HOLDEN, W.Va. — Visitors to the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area of Logan County can now get a breathtaking 360 degree view of the 35,000 plus acres from three stories above one of the highest ridgetops in the area. A ribbon
cutting was held Wednesday for the new Elk Education Center and viewing tower on the area where West Virginia’s elk herd was reestablished back in 2016.
“Here we stand with approximately 130 elk in the herd, I believe 60 calves have been born right here in West Virginia. I can’t wait to get the visitors center open to tell the story of the whole process,” said DNR Director Brett McMillion.
Although construction is complete, the signage and displays for the education center are yet to arrive to give a full documentation of West Virginia’s elk reintroduction program. The project began with legislation introduced in 2014 to clear the way for the reintroduction of elk in the Mountain State. Senator Rupie Phillips of Logan County was the lead sponsor of the enabling legislation.
“I’m proud to be the lead sponsor. I’m proud of what the DNR has done and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. I’m also thankful to former Governor Justice for signing off on the AML money for this project right here,” said Phillips.
The facility was built with a combination of funding from several sources which totaled more than $6 Million. A large share of the funding was from the federal Abandoned Mine Lands program.
The viewing tower features a couple of levels. One is a tree top level look the other requires a climb up three sets of stairs to scan the entire area. Visitors will need to bring their own binoculars or a spotting scope to find the elk in distant openings. Some may be several miles away. McMillion noted the area’s management team will be doing additional work to push back the wood line and possibly clear up some of the distant fields to allow more openings and sighting opportunities. He said the entire view scape will also soon change when the leaves are off the trees. Phillips noted that might be as big of an attraction as the elk.
“Not only do you get a chance to see and hear the elk, you also get to see this beautiful mountain range. In just a few weeks these green leaves are going to change and it’s going to be a festival of color,” the Senator said.
Other states where elk have been reintroduced have enjoyed an economic boost from people just wanting to come and see an elk or hear one bugle. From the new observation deck, it won’t be a difficult proposition during the right times of year. The West Virginia State Parks already provide elk tours during the bugling season. McMillion expected the tower would only grow those opportunities.
Since hunting and fishing dollars have been invested in the reintroduction project, hunters often ask when the first hunting season for elk will be opened up in West Virginia. Biologists say the population will need to be at least three times its current size before even a very limited hunt could be allowed without negatively impacting the population. DNR officials could not project a year on when those numbers would have grown to the 350 plus range.
Along with the education center and viewing tower, the DNR’s managers on the Tomblin WMA now have a functional operations building for storing equipment and supplies. There is also a residential unit on the property. Those amenities are expected to be critical to the expansion and monitoring of the elk herd in future years.