Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 47
P H O T O E S S AY
A
Text and photos by MIKE ROBERTS
n indigenous call of the wild
long silenced across the Commonwealth of Virginia once
again echoes from the fogshrouded valleys and steep
hardwood ridges of Buchanan
County.
Thanks to a cooperative partnership
among the Virginia Department of Game
and Inland Fisheries, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources,
and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation-plus the blood, sweat, and dollars
of a local conservation group called the
Southwest Virginia Sportsmen-elk are finally back at home and thriving in what
might seem unlikely habitat, reclaimed
coal fields.
The Cherokee People of the Appalachian Plateau called elk a-wi-e-qua, which
means "great deer." Early American colonists were confused about a species of deer
too large to be related to the red stags of
Europe, so they labeled them moose. Regardless of colloquial name applications,
the North American elk (Cervus canadensis) remains one of nature's most striking
creatures. And if the bulls' antlered crowns
are not impressive enough, their shrill, autumn bugles resonate through the hills
and hollows of one's soul.
There were some who questioned the
reintroduction of this missing link, pointing out the Eastern subspecies has long
been extinct. True, the last such elk recorded in Virginia was killed in Clarke County
by Colonel Gos Tuley in 1855. And yes,
the animals Virginia DGIF obtained for
release were of Rocky Mountain lineage.
Regardless, Eastern populations were decimated a century before physiological differences could have been evaluated.
Other pessimists focused on crop damage and the potential of disease spreading
to livestock. As part of a carefully crafted
restoration plan, DGIF quarantined and
throughly tested each captive animal for
pathogens numerous times prior to release; and release site selection was based
on socio-economic concerns, such as minimizing damage to farmers' crops.
Seven years after the initial release,
one thing is for certain: viewing opportunities are ramping up in Buchanan
County-the newly designated "Elk Capital of Virginia."
Elk, like these majestic bulls, now offer wildlife watchers and photographers a wealth of outdoor
opportunities in Southwestern Virginia. Whether due to massive antlers or that autumn siren song,
elk instill a sense of wildness to their surroundings like no other wild creature of the region.
MARCH/APRIL 2020
47
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - Intro
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 3
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 4
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 5
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 6
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Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - Cover4
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