaining to an elk management and reintroduction plan being considered by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
The Scott County board approved a letter supporting the effort, while Lee County's BOS opposed it unanimously.
"I think it would be a good investment for Southwest Virginia," Scott County Supervisor Danny Parks said. "I've been to Wyoming hunting three or four times and not killed anything and spent thousands of dollars. So if there's people that'll come and hunt elk and spend money in the county or adjoining counties, I think it would be a good thing."
Parks said only about 25 percent of the people he's spoken with on the issue were opposed to the initiative.
Still, economic prospects weren't enough to get the support of Lee County's board.
Lee County BOS member Larry Mosley said farmers in the county already have enough to deal with between problems with feral pigs and past drought conditions.
"Over here, we don't have those big strip areas to stock the elk on and they're going to be out here in the fields, eating the corn, eating the hay and destroying things," said Mosley. "Like I said, they don't jump fences, they walk through them and we don't need to add problems to the one's we've already got here."
Although on a smaller scale, the restoration would be modeled after the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources's effort to reestablish Rocky Mountain Elk on abandoned surface mine land in the eastern part of the state.
Elk were eradicated from Virginia in the 1700s, while the last elk in Kentucky and Tennessee were hunted about 1850.
The initiative in Kentucky got its start in 1997, and Kentucky now has the 10th largest population of elk in the United States — estimated to be about 11,000 animals.
The VDGIF took initial steps toward a plan of its own in August when it passed a moratorium on elk hunting.
"This is an opportunity for this organization and our staff to move forward with the reintroduction of the elk...," said Charles Yates, chairman of the VDGIF board, during the meeting. "...I just think it would not make sense for us not to move forward, unless for some reason the localities in the Southwest Virginia coalfield region would not favor the reintroduction."
The VDGIF is considering designating three counties in Southwest Virginia — Buchanan, Dickenson and Wise — as official elk counties because of reclaimed surface mines located in those areas.
If the plan is approved, David Ledford, a biologist with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, a non-profit group that would assist with the initiative, said border counties like Scott and Lee would need to develop a plan to deal with problems associated with elk.
"Part of the plan will be coming up with a protocol to deal with problem animals," said Ledford, who gave a presentation on elk to the Scott County BOS at its September meeting. "Kentucky did it, Tennessee's done it — every state that has them does. But, there will be conflicts, just like there are with bear, white-tailed deer and raccoons."
The animals can cause a variety of problems ranging from car wrecks and torn down fences to destroyed crops, he said.
Board members who support the project said those conflicts are one reason they will have to come up with a damage control plan. Board members who supported the initiative said an adequate damage control plan could help keep problems from getting out of hand.
"I think we do need to keep in mind that the only way it would work is for these outlying counties that don't have the habitat to put something in place where, if you get too many or they start to wander, they can be taken care of," Scott County BOS Chairman David Redwine said.
Despite the associated concerns, Ledford said the positives the animals bring to areas where they live often outweigh the negatives.
Elk, he said, can bring in tourists interested in nature and big game hunters willing to pay thousands of dollars for a chance to hunt elk.
"We're restoring a native species that was here way before we were here, and generally speaking it's always good to do that," Ledford said. "But these animals can have very positive impacts economically and there are some intrinsic things that are hard to put a value on."
After tabling the matter in August, both the Scott and Lee county Boards of Supervisors passed measures this month pertaining to an elk management and reintroduction plan being considered by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
The Scott County board approved a letter supporting the effort, while Lee County's BOS opposed it unanimously.
"I think it would be a good investment for Southwest Virginia," Scott County Supervisor Danny Parks said. "I've been to Wyoming hunting three or four times and not killed anything and spent thousands of dollars. So if there's people that'll come and hunt elk and spend money in the county or adjoining counties, I think it would be a good thing."
Parks said only about 25 percent of the people he's spoken with on the issue were opposed to the initiative.
Still, economic prospects weren't enough to get the support of Lee County's board.
Lee County BOS member Larry Mosley said farmers in the county already have enough to deal with between problems with feral pigs and past drought conditions.
"Over here, we don't have those big strip areas to stock the elk on and they're going to be out here in the fields, eating the corn, eating the hay and destroying things," said Mosley. "Like I said, they don't jump fences, they walk through them and we don't need to add problems to the one's we've already got here."
Although on a smaller scale, the restoration would be modeled after the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources's effort to reestablish Rocky Mountain Elk on abandoned surface mine land in the eastern part of the state.
Elk were eradicated from Virginia in the 1700s, while the last elk in Kentucky and Tennessee were hunted about 1850.
The initiative in Kentucky got its start in 1997, and Kentucky now has the 10th largest population of elk in the United States — estimated to be about 11,000 animals.
The VDGIF took initial steps toward a plan of its own in August when it passed a moratorium on elk hunting.
"This is an opportunity for this organization and our staff to move forward with the reintroduction of the elk...," said Charles Yates, chairman of the VDGIF board, during the meeting. "...I just think it would not make sense for us not to move forward, unless for some reason the localities in the Southwest Virginia coalfield region would not favor the reintroduction."
The VDGIF is considering designating three counties in Southwest Virginia — Buchanan, Dickenson and Wise — as official elk counties because of reclaimed surface mines located in those areas.
If the plan is approved, David Ledford, a biologist with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, a non-profit group that would assist with the initiative, said border counties like Scott and Lee would need to develop a plan to deal with problems associated with elk.
"Part of the plan will be coming up with a protocol to deal with problem animals," said Ledford, who gave a presentation on elk to the Scott County BOS at its September meeting. "Kentucky did it, Tennessee's done it — every state that has them does. But, there will be conflicts, just like there are with bear, white-tailed deer and raccoons."
The animals can cause a variety of problems ranging from car wrecks and torn down fences to destroyed crops, he said.
Board members who support the project said those conflicts are one reason they will have to come up with a damage control plan. Board members who supported the initiative said an adequate damage control plan could help keep problems from getting out of hand.
"I think we do need to keep in mind that the only way it would work is for these outlying counties that don't have the habitat to put something in place where, if you get too many or they start to wander, they can be taken care of," Scott County BOS Chairman David Redwine said.
Despite the associated concerns, Ledford said the positives the animals bring to areas where they live often outweigh the negatives.
Elk, he said, can bring in tourists interested in nature and big game hunters willing to pay thousands of dollars for a chance to hunt elk.
"We're restoring a native species that was here way before we were here, and generally speaking it's always good to do that," Ledford said. "But these animals can have very positive impacts economically and there are some intrinsic things that are hard to put a value on."
Whitewolf393
Well-Known Member
Huh, I thought it had already been approved and those elk were being harvested. Oh well. I do hope they approve it. I wouldn't have to necessarily fly out west to go elk hunting. I think I'd rather spend my $ on a pronghorn hunt or something like it.
ishootkittens
Well-Known Member
possibly, but i havent seen any harvested out this way. They may have approved this already. This story you read was from '09, but the signs are STILLLL up lol. They may have approved it, but Im just saying I havent seen anyone check them in. Usually when something decent gets taken here, its in the newspaper! lol
Whitewolf393
Well-Known Member
From the PDF link http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildli...anagement-options-for-southwest-virginia.pdf:
"The Elk Committee recommends that VDGIF should pursue the Active Restoration Option to establish a population of 1,200 elk in the Potential Elk Restoration Area (Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise counties). The Elk Committee further recommends that the project should set a goal of releasing 200 elk over a 3-year period in one suitable Elk Release Site within the Potential Elk Restoration Area. The Committee does not recommend establishing multiple herds over a wide area with the 200 elk."
The parent link - Elk Management and Restoration
From this link - "At its October 5, 2010 meeting, the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries did not place a moratorium on elk hunting. Elk may be hunted during the remainder of the 2010-2011 deer seasons. Also, staff presented to the Board a two-year Operational Plan (PDF) to implement the pilot restoration program."
So it looks like it's a fledgeling program, but you can hunt them if you can find them from what I can read in a different portion of the site under regulations for elk hunting:
"Elk of either sex, antlered or antlerless, may be taken during any open deer season using the firearms legal for deer during that season.
The taking of an elk counts towards the hunter's daily and license year bag limit for deer.
Licenses, tag validation, and checking requirements for elk are the same for deer except that elk must be checked at a check station.
It is unlawful to destroy the identity (sex) of any harvested elk until checked. Elk may be dismembered to pack it out from the place of kill. The identity of the sex and all parts of the carcass must be present when the elk is checked.
Successful elk hunters are asked to contact the Wildlife Division of the Department's Marion Regional Office at (276)-783-4860 as soon as possible after killing an elk so that arrangements can be made to collect Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) samples. CWD testing is voluntary."
"The Elk Committee recommends that VDGIF should pursue the Active Restoration Option to establish a population of 1,200 elk in the Potential Elk Restoration Area (Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise counties). The Elk Committee further recommends that the project should set a goal of releasing 200 elk over a 3-year period in one suitable Elk Release Site within the Potential Elk Restoration Area. The Committee does not recommend establishing multiple herds over a wide area with the 200 elk."
The parent link - Elk Management and Restoration
From this link - "At its October 5, 2010 meeting, the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries did not place a moratorium on elk hunting. Elk may be hunted during the remainder of the 2010-2011 deer seasons. Also, staff presented to the Board a two-year Operational Plan (PDF) to implement the pilot restoration program."
So it looks like it's a fledgeling program, but you can hunt them if you can find them from what I can read in a different portion of the site under regulations for elk hunting:
"Elk of either sex, antlered or antlerless, may be taken during any open deer season using the firearms legal for deer during that season.
The taking of an elk counts towards the hunter's daily and license year bag limit for deer.
Licenses, tag validation, and checking requirements for elk are the same for deer except that elk must be checked at a check station.
It is unlawful to destroy the identity (sex) of any harvested elk until checked. Elk may be dismembered to pack it out from the place of kill. The identity of the sex and all parts of the carcass must be present when the elk is checked.
Successful elk hunters are asked to contact the Wildlife Division of the Department's Marion Regional Office at (276)-783-4860 as soon as possible after killing an elk so that arrangements can be made to collect Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) samples. CWD testing is voluntary."
ishootkittens
Well-Known Member
nice find! I hope everyone down here complies! Alot of people here dont even check in deer. You see, you cant have anything nice in this neck of the woods, someone will steal it or break it because it doesnt belong to them. Its sad, but I dont think this will last long. They will not have time to reproduce because everyone within a 100 mile radius will be hunnting them, (legally..or not) and the ethical hunters wont have a chance at the opportunity to take a large elk. Thats the problem we have with deer. Veteren hunters of 30 years or more still kill spikes when they have the opportunity. We dont have a chance because no one lets the deer grow into maturity. I know 60 year old men who still drop spikes and when asked about it they all say the same thing, "Well if I dont kill it, somebody else will. At least I'll have the meat in my freezer." IT will be the same with elk...
Whitewolf393
Well-Known Member
If the elk population grows and matures and reproduces, then there should be enough to go around. But I see your point insomuch as if there aren't enough mature deer, then the spikes get taken without having a chance to grow older. The big bulls can help the herd grow and take a few cows. I can share the sentiment that any meat is good if that's all there is, but to thin the herd to only the smallest bucks is unhealthy and destructive. I'm perfectly happy with not taking bucks at all or only one a season, but does for meat as allowed too. I personally don't hunt for a trophy, but for the experience and the food.
ishootkittens
Well-Known Member
amen brother! The experience is boss and then the food is nice as well. But I mostly donate most of the deer anyway. But the days where we dont see any deer maybe the most fun. I hunt with a couple of my buddies and I have stories that will go on for days. But thats what its all about to me!
Whitewolf393
Well-Known Member
No doubt. Plenty of days I've been out and not seen a thing, but still enjoyed it very much.
