In December of 1997, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources released the first elk to the Southern Appalachian Coalfields of Eastern Kentucky. Over the next 25 years, a total of 1,540 relocated elk thrived to become the largest U.S. Elk Herd east of the Rocky Mountain.

In January of 2022, RMEF volunteers showed up to assist KDFWR, in conjunction with Daniel Boone National Forest, to relocate approximately 50 elk from areas of high population density in the Stearns Ranger District to the Daniel Boone National Forest. The goal: expand elk distribution in Kentucky and substantially increase public access opportunities for elk hunting.