How long has it been since elk roamed wild in the state of Tennessee?
The last historical record of an elk being sighted in Tennessee was in 1865 when one was reported to be killed in Obion County. 2. What was the cause of the demise of the elk population in Tennessee? There is no one specific reason that accounts for the demise of elk in Tennessee. Reasons for the extinction of elk in Tennessee and elsewhere in the eastern U.S. are over-exploitation by man, private ownership of land and habitat destruction. 3. How many elk have been reintroduced into Tennessee? Initial plans called for 400 elk to be released into Tennessee. As of August 2008, 201 elk have been released, these elk were released over a four-year period from 2000-2003. An additional 34 elk were released in 2008.
