Hunters who want a once in a lifetime opportunity to bag an elk in Wisconsin need to get their application in.
The deadline to apply for a 2026 elk license is the end of May.
The application fee is $10, with most of the money raised going to elk management, monitoring and research.
Money also goes toward enhancing habitat.
Wisconsin residents can only draw one elk license in their lifetime.
Only a handful of permits are available each year.
- The 2026 Northern Elk Management Zone harvest quota is eight bull elk, subject to 50% declaration by the Ojibwe tribes, per treaty rights within the ceded territory.
- The 2026 Central Elk Management Zone harvest quota for antlerless elk is six, and for bull elk, six.
All winners must participate in a Wisconsin elk hunter education course before obtaining an elk hunting license. The class covers Wisconsin elk history, hunting regulations, biology, behavior and scouting/hunting techniques.
Visit the DNR's Elk Hunting webpage for more information about hunting in Wisconsin’s elk management zones.
