Bellwood Elk Herd

Bellwood Elk Herd. Wapiti (Cervus canadensis). Around the turn of the 20th century, James Bellwood, a farmer who lived on this property, imported a pair of Rocky Mountain Elk from Yosemite National Park and Washington State. The elk made themselves at home in the shady groves an pastureland where deer, rabbits and other animals already roamed at will. The elk flourished and multiplied. With the coming of World War II, the Federal Government purchased the land in 1941 from the Bellwood family for construction of the Richmond General Depot, now known as - Defense Supply Center Richmond., One of the conditions of the land sale insisted upon by the Bellwood family was continuation and maintenance of the elk herd. A handshake signaled the Army's agreement, although throughout the years some elk have been traded or donated to other herds. Management and care of the elk is overseen by Defense Logistics Agency Installation Support at Richmond. Through the years the Bellwood Elk Herd has been an important part of the installation's culture and a source of great pride among the work force as the Department of Defense continues to honor the original agreement made with the Bellwood family to care for the elk., Wapiti At A Glance, . Male elk are called bulls, females are called cows, and the young are called calves. Bulls mature at age seven, weigh 800 to 1100 pounds, and stand five to six feet tall at the shoulder. Cows mature at age three, weight about 550 pounds, and stand about four feet tall at the shoulder., . Only bulls grow antlers; the number of points is influenced by genetics, feed and age. Elk grow their first set of antlers at age one and use them for defense. They keep their antlers through the winter and shed them annually in the spring. A mature bulls [SIC] antlers can weigh between 20 to 30 pounds. As antlers grow, they are surrounded by a soft tissue called velvet. The bulls scrape the velvet off when the antlers stop growing. Elk with six points on each antler are called Royal elk; seven-point elk are Imperial; and those with eight points are Monarchs., . Bulls compete for dominance during the fall mating period by sparring and through powerful vocal calls known as bugling., . Cows give birth after approximately 246 days. The calves are born mid-May through July and spend the first week of their lives hidden in tall grass. Calves are born with spots and develop solid brown coats in six months. Cows with calves will join together and take turns "babysitting" while the others graze., . A commonly used name for elk is “Wapiti,” the Shawnee word for white rump and tail.