Bull Elk walking into the fog. The elk is in Cataloochee, a part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Elk were re-introduced here in 2001 and 2002 by the National Park Service. A herd of 50 has since grown to about 240. The Elk were hunted to extinction in North Carolina in the 1700's.br/It was hoped that the herd would grow faster, but poachers have been shooting the elk.