The state Natural Resources Board this week approved a plan on a 2019 Elk herd and harvest.
The state re-introduced the native animal back to Wisconsin's woodlands near Clam Lake and Black River Falls in 1989. The herd has grown to the point that tribal hunters and hunters picked by lottery were able to harvest an elk last year.
Kevin Wallenfang is a DNR deer and elk ecologist. He told the Natural Resources Board they recently brought in more elk from Kentucky...
"..50 elk in just a couple of days time. 48 made the trip back to Wisconsin last week. Those elk are now in Clam Lake, Flambeau River State Forest, the same quarantine pen we used in 2017. They now will be in there for the 120 day quarantine period, fulfilling all the health testing requirements..."
Wallenfang says the her is estimated to be 211-236 animals this year, including the Kentucky transplants. He says this translates to five bulls that will be available for harvest, with another five available for tribal harvest under treaty rights.
Last year, nearly 39,000 applicants applied to get into the hunt...
"Last year we had a total quota of 10 bulls which were split equally between the Chippewa tribes in the north and state hunters. From that, a total of 9 elk were harvested, four bulls by state hunters and 5 of them harvested by Ojibway tribes..."
The Board approved the plan presented by Wallenfang.
