Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Bad Elk, Bad Elk! Stay Away From That Golf Course Junk Food.

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by

James A. Bacon
in

Photo credit: Department of Wildlife Resources, by way of WJHL

Virginia wildlife officials have been working for several years on reintroducing elk to Southwestern Virginia. In a sign that the effort is working, elk have been spotted in the Breaks Interstate Park, a joint Virginia-Kentucky state park, for the first time since the 1800s, reports WJHL.

For two years now, park officials have endeavored to make the Breaks habitat more welcoming by removing invasive species and planting native grasses. However, the elk have not responded as one might hope. It seems they are drawn to the nearby Willowbrook Golf Course, where they find enticing food on the fairway. It’s not clear what that food might be but, according to WJHL, park leadership plans to “draw the elk away” from the golf course to the park where visitors can see them.

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24 responses to “Bad Elk, Bad Elk! Stay Away From That Golf Course Junk Food.”

  1. James Wyatt Whitehead Avatar
    James Wyatt Whitehead

    In a 1769 hunting trip, Daniel Boone once bagged 500 elk and deer. 3 term member of the Virginia House of Delegates.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/58b961df11a5b411319eab4faee9e9d64dfaeed9e4c1db71eccd02dc33ef1409.jpg

    1. Lefty665 Avatar
      Lefty665

      and the only member of the Lege captured by the British after they chased them from Richmond to Charlottesville. He was released as being of no consequence.

      1. James Wyatt Whitehead Avatar
        James Wyatt Whitehead

        Jack Jouett was captured in the same episode. Boone lived to be 86. Died in 1820. Buried in Missouri. James Fenimore Cooper’s “Last of the Mohicans” is likely based on Boone’s life.

        1. Lefty665 Avatar
          Lefty665

          I lived in Louisa for many years. Jouett and his ride from Cuckoo to C’ville to warn the Lege about Arnold and the Brits was local lore and Jouett the hero. My kids went to an elementary school named after him.

          Some of the history says he had to ride Old Mountain Road (pioneered by Gov Spotswood and the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe) and the “backroads” to avoid the British. But, there were not many back roads back then, and they would have been both longer and slower. My guess is out 33 aka Old Mountain Road (the route the British were following – 250 and I64 were not built yet) from Cuckoo through Louisa to Rt 22 and west on 22 from Boswell’s tavern to C’ville. That’s a pretty straight line.

          1. James Wyatt Whitehead Avatar
            James Wyatt Whitehead

            Louisa County is loaded with great Virginia history. So glad you shared this.

  2. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    I have a suggestion for drawing the elk away from the golf courses and other such places. Have you seen the ads for “Cocaine Bear”?

  3. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    Let me guess. Shortly there will be a “plan” announced to have hunts to “thin” the pesky critters.

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/elk/hunting/elk-lottery/

      1. LarrytheG Avatar
        LarrytheG

        https://media3.giphy.com/media/3BR9JfSiZOp6E/giphy.gif

        1. Nancy Naive Avatar
          Nancy Naive

          Human nature.

          Back in the 1960s following the “Wide World of Sports” was a hunting show that involved a different celebrity and their son every week. It was usually set in Alaska and followed the two guests and a guide as they camped in the wilderness and tracked some beastie.

          In one episode, the kid killed some kind of a mountain sheep/goat, and the guide got excited with something akin to “Great shot! That’s a hell of a trophy. There can’t be more than 50 of those left in the wild!”

          Funny, no.

          1. LarrytheG Avatar
            LarrytheG

            Those types have a presence on FB also these days.

          2. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            It was “The American Sportsman”. It ran 1965-67. To be fair, such highly restricted hunts of even endangered species could never be the cause of extinction, and oddly do benefit the animals. Counter intuitive. However… bad optics.

  4. WayneS Avatar
    WayneS

    …park leadership plans to “draw the elk away” from the golf course to the park where visitors can see them.

    It seems to me they’d be easier for people to see on a golf course than in the woods…

    1. DJRippert Avatar
      DJRippert

      Elk are big animals. I would guess that they do serious damage to a golf course, especially he greens.

      1. WayneS Avatar
        WayneS

        I’d be fine with turning all the golf courses over to the elk if it would help get them reestablished.

        😉

        1. Lefty665 Avatar
          Lefty665

          I’d even give them their own section in the pro shop.

          1. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            Was a time you could buy elk hide boat shoes and gloves. Can’t see any reason why you can’t make golf shoes and gloves from it, so yes, their own section in the pro shop.

          2. Lefty665 Avatar
            Lefty665

            I was thinking more along the lines of elk putters, pastel shirts and little spikes for their hooves, but ok…

          3. WayneS Avatar
            WayneS

            Elk and deer hide are tough and tear resistant, but also remain fairly soft and supple over time.

            They make excellent motorcycle gloves. My current gloves are deerskin.

  5. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    FWIW, the State has a lottery to hunt/kill these newly introduced animals. What sport would it be to bag one while sipping an Arnold Palmer at the 19th hole?

    BTW, did anyone else catch the news that scientists are “recreating” the Dodo?
    https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-company-wants-to-bring-the-dodo-back-from-extinction-180981562/

    1. WayneS Avatar
      WayneS

      …did anyone else catch the news that scientists are “recreating” the Dodo?

      That shouldn’t be difficult – just cross a Nicobar pigeon with a member of congress…

      😉

      1. Nancy Naive Avatar
        Nancy Naive

        You’ll have to artificially inseminate. No self-respecting pigeon…

  6. Tom B Avatar
    Tom B

    Don’t the elks have their own lodge? They should just stay there and not cause trouble.

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      Trouble? Have you ever witnessed one of those lodges at closing time?

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