Arkansas Elk

[ddavis]

Caught this bull elk and some of his harem on a recent hiking trip in the Buffalo River Valley near Ponca, Arkansas. Quite a rack!

[Hayward Taylor]

Hi there - my gosh - that is a prize winner

[Bigmagic]

Since when is there Elk in Arkansas? Great shot but I'm soooooo....confused.

[ddavis]

Elk were present in Arkansas until the early 1800's but appear to have been hunted to extinction by about 1840. Attempts to re-introduce elk in the period of 1930-1950 resulted in little success. However, in the early 1980's, approximately 100 elk were re-introduced into the Buffalo River valey of northest Arkansas. This attempt has apparently suceeded and the herd size is now estimated to be in excess of 500. The herd size is now sufficient that there is a limited elk hunting season in Arkansas. For additional information, search for "elk" on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission website (www. agfc.com).

The best times and sites for viewing elk are early morning and late afternoon (they appear to dislike bright sunlight) in the Boxley valley (upstream from Ponca, Arkansas) along the upper Buffalo River

[fstopMike]

Great image! I like how the bull is watching over his harem.