Home Care In Maggie Valley, NC

On November 28, Maggie Valley residents spotted an elk with a toddler’s swing stuck in its antlers. Today, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission went out to help—here’s what you need to know.

On November 28, residents in Maggie Valley became concerned for the safety of an elk when they saw that it had a toddler’s swing tangled in its antlers. The situation was reported to the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

Two days later, on November 30, the sheriff’s office released an update on social media, along with a photo of the elk. The post read, “We are aware of the elk with a swing tangled in his antlers. Our team has been in contact with N.C. Wildlife, and with the assistance of wildlife officers and an N.C. Wildlife biologist, they are working on a plan to safely help this elk in the morning. At this time, wildlife officials believe there is no immediate harm to the elk. Thank you to our caring community for reaching out with your concerns.”

A representative from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission then contacted News 13 today, December 1, to let the station know that local wildlife agents were traveling to the area to carefully remove the swing from the elk’s antlers. The news station initially received a video on Friday via their Chime In feature showing the elk in question. The viewer who submitted the video said that she had spoken with officials about her concerns.

Thankfully, the situation has been safely resolved, as the N.C. Wildlife agents reported a successful removal of the swing this morning.

The swing was removed safely

News 13 reported that around 11 a.m. today, a group of North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission agents successfully untangled the swing from the elk’s antlers. Assisting in the safe removal were Wildlife Officer Melinda Parish, District Biologist Justin McVey, and Wildlife Sgt. Tanner Baldwin. A nearby resident monitored the elk’s location for the agents so they’d be able to find it with relative ease.

Once they arrived, the agents sedated the elk via dart to keep it calm, removed the swing that had become tangled in its antlers, and then woke the elk back up before it “went on its merry way.” The process took about half an hour from start to finish. The agents reported that the swing was “really old” and “looked like it was about to fall off of it from being so worn,” which may have contributed to it getting wrapped on the elk’s antlers to begin with.

How to help if you see an elk in distress

If you witness an elk in distress—whether that’s because it has something tangled in its antlers or it appears to be injured—you’re encouraged to report it to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission through its Law Enforcement branch by calling 800-662-7137 or emailing [email protected].

For additional tips on how to help distressed wildlife or report any concerns, click here.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

MAGGIE VALLEY, N.C. (WLOS) — An elk with a toddler's swing entangled in its antlers was seen by Maggie Valley residents on Friday, Nov. 28, and was reported to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

On Monday, Dec. 1, just after 11 a.m., the Haywood County Sheriff's Office reported that the swing had been taken off of the antlers of the elk by N.C. Wildlife Resources agents, including District Biologist Justin McVey, Wildlife Sgt. Tanner Baldwin and Wildlife Officer Melinda Parish.

A resident who lived nearby was monitoring the elk's location, according to the NCWRC. Agents said it took less than 30 minutes to dart the elk, which was a 3-1/2-old male, to get it sedated, get the swing off and wake it back up. Agents said the elk then "went on its merry way."

NCWRC said the swing looked to be an old child swing as the rope was "really old and the swing part looked like it was about to fall off of it from being so worn."

The night before, the Haywood County Sheriff's Office said in a social media post that it was aware of the elk and had contacted the NCWRC.

"We are aware of the elk with a swing tangled in his antlers. Our team has been in contact with N.C. Wildlife, and with the assistance of wildlife officers and an N.C. Wildlife biologist, they are working on a plan to safely help this elk in the morning," the Nov. 30 post said. "At this time, wildlife officials believe there is no immediate harm to the elk. Thank you to our caring community for reaching out with your concerns."

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission also got in touch with News 13 on Dec. 1 and said a biologist was on the way to the elk and would also provide updates.

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A News 13 viewer first shared a video of the elk in our Chime In feature on Friday and said the elk was walking along Moody Farm Road. When asked if she had called officials about the elk, in an email reply, she said there was a man there who had called officials.

News 13 also reached out to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission on Friday. An agent serving the counties of Buncombe, Haywood, Madison and Jackson told News 13 that she had left a message with the district biologist but had not hear back yet.

The sheriff's office said it was working with the Wildlife Resources Commission to make sure the elk is safely tended to.

"Since last evening, we have been in close communication with NC Wildlife, and with the assistance of wildlife officers and an NC Wildlife biologist, a plan is being put in place today to safely help this elk," Gina Zachary, the public information officer with the Haywood County Sheriff's Office, told News 13 on Dec. 1. "We are grateful for our partners at NC Wildlife for their quick support, and we appreciate the community members who reported this situation. We care deeply about our local elk population — they are a cherished and iconic part of Maggie Valley."

The Wildlife Resources Commission has tips on its website for viewing elk and what to do if anyone sees an elk in distress in the wild. To report unauthorized interactions with elk or any wildlife violations, contact NCWRC Law Enforcement at 800-662-7137.

For all wildlife questions or concerns, contact NCWRC’s Wildlife Helpline at 866-318-2401 or email at [email protected].

Before you head out the door to view fall color, please make sure you check conditions first and make reservations for Grandfather Mountain as spots book up quickly. Here's a look at current conditions and wind gust speeds in the mountains.

Wind Gust Speed in Miles Per Hour: Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina

Current Temperature, Radar and Alerts

"Fall Color Guy" says to head to the mountains this week | Peak color at high elevations is underway

Most of the peak fall color will follow the typical timing for North Carolina's mountains according to local fall color expert, Howard S. Neufeld, a professor and researcher at Appalachian State University.

Typically, we anticipate fall color peaking in North Carolina's High Country anywhere from early October to the middle of the month, but Neufeld says the early September chill caused some trees to show vibrant color earlier than usual in a few spots around the Blue Ridge Parkway. He also remarked in early posts that along the Appalachian Mountain tops in isolated spots, leaves have already dropped from August and September drought conditions.

Here's more from the "Fall Color Guy"

Neufeld has a doctorate in forest science and researches plant ecophysiology. He's better known to most around North Carolina as the "Fall Color Guy." His Fall Color Guy Facebook announcements of ground reports and forecasts along the Blue Ridge Parkway help drive tourism this time of the year by predicting whether the weather will help encourage peak fall color to show early or delay it.

While areas along the Blue Ridge Parkway may be peaking at the higher elevations, there are will still be great viewing down in lower elevations and into the Foothills through the next ten to 14 days as lots of green is still showing in the forests.

Check for road closures along the Blue Ridge Parkway here and tips from the National Park Service rangers for planning your trip.

Neufeld also recommends this quick read on what fall color is all about from the Farmer's Almanac.

Typical fall color season times in North Carolina and peak times

Fall color from Elkin, North Carolina, in November of 2024

The Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain regions, according to scientists with explorefall.com, and they claim that their forecast model has a three-day accuracy for fall color prediction of 80%. Explore Fall forecasters are now able to use fall foliage remote sensing data and incorporate those real-time color developments into their model.

Where fall color may appear during the next seven days in the U.S.

Aspen in Autumn from Rocky Mountain National Park

The forecast for the next seven days from Explore Fall shows that the Rocky Mountains and the Northwest color change will be underway. Otherwise, a tree's main cue to change colors is dependent on shorter days that develop in fall as we approach winter. We will update you as fall color reports arrive. You can also share your fall color with us here on the WXII 12 News Facebook group: ulocal North Carolina.

Most of the year, our leaves are green. This is because of something called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll allows trees to absorb energy from the sun and make food through photosynthesis. This is how the tree gets nutrients and stays healthy. As the seasons change, temperatures get cooler and days get shorter. Trees get less direct sunlight, and the chlorophyll in their leaves begins to break down. The lack of chlorophyll is what causes those yellow, orange, and red pigments in the leaves to be revealed. How quickly the leaves change varies around the world. The weather can also have an effect on fall foliage. The best colors usually come when the weather is sunny, cool, and just the right amount of rainfall. Fall colors around Winston-Salem and Greensboro usually peak in late October and early November, while colors in the mountains usually peak sooner, thanks to the higher elevation and cooler temperatures.