Year in Review: 2007

A new year has begun and the future of the Smoky Mountain elk herd looks brighter. There were a lot of changes that took place within the herd during 2007 that are worth taking another look at in review. 

2007 Calving Season

This past calving season was a big one, as more calves were born in 2007 than in any other year of the program. Part of the reason for this is that there were a couple of young cows who had their first calf, including #91 who bred when she was just 1.5 years old. This is a rare occurrence but not unheard of for first time breeders. Number 91’s calf (#123) is a healthy looking female born in July. Other first-time mothers include cow #80 and cow #64. There were a total of 19 calves confirmed to have been born with 16 of those occurring within park boundaries (7 female, 7 male, 2 unknown).Of those 16 in the Park, 10 are thought to still be alive. Among the mortalities, evidence suggests that 3 were lost to bear predation, 1 was lost to coyote predation, 1 died from injuries inflicted by a dog or coyote on Big Cove Rd., and 1 was hit by a car along Rt. 441.There are at least 5 surviving female calves being added to the population, which makes 2007 our 2nd best year for recruitment!

Predator Management

The National Park Service continued its predator management efforts that began in 2006 in an effort to evaluate its impacts on newborn elk calf survival. Throughout the peak of the calving season, late May through early July, bears were trapped in and around Cataloochee Valley, radio collared, and relocated to the Twenty Mile area located in the western portion of the park in North Carolina. History of bear management has shown that most nuisance park bears relocated within the park return to the capture site. Using this knowledge it was believed that by the time the relocated bears return to Cataloochee the young calves should be mobile enough to travel safely with their mothers. Post-release movements of the bears have been monitored and a portion of the bears have in fact been returning. One bear was trapped and relocated twice because he had returned while trapping efforts were still in progress, making the 40-mile journey in just 11 days. While it is disheartening to lose any of the newborn calves, some mortality is expected and necessary, and considering the amount of predation documented since elk were released, 2007 appears to be an above-average year for calf survival.  

Adult Mortalities

Unfortunately, there were a few adult mortalities in 2007 as well. In March bull #82 was found dead in Nellie Drainage. His carcass was taken to the University of Tennessee for necropsy and it was determined that he most likely died from neck injuries sustained while fighting with another bull. Yearling bull #103 died while fighting another yearling bull in October at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Also in October, bull #14 was found dead on private land in the Crooked Branch area just outside of Cataloochee. His cause of death is unknown. 

Elk Bugle Corps

In May, the inaugural season of the Cataloochee Bugle Corps got underway and they quickly became a large success.This group of volunteers dedicated their time and energy to providing education and visitor assistance to elk-watchers in Cataloochee Valley.In their first season, the 45 new volunteers worked more than 6,000 volunteer hours, contacting over 11,000 visitors from May through November. Their enthusiasm and service has generated a lot of positive feedback surrounding the group and their hard work is greatly appreciated. The group will again be serving from May through November of 2008. For information on how to get involved with the Cataloochee Elk Bugle Corps, please email Mark LaShell.

2008 Outlook

It looks like 2008 will be another exciting year around the Smoky Mountain elk herd. In terms of calf production this spring, there are several young cows that could give birth to their first calf, meaning that 2008 has potential to be another record-setting year for herd recruitment.

Bull elk tend to have the most antler mass at around 10 years old, and there are quite a few bulls at or around the 10-year old mark.This means that as long as there is adequate food available there is a lot of potential for even more spectacular racks to be seen this year.There are also a few rather aggressive younger bulls that will be gaining weight and antler mass, so competition during the 2008 rut should certainly be exciting!

When elk were released into Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a 5 year experimental phase was begun to determine the long term feasibility of an elk herd in the Park. In 2006 that experimental phase was extended in hopes of gathering more data over an additional 3 years. This phase of the project is set to end in 2008, at which point the data will be re-analyzed and decisions will be made regarding the short and long-term management of the herd. 

During the fall and winter of 2006 bull #81 left Cataloochee Valley and travelled into Tennessee spending time in Cosby, Newport, and Greenbriar before being darted in Walnut, a small community north of Weaverville, NC and returned to Cataloochee. In November of 2007, #81 again made his way into Tennessee spending time on multiple properties in the Cosby area. The park received several reports of the bull on private properties where the owners were concerned for their safety as well as the bull’s. Working with TWRA, the park made the decision to dart and return the bull to Cataloochee Valley.On Sunday, January 20, #81 was darted on private property along route 321 and released back into Cataloochee where he has remained since. 

           
Winter Elk Viewing Tip

Though early mornings and late afternoons are still the most active for elk viewing, on the colder days of winter the elk can often be seen in the fields all day long, particularly when it is overcast.If you make the trip into Cataloochee this winter please drive cautiously as the road is frequently icy, even when there is no snow. 

Report submitted by Joe Yarkovich
Elk Management