Ohio Elk Reintroduction

[Newk]

Hi all,

Spreading the word to all Ohio hunters and otherwise that there is a bill on the floor right now that would allocate $1 million to study the feasibility of reintroducing elk Ohio (a la Michigan, PA, Kentucky, WV). Being called the “Tails and Trails Act”. I’m not 100% versed, but pretty interesting to say the least.

Let me know what you all think.

 

[WoodlandCritter]

I no longer live in Ohio, but I'm all for it. Will definitely be letting my friends back home know.

 

[Indian Summer]

Where in Ohio is that feasible?

 

[Big Sky Guy]

Where in Ohio is that feasible?

Southern/Southeastern Ohio. AEP lands is what I’ve read mainly but there is national forest down there as well and used to be a lot of B&N Coal and DuPont Energy lands too.

It’s a feasibility study so there is a chance they could spend the $1M and determine not worth it. Sort of seems unnecessary to me because we all know it’s largely a question of landowner and citizen tolerance. If the landowners and citizens are already on board and this has to be done to determine where best etc. then that makes more sense to me.

 

[WoodlandCritter]

Where in Ohio is that feasible?

The South East corner resembles Appalachia far more than it does the classic soybean and cornfield landscape of Ohio.

 

[baz77]

I would think Shawnee State forest would probably make the most sense ..its has Ohio's only wilderness and its some big steep (for Ohio) country.

 

[HarvestMoonOutdoorsman]

I'm all for it with a different Wildlife Council. They are not equipped to manage that resource.

 

[Weldor]

The more the merrier. They grow some good bulls back there.

 

[Indian Summer]

The South East corner resembles Appalachia far more than it does the classic soybean and cornfield landscape of Ohio.

I live near the Pa Ohio border. I’ve been over there. Lots of strip mines. Definitely some hilly terrain in the southwest. I’m just not so sure there’s enough of it for elk. Pa has a huge expanse of elk habitat and the herd keeps expanding every year.

 

[MuleyFever]

Where in Ohio is that feasible?

Well, thats the million dollar question.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Where in Ohio is that feasible?

Plenty of old strip minds in southern OH too..AEP recreation Land has close to 50k acres that are open to the public...we use to recreate on them growing up..pretty sure there is 20k or so acres o the Wayne National Forest that was strip mined back in the day.

 

[Laramie]

Area farmers will pay the price a bit but otherwise, should be great.

 

[Indian Summer]

Plenty of old strip minds in southern OH too..AEP recreation Land has close to 50k acres that are open to the public...we use to recreate on them growing up..pretty sure there is 20k or so acres o the Wayne National Forest that was strip mined back in the day.

50 thousand acres is nothing to a herd of elk. That’s one ranch.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

50 thousand acres is nothing to a herd of elk. That’s one ranch.

OK how about the Wayne NF? It's around 250k...

 

[Laramie]

50 thousand acres is nothing to a herd of elk. That’s one ranch.

I agree - but elk have shown they can thrive in regular farm country. The Nebraska population is growing at a decent rate and they are spreading into typical farm country. Nebraska Game and Parks has had some special season and depredation tags to curb the spread. They can tear up a corn field...

 

[WoodlandCritter]

OK how about the Wayne NF? It's around 250k...

I would love to hunt elk in the Wayne. I'd definitely start applying for NR tags if they were available. Boy, wouldn't that feel funny, driving back to Ohio for an elk hunt...

 

[Idaho Mtns]

That's pretty cool. I've read stories about elk reintroduction in other places like TN.

 

[Mtnmilsurp]

50,000 acres in Ohio would support more elk than a million of the acres where I hunt elk in Colorado.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

50,000 acres in Ohio would support more elk than a million of the acres where I hunt elk in Colorado.

Don't know if I go that far but KY has provided a great example of increasing elk populations with less habitat available than out west. Definitely more water and feed on the landscape than some places elk currently live in the west.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I would love to hunt elk in the Wayne. I'd definitely start applying for NR tags if they were available. Boy, wouldn't that feel funny, driving back to Ohio for an elk hunt...

Until they figure out something with CWD it's gonna be a while....it has greatly slowed the repopulation in the east.