Explore an Elk Oasis at Quiet Harmony Ranch – Ohio.org

An Ohio.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the State of Ohio.
A lock or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
If you’re asked to log in with an OHID – the state’s best-of-breed digital identity – your privacy, data, and personal information are protected by all federal and state digital security guidelines.

Top Five Featured
Made in Ohio
Cycling & Bike Paths
Summer
Nature Trails
DETOUR trails app
Seasonal Adventures
Holidays
Lunar Landing
Golf in Ohio
Seasons
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Regions
Central
Northeast
Northwest
Southeast
Southwest
Areas of Interest
Amish Country
Appalachia
Birthplace of Aviation
Hocking Hills
Shores & Islands
Wine Country
Ohio Travel Guides
Visitor Info
See All Things To Do
Outdoor & Recreation
Amusement & Water Parks
Outdoors
Parks & Nature
Golf
Sports & Recreation
Cycling & Bike Paths
Tours & Cruises
Food & Shopping
Restaurants & Dining
Wineries
Nightlife
Shopping
Breweries
Family
Arts & Culture
Family Fun
Historic Attractions
Museums
Zoo & Wildlife
Ohio Road Trips
Ohio Adventure Trails
Map
Itinerary
Search
Explore Ohio
Things To Do
Where To Stay
Festival & Events
Travel Inspiration
Map
Itinerary
Ohio Road Trips
Ohio Adventure Trails
By Damaine Vonada
Posted On: Aug 4, 2022

At Quiet Harmony Ranch near New Paris, the elk cows are prolific, the bulls look majestic, the calves are adorable, and the entire family can enjoy a day of discovery – and fun – in the Southwest Ohio countryside. Owned and operated by Dave Flory and his wife Pam, Quiet Harmony is a working elk ranch and idyllic destination where people take a break from the bustling world and delight in the wonders of the natural world. 
“I wanted to have a place where families would see God’s creation and get inspired by it,” Dave told me. “While they’re here, they can turn off their electronics and learn about farming and nature.”
Thanks to the introductory video shown in Quiet Harmony’s Welcome Center, I was surprised to learn that wild elk were once common in Ohio. The graceful animals are much larger cousins of the state’s common white-tailed deer, but they disappeared around 1840 because of overhunting and habitat loss.

Since the Florys breed and raise elk at Quiet Harmony, the 185-acre ranch typically has between 300 and 400 elk onsite, offering a rare opportunity to observe herds of elk and listen to their distinctive – and often loud! – trumpeting sounds echoing from a grassy paddock or patch of trees.  

Self-guided driving tour of the grounds
The ranch’s visitor venues are open on Fridays and Saturdays from June through October, and the admission fee includes multiple ways to get acquainted with elk. Experiences range from catching sight of mamas and their spotted babies on self-guided driving tours through the picturesque grounds; to hiking densely wooded Discovery Trails where signs along the way feature fascinating facts – who knew that newborn calves weigh 35 pounds? – about elk.

Visitors navigating the Intelli-Maze
You can also try to finding your way through a unique Intelli-Maze that tests visitors elk expertise. If you know, for example, that a bull elk’s antlers are made of bone, you’ll advance through the maze. If you don’t, you’ll hit a dead end!
Since Dave generously treated me to a visit to the ranch, I got to join in an Outback Encounter, an exciting off-the-beaten path expedition in an RTV that, for an additional fee, takes guests to the ranch’s “back forty” for close-up views of elk. As the RTV bumped and bounced over mowed paths on the hillsides, our driver and guide Tony Ballin pointed out a large bull nibbling on the bark of a tree.

His handsome set of antlers appeared to be furry, and Tony explained that male elk sprout a new set of antlers every year.  Their antlers growing rapidly in the spring and summer when they’re covered with a soft, blood-rich tissue called velvet. Once the antlers stop growing and harden into bone in late summer, bulls naturally start shedding the velvet. 
Quiet Harmony’s elk are fed a custom mix of non-GMO alfalfa and wheat, and when Tony stopped the RTV beside a fenced-in field and grabbed a feed bucket, a group of calves immediately showed up for a snack. Everyone got out of the RTV for the chance to stand – and of course take lots of photos – just inches away from the elk. 
After the Outback Encounter, ranch employee Rosanna Huffman met me outside the Food Cabin, and as we walked inside to order lunch, she mentioned that she had gotten up at 4 AM that day to bake the eatery’s sandwich buns. “I use my mother’s yeast dough recipe,” said Rosanna, “and I mix the raw ingredients myself.”

Although homemade Elk BBQ is the Food Cabin’s signature sandwich, when I found out that it also serves house-made chicken salad, I decided to compromise and had half sandwiches of each for lunch. Both the Elk BBQ, which is similar in texture to Sloppy Joes, and the chicken salad were delish, and a side of tangy coleslaw – it’s also homemade! – perfectly complemented them. 

My final stop was the ranch’s Trading Post, which carries an excellent selection of low fat, high protein “heart smart” elk meats as well as flavored elk sticks and jerky. It also sells elk velvet nutritional supplements, elk antler dog chews, and plush elk toys complete with oversized stuffed antlers. 

The elks on the shelf were certainly cute and cuddly, but as I thought about my many adventures at Quiet Harmony Ranch, I quickly concluded that they could never compete with Mother Nature or my takeaway memory – the shy but sharp-eyed pair of young calves who had seemed as curious about me as I was about them.   
For more outdoor adventures, check out #OhioFindItHere at Ohio.org. 
Damaine Vonada is a blogger for Ohio. Find It Here. 
Here are some of the latest articles from our team:
Find travel inspiration for your next trip, get the latest Ohio news & find out about great events with our newsletter!
© 2020 Ohio Department of Development, TourismOhio     Mike DeWine, Governor           Jon Husted, Lt. Governor           Lydia L. Mihalik, Director of Department of Development

source