The first elk in the state’s herd are captured in Kentucky

The first elk captured for reintroduction. Known as “West Virginia One” is a two and a half year old cow

CADIZ, Ky. — Jut before daylight an elk cow wandered along the expanse of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area  in Kentucky.  She was minding her own business and munching on the frost covered grass.  Within a few hours she had an ear tag, a radio collar, and was standing in a holding pen and had become one of the most famous elk in West Virginia history.

“The first one we got this morning was a two and a half year old cow.  She’s ‘West Virginia 1.'”  said DNR Biologist Chris Ryan. “She’s wearing her radio collar now and she’ll be transported back to West Virginia in about a month.”

West Virginia One will become the first elk to roam free in West Virginia in nearly a century.  A 16 member team made up of DNR personnel and volunteers from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and others are spending this week at the Land Between the Lakes rounding up the 20 elk which will be the first to be released in West Virginia’s Elk Reintroduction program.

“It’s a very exciting morning to be a wildlife biologist, to work for the DNR, and to really just be a hunter and a West Virginian,” said Ryan. “Getting to handle these first elk in well over a century that will call West Virginia home.”

One crew made up of DNR personnel and the U.S. Forest Service roamed the landscape of the vast public land in central Kentucky in search of the right animals for the Mountain State’s initial elk herd.  The animals were tranquilized, hauled back to a corral, and worked up.  Once processed and documented, the elk are held for a battery of disease testing and await the long trip to Logan County in the weeks to come.

“On our first trip we’re going to try to get 20,” Ryan explained. “We’re going to give them a break next week and if we have to we’ll return and get the rest that we need the following week.   We’re hoping to get as many as we can this week.”

By lunchtime Monday, four were in the holding area, the original cow and three bulls.

“We’re trying to get 10 bulls and 10 females,” said Ryan. “Then we have a breakdown of age and sex ratios among those we’re looking for.”

West Virginia Natural Resources Commissioner Kenny Wilson checks out the rack on the first bull elk captured for release in West Virginia

The agency is trying to get a variety of young, mature, and older animals of both sexes to break up the gene pool.   Samples of DNA are taken from each of the elk.  All are fitted with an ear tag, an electronic chip, and a GPS collar.

It was a new and exciting experience for Ryan and his team.  A few of the West Virginia personnel had gone to Kentucky or Pennsylvania just to get a feel of how biologist work with elk, but Ryan said for the most part is was something new for everybody there.

“I’ve handled thousands of bears, but today was the first time I’ve ever touched an elk,” said Ryan. “Most of our guys haven’t touched more than one or two in Kentucky or Pennsylvania to help out once or twice.”

“It’s history in the making,” said Natural Resources Commissioner Kenny Wilson who was among the team helping work up the animals. “It’s really an exciting time.”

During December they’ll be held for about a week in a soft holding pen on the Earl Ray Tomblin Wildlife Management Area in Logan County after they are transported.  Then the gates of the holding area will be open to allow them to move onto their new home in West Virginia.





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