Yes, actually you do contradict yourself. Nature formed a balance without elk simply because man decided to overhunt the species - it was not nature's choice, but rather deliberate actions by man. Much like with bison and a host of other species we consider trophies that were a dime a dozen 150 years ago.

And as far as the Rocky Mountain elk that were introduced not being native - there is a whole lot of debate on whether Merriam's was even it's own species, or simply a variation of the RM elk. Genetically, there is almost no difference between what we know from Merriam's DNA versus the RM DNA from current elk herds. Essentially, you are really getting into the splitting of hairs here - and peach fuzz hairs at that.

TWPD considers them an exotic, but that is purely legislative. For now. But they also readily concede that elk were once native to Texas.

Keep in mind that our beloved white tail in Texas are also, for the purposes of this discussion, not native to Texas - many hundreds, if not thousands, of white tails were re-introduced to Texas from Kansas after the depression era, when the state's heard was nearly wiped out due to over hunting. TWPD considers them native - largely because their budget depends on it.

The glass mountains south and west of Ft Stockton has had elk since the fifties and maybe longer.

30's

Bet STX was there

If I had been there would be no Elk to talk about today.

how far away from de fence was ya? Elks feel at Home on de Range solo hunts are tough. Elk way bigger dan a ho got g . one time while wondering about the woods. shot me a hog. didnt bring me scales width. took back straps & quarters & hooked em out. bye time got ta truck it felt likes a moose. deboned & scaled 25# . now a days just sit & wait dang android says roman my posts getting expensive.