Below is the latest article in a Volunteer Newsletter series dating back to January 2020 that highlights Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation volunteers by state in alphabetical order. In January 2025, the focus was on Washington, so next up is West Virginia.
Though not the largest state in the union (ranked 41st in size) nor the most populous (ranked 39th), West Virginia is known for its natural beauty. Maybe that’s why John Denver crooned about it in one of his most famous songs (“Take Me Home, Country Roads”) or why the state rides with the slogan “wild and wonderful.”
Whatever your take, West Virginia is known for its scenic and colorful landscapes. It’s also known for its wildlife, including a free-ranging elk herd restored by a collaborative 2016 effort involving the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, among others.
The state’s RMEF membership is in line with its not-so-large population status. There are only some 1,800 members spread across seven different chapters. Still, those volunteers are an enthusiastic and energic bunch. At no time was that more evident than when they gathered together from across the state in 2018 to build holding pens for elk captured in Arizona and shipped to West Virginia.
Today, volunteers are helping ensure the future of those elk, other wildlife and hunting by planning and hosting big game fundraising banquets and other events. And those dollars help move the needle. For example, RMEF funding supported a scientific study designed to provide a genetic analysis of the state’s reintroduced elk population. Researchers looked at many factors including the impact that brainworm has on elk introduced from Arizona compared to those brought in from Kentucky.
Volunteer-generated funding also helped support the West Virginia 4-H Shooting Sports Program, which educates youth between the ages of nine and 21 about the safe and responsible use of air pistol and rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader and archery equipment. The program also helps participants learn about wildlife conservation and developed life skills like self-discipline and teamwork.
Though elk restoration efforts first took place nine years ago, RMEF’s mission work in West Virginia, supported by its volunteers, dates back to 1997. Since that time, RMEF and its partners completed 60 conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects in West Virginia with a combined value of more than $10 million. These projects conserved or enhanced nearly 34,000 acres of habitat and opened or improved public access to 32,371 acres.
“What can you say? Our volunteers care. They show it with their passion, their work ethic and their enthusiasm. They’ve done it for years. It’s just a great thing to see and we salute them for that,” said Andy Fry, RMEF regional director.
Just another example why West Virginia is so “wild and wonderful.”
(Photo credit: West Virginia Division of Natural Resources & Mark Bias)