Tennessee

TENNESSEE

IN THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS, THE FOG DOES NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR ITINERARY. NEITHER DO THE ELK. NEITHER, AS IT TURNS OUT, DOES A RENTAL SEDAN ON A ONE-LANE PULL-OFF NEAR CATALOOCHEE.

LAST WEEK A VISITOR FROM OUT OF STATE SPOTTED A BULL ELK IN VELVET ALONG THE ROAD AND DECIDED THE PHOTOGRAPH REQUIRED HIM TO BE IN IT. HE LEFT THE CAR RUNNING. HAZARD LIGHTS ON. DOOR OPEN. THEN HE CROUCHED IN THE WET GRASS, MAKING A NOISE HE LATER DESCRIBED TO RANGERS AS “FRIENDLY.”

THE ELK DID NOT FIND IT FRIENDLY. IT STEPPED FORWARD, TAGGED THE OPEN DOOR WITH AN ANTLER, AND IN TWO AWKWARD SHOVES FOLDED THE DRIVER’S SIDE INTO A SHAPE THE RENTAL COMPANY WILL CALL “A FIRST FOR US.” THE MAN FELL BACKWARD INTO A DITCH THAT LOOKED SHALLOW AND WAS NOT. HE WAS UNHURT. THE CAR WAS NOT. THE GUY CALLED 911 FOR HELP.

WILDLIFE OFFICERS ARRIVED AND MOVED THE ANIMAL OFF THE PAVEMENT. A WRECKER TOOK THE CAR. THE VISITOR, DRY AND UPRIGHT BY LATE AFTERNOON, FILED A COMPLAINT. HE WANTED THE PARK TO PAY FOR THE DOOR, A NEW CAMERA, AND WHAT HE CALLED “EMOTIONAL DAMAGES FROM BEING IGNORED BY WILDLIFE.”

RANGERS HAVE A SHORT SPEECH FOR THIS. ELK ARE NOT PROPS. THE DITCH IS DEEPER THAN IT LOOKS. AND THEY ENCOURAGED THE “VICTIM” TO NOT RETURN TO TENNESSEE.

STAY IN THE CAR. ENJOY SOM SNACKS WHILE WATCHING. WAVE FROM THE WINDOW. THEN LEAVE WITH A STORY FOR THE FOLKS BACK HOME IN FLORIDA.

IN VELVET MEANS THE ELK’S ANTLERS ARE STILL GROWING AND COVERED IN A SOFT, BLOOD-RICH SKIN CALLED VELVET.

WHILE ANTLERS ARE DEVELOPING (USUALLY SPRING INTO SUMMER), THAT SKIN FEEDS THE BONE UNDERNEATH. IT LOOKS FUZZY OR PLUSH, CAN BLEED IF DAMAGED, AND IS SENSITIVE. WHEN GROWTH FINISHES, THE VELVET DRIES, GETS SCRAPED OFF ON TREES, AND THE HARD, POLISHED ANTLERS SHOW FOR THE FALL RUT.

IN THE STORY IT MARKS THE SEASON: A BULL WITH VELVET ISN’T IN FULL AUTUMN FIGHTING GEAR YET, BUT HE’S STILL A LARGE WILD ANIMAL—NOT A PHOTO PROP.