Virginia Elk Cam returns for its eighth season

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Wildlife enthusiasts can once again tune in to watch Virginia’s elk herd in real time. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has launched the eighth season of the Virginia Elk Cam, which will stream through December.

The live camera, located on reclaimed mine land in Buchanan County, offers a window into what’s been called “Appalachia’s Greatest Conservation Success Story.” Viewers can often spot elk in the fields during the early morning, evening and night.

As temperatures drop, the animals become more active during the day. During the fall breeding season, which runs through October, the camera even captures the distinctive bugling calls of male elk.

Elk once roamed much of eastern North America, including Virginia, but unregulated hunting and habitat loss wiped them out by the late 1800s. The last elk from the state’s original herd was killed in Clarke County in 1855.

Virginia’s reintroduction program began in 2012, when 75 elk were relocated from eastern Kentucky to Buchanan County. As of 2025, the herd has grown to more than 250 animals.

The camera sometimes captures more than elk.

Viewers may also catch glimpses of deer, turkeys, black bears or coyotes moving through the same fields.

To watch the live stream or learn more about elk restoration efforts, visit DWR's website.