Echoes of the Wild Turkey

It is hard to believe that it is now officially Spring. It wouldn't seem like it with the oddities of weather that we have had to endure these last few weeks. What would normally be mild days this time of year have been covered in cold rainy and snowy days, with more forecasted in the coming week. That being said, it hasn't kept Mother Nature from displaying the fact that it is in fact Spring, and that things will soon get better.

Tom "strutting" and courting hens (Photo courtesy of Ryan Raybourn)

One of these signals from Mother Nature is unmistakeable, and it is the Spring gobbling of the Wild Turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo). Nothing will send chills up your spine like an early morning hike through a foggy forest and hearing the thunderous gobble of a wild turkey near you. This call of the male Turkey (called a Tom) is unmistakeable and can be heard from quite a long distance away. This call is a breeding call, and is a way to let a female Turkey (a hen) find a Tom to mate with. He will typically roost at night away from the hens, and when the Sun comes up and he awakens, he will

Lets Hunt Easter Eggs at the Breaks!

It's that time of year again! Daffodils are blooming, birds are chirping and the Easter Bunny is making preparations for Easter! Join us a Breaks Interstate Park for our Annual Easter Celebration. The Easter Egg Hunt begins at noon on Potter's Knoll. Get there a little early because the Easter Bunny will be stopping by, giving out treat bags to all the kids! One thousand eggs total will be hidden for three age catagories (1-3, 4-6 and 7-12 years of age) and 350 eggs will have a prize ticket inside! After the hunt, make your way down to the Rhododendron Lodge to enjoy our Easter Buffet!

For more information, dial (276)865-4413 or by visiting the BREAKS INTERSTATE PARK WEBSITE.

I can be reached by emailing me HERE

Elk in the East

Wild Elk Herd in Eastern Kentucky

I have always been very proud of the fact that I am from and have spent my entire life living in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. It is a very unique place that boasts a huge variety of natural resources. The variety of plant, tree and animal life in these mountains are almost overwhelming, however if you could go back in time to the days of Daniel Boone and even before, variety was even greater. Buffalo, Elk, Whitetail Deer, Black Bear, Red Wolves and Mountain Lions abounded in these mountains. As "white men" made their way into what is now Kentucky and Southwestern Virginia for exploration and settlement, the numbers of these large mammals began to decline. This was for a number of reasons but was primarily due to unregulated hunting. Over time, all of the above mentioned species were driven to extinction in our area with the exception of the White Tailed Deer, and even they became very scarce. Due to conservation efforts by a number of State and Federal Organizations, several of these animals have returned and now flourish is our area. Whitetail Deer can now be seen almost daily, Black Bear are now roaming their old stomping grounds and Elk can now be heard bugling in the mountains.