After a century-long absence from the Mountain State, a thriving elk herd now freely roams the rugged landscape of Tomblin Wildlife Management Area in Logan County. Experience this incredible comeback story firsthand and learn more about the WVDNR’s Elk Restoration Project by joining an Elk Management Tour this fall.
Elk Education Center
Discover the story of West Virginia’s elk herd at the Elk Education Center in Logan County. From an elevated viewing platform, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of the elk management area and may even spot elk or two. A level viewing area is also available for visitors with limited mobility.
📍 333 Doyle Drive, Holden, WV 25625
Note: The viewing platform is open to the public, but the Education Center is still being furnished.
Elk Management Tours
Looking for the ultimate elk experience? Join a four-hour guided Elk Management Tour in September or October. These tours take you deep into the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area to learn about the WVDNR’s elk restoration program and to see elk up close in a wild, natural setting.
Seats are limited and sell out every year, so book early to reserve your spot.
A History of Elk Restoration in West Virginia
Elk once roamed freely across the hills of West Virginia, but by the late 1800s they had disappeared due to overhunting and habitat loss. For years, wildlife agencies studied the idea of bringing them back, but it wasn’t until Kentucky’s restoration success in the late 1990s that serious efforts began in the Mountain State.
Elk Restoration Timeline
The WVDNR began habitat and social feasibility studies to identify possible elk habitat sites. The southwestern coalfields region was selected due to suitable habitat, minimal agriculture and community support, and WVDNR biologists came up with passive plan to protect any elk that wandered into the state from Kentucky.
Local support and interest from then-Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin led to the passage of legislation that created an Elk Management Area in the southern coalfields and authorized the WVDNR to launch an active elk restoration plan. More than 44,000 acres of public land were secured, including the 25,000-acre Tomblin Wildlife Management Area, which became the release site for the first elk.
The WVDNR acquired and released 24 elk from the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area in western Kentucky, marking the species’ return after more than 140 years.
The WVDNR acquired and released an additional 95 elk from Kentucky and Arizona.
The WVDNR acquired and released additional elk from Kentucky in January and March, bringing West Virginia’s elk herd to 130. Since 2016, the WVDNR has recorded 60 native elk calf births, which indicates that the herd is growing and thriving.
All released elk are tagged and fitted with a GPS telemetry collar that allows WVDNR biologists to track and gather data about the movements of the elk herd and individual animals. Each winter, biologists capture, mark and collar calves and other un-collared elk to support monitoring and research.
The WVDNR opened an Elk Education Center at the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area which features a viewing platform, conference rooms, offices and other amenities for visitors, volunteers, researchers and staff, including 3,300-square feet of space designed to meet the unique needs of managing and supporting West Virginia’s growing elk herd.
