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Tag Archives: elk

Clark range Hunting Lodge Has Personality!

 

AmericanPressTravelNews-Sept. 19th, “Bob and Barb On The Road Again”–What would make a modern family leave California, and pioneer backwards towards the east coast of the U.S.?   When the Echternacht family; Jim and Sandy and their son Ian headed to Tennessee, from their home in Santa Barbara, CA. in a circuitous adventure, they had made the decision to purchase Ken Moody’s hunting lodge, and the many hundreds of acres it afforded for client-hunters since the 1950’s.The family wanted to change their life’s paradigm. No more super highways to sit in traffic, no more anti-hunting,  and negative target shooting people to have to deal with, no more incredibly high prices for everything to continue dragging them down.

Son, Ian loves the shooting sports life, handling the dogs, putting hunters on to a wild boar, or the various other game animals on their hunting lodge properties.  I had a chance to shoot with Ian at their range, try out some fine weaponry, and master-blast a few sporting weapons-it was great fun and in an environment where booms and rifle cracks were perfectly acceptable.

The family are happy campers since purchasing the lodge in September, 2016.  “We knew we wanted to leave CA. so we made an RV out of a 1986 shuttle bus. The bus had a fine diesel engine, and no fancy electronics. We traveled all over looking for a place to land outside of CA. We wanted a rural, quiet place to spend our lives that had water, trees and hunting opportunities. So we coined the term: “Go east young man.”  We finally found it here in Clark range.  Just down the road from great service,  and shopping in Crossville, great neighbors, plenty of room, and very happy hunters are our lot now”, said mom Sandy.

When they got into to TN. they stayed at Fall Creek Falls State Park. “We loved the park, the people and the feeling of being in a state that was more laid back than any other we visited, and upon our return to CA. we looked on a land and business sale site, found this lodge here in Clark Range, and studied the idea of buying and settling in the woods and waters of TN. We took quite awhile to decide, and after selling our home in Santa Barbara, and a few trips to, and from Clark Range, here we are”, said Dad, Jim.

Hunters can stay and hunt at the lodge for boar, Fallow Deer, Black Buck and anything non-indigenous to TN.   Whitetail deer, black bear, and other specially licensed animals require a state license. People who wish to have a mount, and the meat hunt here. Several of the long term clients have stated that actually hunting is secondary to being in the wild with family and friends just to hang together-being happy to just be together with those they enjoy  in a relaxed, non-working environment in nature.

The property has diverse terrain with waterfalls cliffs and caves for the adventurer, as well as accessible locations with blinds for the more laid back hunter. First hunts for youngsters with their parents are welcomed. A few groups have come year after year for decades.

There is no plan for clear-cutting; just cleanup as the previous owner wasn’t around for controlling usage of his lands perimeters. Today, Ian is on it all! A great sportsman in his own right, he appreciates, and has the drive to renovate and upgrade the lodge to its original condition, yet upgrade in the style and manner of what a true hunting lodge really feels and looks like. Mom, Sandy, treated us to a great chicken dinner, and we slowly began to lose the trappings and feelings of the life in hustle-mode. Yes, while visiting, we relaxed and understood why folks from all over would come and de-stress at the Clark Range Hunting Lodge. A guide with 16-years experience takes you & your party on guided dog hunts. There are tree stands, and ground blinds also available for hunters of any age, and physical condition is what you’re in for. Parties of 10 or more have exclusive use of the Lodge and Preserve, and smaller parties too are always welcome! We’re going back for some more of that “personality.”

Located at 1640 Campground Road, Clarkrange, TN.  www.clarkrangehuntinglodge.com

 Phone- 931-863-3203

Note* There are several hunting  and sporting lodges in Tennessee, and we plan on visiting a few of these that are in, or are close to Crossville for Fall features.

 

Cataloochee Guest Ranch, Maggie Valley- A Mountain Afar, But Close To So Many Hearts

 

American Press Travel News- June 27th,-Maggie Valley, Haywood County, North CarolinaCataloochee Guest Ranch was opened in 1934 by Mr. Tom and Miss Judy Alexander. It was  moved to its present location in 1938. The Ranch is still run by the third generation descendants of Mr. Tom and Miss Judy. As their brochure rightly proclaims “The Ranch is “where the march of time slows down to a walk.”  the high mountains here really do have deep roots! Barb and I relaxed, enjoyed country buffet cookouts for dinner of steaks and taters along with all the country fixin’s you’d also love. We also sampled their country breakfast which included their wonderful homemade syrups, jams and biscuits. that you will savor in your mouth and on your mind for a very long time.

This is a wonderful place for your whole family. We watched a small boy catch his first fish in their stocked pond, which the ranch then cooked for his dinner. They have all sorts of planned activities for children as well for adults.  There are so many outdoor recreational opportunities in and around this 5000 foot elevation, cool, over 1000 acre ranch. We hiked, found and identified numerous edible mushrooms, plants and trees with a professional field guide. Their garden, becomes your garden each and every meal! Every day you can take take trail rides. When you arrive you feel like you are a member of their family with their rich local heritage. Every night their local admiring neighbors, were scheduled to come and meet the guests. We listened to local musicians and were even able to pet a real friendly wolf.

Perhaps due to the history of several generations of the Tom and Judy Alexander family, there was a feeling here that we were home, really at home again! It’s really hard to say just how comfortable we were at this ranch. It was very hard to leave and we actually stayed a bit longer than usual before we left the cool mountain air, the friendliness of our hosts and the truly serene nature of this fine resort. So, I guess one way to say it was, we had a very hard time saying goodbye!

Call 1 (800) 868-1401 119 or local 828-926-1401 cataloocheeranch.com located on  Ranch Road., Maggie Valley, NC 28751 Cataloochee Ranch.com

Also, we will review so many fine restaurants in the coming days on aptravelnews.com.  We will be posting these and many more opportunities for visitors in the next day or so.   We took part in visiting the Cataloochee Valley area full of transplanted elk. The bulls were bugling their dominancy over their herd of cows-quite a display! The people we met, the dinner with the Mayor of Waynesville and his wife, the fine other folks we learned so much about them and from them, their Agri-tourism lifestyle and businesses offerings, and their goals, as well as their already fruitful successes will be portrayed as well. 

Boys first fish at Cataloochee Lodge trout pond This ranch is always making "keeper memories."
Boys first fish at Cataloochee Lodge trout pond This ranch is always making “keeper memories.”

 

Special event: Wolf Man who owns 4 wolves introduces this highly tame wolf to guests at the Ranch. A big hit with everyone!
Special event: Wolf Man who owns 4 wolves introduces this highly tame wolf to guests at the Ranch. A big hit with everyone!
A side trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway for never ending views!
A side trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway for never ending views!

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Cataloochee Valley Tours-Heading to Elk Country!

Out the window photo of a young bull elk in the Cataloochie Valley!
Out the window photo of a young bull elk in the Cataloochie Valley!

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Out the window elk watching.
Out the window elk watching.
Elk calf at side of the road!
Elk calf at side of the road!
Side of the road in the Cataloochie Valley. Elk meander all around you!
Side of the road in the Cataloochie Valley. Elk meander all around you!

 

Bull Elk just after bugling setting up for mounting one of his cows!
Bull Elk just after bugling setting up for mounting one of his cows!

 

 

 

 

APtravelnews-September 10th, Maggie Valley, at Cataloochee Valley-We took part in visiting the Cataloochee Valley area full of transplanted elk. The bulls were bugling their dominance over their herd of cows-quite a display! The occasion for this trip was an Eco-Tour and Picnic lunch with Cataloochee Valley Tours, Inc. Esther, the owner and tour guide put us in touch with the history and actual animals (Elk) that had been reintroduced to the area known as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We took in the beauty and grandeur of a place in time and history that, although now having the protection of it being designated a National Park, put us in touch within a living history of the way this place once was, untold years in the past. The only obvious hint that this area has taken on the veil of modernity, was the 3-mile tar road area of the valley (most of the other roads are gravel) and the  (of a couple of hundred years of  human habitation now gone from the park except for a few buildings left as monuments of this habitation) signs of old foundations left after so many homes were burnt down, during the course of turning many private lands into a park designation, and takeover of the lands of the Cataloochee Valley by the US Government for future protection against the inroads of commercialization.

Viewing the elk and the big adult bulls, hearing their bugling gave me the feeling of a palpable tingling on the back of my neck, I realized that I was being witness to a tableau that has played itself out season after season for many, many millennium, and for a moment- a mere quadrillion of a second, on a million-year timeline, I was there touching the face of Gods handiwork “again!”

Esther, our Naturalist Guide was responsible for this opportunity! She is, and will be a teacher of visitors to this wild and natural area for a long time!

Esther Blakely – Certified Master Naturalist

(828) 450-7985 – cataloocheevalleytours.com

W.Virginia Playing It Smart-Bringing Back Elk to Their State

Bull Elk just after bugling setting up for mounting one of his cows!
Bull Elk just after bugling setting up for mounting one of his cows!

APtravelnews–March 3rd,–News Release from AOL—Charleston, W.V.–CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) —The Division of Natural Resources has received a $50,000 grant to support its effort to restore elk in West Virginia.

The Charleston Daily Mail reports that the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation presented the grant to the DNR on Sunday at the Natural Resources Commission’s quarterly meeting.

The DNR hopes to bring elk from neighboring Kentucky to restore the state’s herd. West Virginia’s last native elk was killed around 1875.

A draft management plan says elk would be released in McDowell, Wyoming, Logan, Mingo, Boone, Lincoln and Wayne counties.

Wildlife Resources Section chief Curtis Taylor says more than 90 percent of the public comments submitted to the agency support restoring elk in the state.

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Information from: Charleston Daily Mail, http://www.charlestondailymail.com

– See more at: http://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/articles/5528-foundation-gives-west-virgina-50k-grant-for-elk-restoration#sthash.Sw4b4M2i.dpuf