It’s true; elk hunting will start in Wisconsin this year, October 13 – November 11, 2018, and December 13-21, 2018. Bulls only, but which hunter of the lucky ten drawn in May would want to shoot a cow? In states with large elk populations, there is nothing wrong with taking a cow elk. However, Wisconsin does not have a significant population of elk. Hunting will be not allowed in the areas where Kentucky elk were released in 2015-2017. Only Wisconsin residents are eligible to draw a tag.
The area of the planned hunt is within the Clam Lake elk range of Sawyer, Bayfield, Ashland, and Price counties in far north-central Wisconsin. Original restoration efforts occurred within this range with the release of 25 elk from Michigan in 1995. This northern herd is projected to reach a population level of over 200 animals this year, including a high proportion of bulls.
Only 10 permits are available;
- 4 permits will be awarded to Wisconsin residents through a random drawing. Entry starts in May 2018.
- One tag will be given to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation so they can raise funds by raffling the tag to a Wisconsin resident.
- 5 tags will be given to with the six Wisconsin Chippewa tribes to comply with the Federal Court order.
WRC says
I’m glad to see the DNR is finally opening up a season on the Elk, it was touch n go for a while, with the decline of the heard a few years ago. From what I’ve heard there are getting to many Bulls in the area and they are doing damage to the heard, so it’s time to thin a few out., kind of like what CO. does with their cow elk.
Charlie says
Yeah, me too. However, getting drawn for an elk tag is going to have about the same odds a getting struck by lightning. How many of our fellow hunters are going to apply?
Just about everyone is what I expect.
WRC says
Yeah I would think every deer hunter in the state will apply, but you never know, some days you just get lucky!
N.C.L.W. says
Good luck in the upcoming draw!
A very exciting announcement for Hunters in Wisconsin. Always a pleasure to see a Hunting opportunity open up.