Top Photo: Trailers are moved into position in the Cataloochee Valley in early 2000, loaded with the first wild elk to set foot in North Carolina in nearly two centuries.

In 2000 and 2001 a total of 52 elk were brought into the Smokies and later released into the Cataloochee Valley area of Haywood County, NC. These former inhabitants of the Smokies are being monitored by biologists as part of a five-year experiment to find out if a permanent reintroduction is feasible. The experiment’s overall plan calls for three groups of elk totaling about 75 animals to be brought in over the first three years of the project. The Park biologists have decided not to bring in the 3rd group in 2003, but still may decide to release more animals in 2004. (Because of the success of the original releases, and concerns from officials in North Carolina about the possible introduction of chronic wasting disease, there will be no more releases of elk into the Smokies. Tennessee has no concerns about future releases and is working hard to restore herds of elk to the Cumberland Plateau region of the state.)

Bottom Photo: Photographers and other supporters of the restoration gather to watch as preparations are made to move the elk to the holding pen where they will be held for the next few months. By placing them in the secluded pen and keeping them there for a long period of time, the immediate region will be 'imprinted' on the elk as a safe haven. At the time of this writing, 5 years later, the elk still concentrate their activities to the Cataloochee Valley and the surrounding ridges. However, a few of the elk have proved to be wanderers, leaving the valley to venture into the nearby White Oak community, over to Big Cove in Cherokee, and even crossing I-40 to explore the Hartford area of east Tennessee.

I've been increasingly seeing elk sign on the high ridges of Balsam Mountain and Sterling Ridge. I've also spotted a lot of sign over towards Purchase Knob.