The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is reminding hunters that the application period for the 2022 elk hunt is open until May 31. Following several successfully managed Wisconsin elk hunts, the DNR is planning the fifth elk hunt in state history this fall.

Once wide spread across North America, elk were eliminated from Wisconsin in the 1880’s. Thanks to the support of many partners and the backing of Wisconsinites, the herd has been reestablished. Elk hunting season is open from October 15 – November 13 and December 8 – 16, 2022 in the northern zone only. Successful applicants can hunt during either period. Only Wisconsin residents are eligible to receive an elk tag.

“Thanks to collaborative reintroduction efforts, Wisconsin’s expanding elk population has grown. The state has had an annual hunt every year since 2018”, said Josh Spiegel, the DNR’s Wildlife Biologist in Sawyer County. “We anticipate growth in the herd again this year and are thrilled to ouer this hunting experience.”

The DNR estimates that approximately 366 elk-197 cows, 94 bulls and 75 calves born in 2021 now reside in the state which include 107 (44 cows, 37 bulls and 26 calves) in the central zone and 259 (153 cows, 57 bulls and 49 calves) in the northern zone.

Based on previous studies, the DNR estimates a survival rate of 60% on calves. According to Spiegel, the largest loss to calves is predation by bears. The Hayward based elk team will be starting a new three year research project beginning now through mid-June to track GPS collared cows and place collars on as many calves as possible.

Excluding calf mortality, Spiegel said 23 elk died in the northern herd in 2021. Of the known causes, seven were from hunting, five from poor body condition, four from wolves, two from vehicles, two from brain worm/parasites, one from pregnancy complications, one euthanized after a trapping incident, and one unknown. According to Spiegel, a sizable amount of elk loss is due to older cows in poor condition. Some of the cows may be 15-17 years old. Although elk were first released in the Clam Lake area in 1995, the herd didn’t really start becoming fully established until several habitat projects were completed in the 1990’s.

In the northern herd in Ashland, Sawyer and Price Counties, five elk are known to have died so far this year. That precedes 23 known dead in 2021 and 28 in 2020. The DNR is projecting a slight growth factor despite the losses, with about 80 calves projected to be born this spring.

A total of 42 elk were captured in the northern herd this winter at three locations. Most were collared, and 14 were moved out of an agricultural damage area and released in the Clam Lake area.

The DNR will be monitoring survival mortality causes and habitat use with a new GPS collar study in the northern zone. The plan is to target and collar 20 – 25 calves each of the next three spring seasons to update or confirm survival rates and mortality causes. The last data was collected between 2000 and 2013.

At its recent Elk Advisory Committee meeting, the DNR reported that Chippewa Tribal members harvested four bulls in the Clam Lake area last year, including one small bull and three spike bulls. Licensed hunters who drew tags harvested three bulls, two of them mature bulls and one a spike.

Wisconsinites can currently purchase an elk license application online through GO WILD or in person by visiting a license agent. The application fee is $10 each and is limited to one per person. The hunt is open to Wisconsin residents only. The cost of an elk hunting license for the winners of the license drawing is $49. Winners will be notified by early June. Wisconsin residents can only draw one elk tag once in their lifetime.

Again this year, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will rawe one authorization to buy a license on August 13. Proceeds of the rawe benefit Wisconsin Elk management and research. Rawe tickets are $10 each and there is no limit as to the number of tickets an individual can purchase.

Before obtaining an elk hunting license, all winners must participate in an elk hunter orientation. The class covers Wisconsin elk history, hunting regulations, elk biology and behavior and scouting and hunting techniques. The 2022 hunting season will occur only within the northern elk management zone while the states central elk herd has grown steadily since reintroduction in 2015, it is not expected to be included in the 2022 hunt.

For each application, $7 goes directly to elk management and research in Wisconsin. These funds are used to enhance elk habitat, which benefits the elk herd and many other wildlife species that call the north woods home. Funding also contributes to ongoing elk research and monitoring.

For more information on the elk hunt, visit the DNR’s elk webpage.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) replaced the public dock at Otter Lake south boat landing two weeks ago. The dock, which showed extensive wear and vandalism damage, was removed last fall and transported to Ashland, Wisconsin where it was refurbished and updated by the DNR for future use.