Feature Topic: Bull #81
Sex: Male
Age: 2 years, 6 months
History: Born in Cataloochee Valley on June 18, 2004 to cow #49.

Bull #81, a 2.5 year old Cataloochee native, had spent most of his life within Cataloochee Valley until July of this year, when he moved to the Big Creek area of the Park.  He remained there until the end of August when he came back to the Valley as the elk were beginning to come into the rut.  He began sparring with the more dominant bulls and after about 2 weeks again left the Valley. 

He passed through the Big Creek area and kept going to within Newport city limits.  #81 spent several weeks moving around Newport and Cosby before traveling to the Greenbrier area of the Park between Cosby and Gatlinburg.  After a few days there he moved to Baxter’s Orchard along rte. 321 for a few days feeding on apples left on the ground.  He then traveled back through Newport, through Del Rio, and up to Hot Springs, NC for 5 days before moving southeast to the small community of Walnut, NC along the French Broad River. 

With numerous land owners calling with concerns for the safety of the elk as well as passing motorists, the decision was made to return #81 to the rest of the herd in Cataloochee on December 6, roughly 11 weeks after he began wandering.  He has been traveling with a small group of bulls since his return.

Cow #78, a 2.5 year old in the Oconaluftee area was tagged and collared last week.  She travels with a small group of elk near Cherokee that includes her mother, cow #5, as well as two younger generations from the same cow.  There is also another unmarked female in that group that will be tagged and collared as soon as possible.

On December 3 a young, unmarked bull was hit by a motorist on Interstate 40 near mile marker 18.  The elk suffered from two broken back legs and possible internal injuries and the decision was made to euthanize the animal.  It was euthanized and taken to The University of Tennessee for necropsy and disease testing, results are pending.  The accident occurred near a group of elk in the White Oak area just outside the Park boundary. 

Another calf is confirmed to have been born this year and has survived near the White Oak community.  While the sex of the calf is currently unknown, efforts will begin in January to capture and collar several elk in that area, including the calf, as well as bull #26, whose collar was recently knocked off while fighting.  This confirmation takes the total number of known calves produced in 2006 to 13, with 11 of those still alive. 

The best times of day to view the elk are early morning and late afternoon, though they might remain out in the fields on colder days.  If you come to Cataloochee to see them, please remember that elk are wild animals with behavior that is sometimes unpredictable.  Remain on roadways when wildlife is present, and do not approach them.  Please drive cautiously as there are frequently icy road conditions, even on clear days and when there is no snow.

Report by Joe Yarkovich
Elk Management