Oregon, My Oregon

From the Cowboy State Daily, Tourists Try To Ride Elk Which Are Taking Over Beaches In Coastal Oregon Town

It’s a sight most in Wyoming would consider extremely odd: herds of elk lounging around the beach.

That’s what’s happening in the small Oregon coastal town of Cannon Beach, where elk are taking over the beaches, looking completely out of context in the sand and surf.

And as in Yellowstone National Park, Estes Park, Colorado and other places where people and elk are in close proximity, some people behave stupidly, said James Paino, executive director of the local chamber of commerce.

“We have a lot of visitors who just don't think that it (an elk) is a wild animal,” he said. "I’ve seen people try to put their kids on an elk’s back, or walk up and feed them carrots."

The elk could possibly drawn to the beach seeking saltwater therapy for biting pests.

“It’s not uncommon to see elk going out into saltwater. It’s commonly thought to be therapeutic for external parasites, such as fleas,” said Paul Atwood, a district wildlife biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The Roosevelt Elk live in many regions of Oregon, including Southern Oregon, where we used to own land. We occasionally saw them there, but more often just ran across hoof prints or poo. 

My late lamented brother Ted had an unusual encounter with a big bull in rutting season, once, out of hunting season. He was out hiking the back hills, with his dog Spook, a notorious killer of game and vermin up to the size of White-tailed Deer, and carrying, as was his habit, his rifle (.257 Roberts, IIRC). They encountered the bull in a clearing. Spook chased the bull, the bull chased Spook, Spook chased the bull, the bull chased Spook, and Spook went back to Ted, who stood there with his rifle ready until the bull decided that maybe that wasn't the hill to die on and wandered off.

The elk are also very common at Prairie Creek State Park in Calif, where the often congregate in large numbers near the Park entrance off Highway 101 in the Redwood country. A fair amount of tourist stupidity occurs here as well I've heard.

WVA to Import Elk

West Virginia DNR, Gov. Jim Justice announces plans to introduce more elk in West Virginia, expand wildlife tourism 

In his State of the State Address on Wednesday, Gov. Justice announced that the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) will introduce 40 new elk to the state’s growing herd in 2024 and create a visitors center and observation tower in Logan County to help tourists and wildlife enthusiasts see these majestic animals in a natural setting.

“As a lifelong sportsman, I am beyond proud of the work the WVDNR has done since I took office to not only restore elk to West Virginia but to manage our growing herd so that folks can enjoy this magnificent native species for years to come,” said Gov. Justice.

West Virginia’s elk population was 22 when Gov. Justice took office. Since 2018, the WVDNR has introduced 57 elk (15 from Kentucky and 42 from Arizona) to the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area in Logan County. The current elk population is 110.

“Thanks to the leadership of Gov. Justice and the support of our partner agencies, West Virginia’s total elk population is five times greater today than when we started our Elk Restoration Project in 2016,” said WVDNR Director Brett McMillion.

Partner agencies include the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The 40 elk will be transported from the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Kentucky and are scheduled to arrive Jan. 22-26. Upon arrival, the elk will be evaluated and held for a short period of time before being released into the wild.

Since 2018, the WVDNR has offered guided elk tours in Logan County, where participants can learn more about the history of elk in West Virginia and get a chance to see elk in a natural setting. Tours are offered in September and October each year and usually sell out.

We would occasionally see Elk on our land in Oregon back in the 80-90s. Magnificent animals indeed. But we were far more likely to see them at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Northern California, on Highway 101, when traveling between Oregon and Northern California. A large herd frequents the area, and often can be seen from the highway.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Monday: Happy Lee-Jackson Day! up at The Other McCain.

Up the Klamath and Back Again

Today's entertainment was a trip up the Klamath River in a jet boat. We drove up to where the Klamath crosses Highway 101.

Mary and Georgia await the boarding call.

The boat. 860 horse power, twin turbine jet powered, seating about 30.

A sea lion hunting salmon in the estuary.

In the estuary, near the mouth of the river, where it joins the Pacific Ocean.

Once upstream, the fog was gone, and we had a sunny ride uo

Apparently, the river has a big run of salmon going on, and there were many boats out fishing, anything from kayaks to other jet boats.

A familiar friend, a Great Blue Heron. We also saw Bald Eagles and Ospreys.

Below, one minute taste of the jet boat ride.

On the way home we hunted for elk, taking a long cut through Prairie Creek State Park where they often hang out. We didn't find any. But then, just south, a couple of bulls got out in the road and stopped traffic. We later saw two large herds, one out in a field near Orick, and another on the roadside near the lagoons.