That Eerie Sound in the Smokies This Fall? It's a Bull Elk

By Jon Tharp, Broker  ·  October 23, 2026

A bull elk bugle starts as a deep roar, climbs into a high whistle, and ends with several rough grunts. Heard drifting out of the woods just before sunset, it could almost pass for a bird, a wolf, or some mysterious mountain creature.

Elk once roamed much of North Carolina, including Polk County, until hunting and habitat loss drove them from the state by about 1800. Today you can see them in Cataloochee Valley, just a couple of hours west, and fall is when they really put on a show.

How did elk come back to North Carolina?

For nearly two centuries, the mountains went without them. Then in 2001 and 2002, the National Park Service reintroduced 52 elk into Cataloochee Valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Biologists hoped they would survive, but nobody knew what would happen.

The elk did more than survive. They raised calves and slowly spread into other parts of the mountains. Today more than 200 live around Cataloochee, Cherokee, and Maggie Valley.

How big are elk in North Carolina?

Elk are the largest wild animals in North Carolina, larger even than our black bears. A full-grown bull can top 700 pounds, and cows, the females, still weigh several hundred.

Then there are the antlers. Bulls shed them every year and grow a completely new set, and the antlers can grow almost an inch a day. That makes elk antlers the fastest-growing bone in the world.

A soft skin called velvet covers new antlers and carries blood and nutrients to the growing bone. By fall the antlers have hardened, and bulls rub the velvet off against trees and bushes because it gets itchy.

If you come across a shed antler, consider leaving it where it lies. Antlers are rich in calcium, protein, and minerals, and rodents, foxes, opossums, and even bears love them.

When is elk rut season in Western North Carolina?

The rut usually runs from early September through late October. That is when bulls bugle to attract cows and warn other bulls, and two bulls may lock antlers to decide who is in charge.

Elk have plenty more to say, too. They bark, squeal, grunt, and make quiet sounds to one another. Newborn calves have almost no scent, which makes them harder for predators to detect while they hide in tall grass but also makes them harder for their mothers to locate in a big herd. Mothers and calves learn each other's voices, which helps them reunite when separated.

For most of the year, cows stay together in a herd while bulls form bachelor herds or go it alone. The bulls join the cows for mating each fall, but only for a few weeks.

Where can you see elk near Cherokee and Maggie Valley?

Elk often graze the open fields of Cataloochee Valley early in the morning and late in the afternoon. The Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee is another good choice, and you can sometimes see elk nearby.

Give them plenty of space. Bulls can be unpredictable in the fall, and cows fiercely protect their calves in the spring.

After nearly 200 silent years, elk bugles are echoing through Western North Carolina again. It is one of our mountains' best wildlife success stories.

This post draws on a column by Loti Woods, co-founder of Champions for Wildlife, a local nonprofit whose mission is to inspire and empower kids to learn about and protect wildlife through art and education. Read the original in the Tryon Daily Bulletin.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can you see elk in Western North Carolina?

Elk often graze the open fields of Cataloochee Valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park early in the morning and late in the afternoon. The Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee is another good option, with elk sometimes seen nearby.

When is elk rut season in North Carolina?

The elk rut usually runs from early September through late October. During this time bulls bugle to attract cows and warn other bulls, and rival bulls may lock antlers.

How big are elk in North Carolina?

Elk are the largest wild animals in North Carolina, bigger than black bears. A full-grown bull can weigh more than 700 pounds, and cows weigh several hundred pounds.