No Elk Hunt In Wisconsin This Year

Hunters will have to wait at least another year before they can put a northern Wisconsin elk in their sights.

DNR big-game ecologist Kevin Wallenfang says the Clam Lake elk herd is not big enough. He says there will be about 175 elk after calving season this summer, short of the 200 needed before a hunt can begin.

“It’s something that a lot of people have been waiting for a long time. People are kind of look at that as a gauge of success – as to how successful the program itself has been.”

Wallenfang says they still hope to bring in 275 elk, probably from Kentucky, for Clam Lake, and to start a new herd in the Black River Falls State Forest.

“Our Clam Lake population is going to continue to grow, whether we get new animals in there or not, but we sure would like to give that population a boost and bring in some new genetics and that kind of thing.”

Meanwhile, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman Sue Erickson says the decision is in keeping with the herd guidelines. She says the tribes have not made a decision whether to hold another ceremonial elk hunt this fall.

The elk were reintroduced to Wisconsin when 25 were brought in from Michigan in 1995.