Elk hunt update

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minnesota department of natural resources

Minnesota Elk Notes

Oct. 17, 2024

Elk, also called wapiti in Shawnee and Cree, heȟáka in Lakota, and omashkooz in Ojibwe, roam in three herds in Minnesota. This newsletter is all about Minnesota elk! 


elk hunter with the elk he harvested

Elk hunt report for 2024 

This year’s Minnesota elk hunt took place Sept. 21-29. A total of eight elk were harvested by state hunters in Zones 20 and 30 combined, for an overall hunter success rate of 60% for Zone 20 and 100% for Zone 30. In Zone 20, three bulls were harvested with the either-sex tags, but neither antlerless-only tag was filled. In Zone 30, all five either-sex tags were filled by bulls.

A total of 10 state licenses were available with 4,307 individuals or parties (up to two hunters) who applied for the opportunity to hunt elk in Minnesota for the 2024 season. Applicants were given the opportunity to select both zone and season in which to hunt. Seasons in Zone 20 were split between three either-sex and two antlerless-only licenses while Zone 30 had five either-sex tags. Having the season for both zones take place during the same dates allowed applicants to choose the type of license desired during their application.

Daniel Ryan (pictured) and Thomas Krippner hunted as a party in Zone 30 during the 2024 hunt. They took a bull on Sept 27. Photo courtesy of Phil Aarrestad.


elk in trees

Before deer hunting, know the difference between deer and elk

With firearms deer seasons around the corner, including the youth deer season and early antlerless season that continue through Sunday, Oct. 20, the Minnesota DNR reminds hunters to make sure they know the difference between deer and elk in the field. Elk can be seen in a wider geographical area outside of far northwest Minnesota. The DNR website has drawings and traits listed to help distinguish elk from white-tailed deer. Additionally, people are encouraged to report elk sightings in Minnesota using the online elk sighting reporting tool.


collaring an elk

DNR to conduct comprehensive research on elk life history in northwest Minnesota 

Research biologists from the Minnesota DNR and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities will begin an in-depth elk research project in northwest Minnesota in January 2025. The project is the beginning of a new effort that seeks to better understand Minnesota’s elk population.

The study aims to build upon the results from research on the northwest elk herds conducted from 2016 to 2018. While the results from the prior research provided an understanding of adult female (cow) elk home range size and habitat use, current information is lacking on basic life-history characteristics, herd health and genetic composition of the herds, as well as movements of bulls, which were not included in the first study.

Researchers will capture 25 adult cows and up to 15 adult bulls per year beginning January and again in 2026. Elk will be captured via helicopter and fitted with GPS collars that are flexible and expand when an elk grows. The collars will collect locations of the elk every 4 to 6 hours and alert researchers of a potential mortality event. A vaginal implant transmitter will be implanted in cows that are pregnant. The transmitter alerts researchers to when a cow gives birth, allowing them to quickly locate newborn calves. Calves will be fitted with a GPS collar to monitor their survival and assess what habitat types they are using. Biological samples will also be collected to assess herd health and genetic diversity.

Project funding for the northwest elk research project comes from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources and approved by the Minnesota Legislature. The Minnesota DNR is also providing in-kind support. More about the project and Minnesota elk can be found on the DNR website.


a spike bull elk

Recap of an elk public meeting

The Minnesota DNR held a public meeting to discuss northwest elk management on Sept. 10 in Thief River Falls. The DNR is in discussion with interested and affected parties, including those specifically identified in the 2024 legislation — Grygla and Kittson elk working groups, private landowners, local units of government, and Minnesota tribal nations — to garner support for and identify elk management concerns in regard to maintaining and strengthening the resilience of the current elk population in northwest Minnesota.

In attendance at the meeting were approximately 40 landowners, cattle producers, elk enthusiasts, and state and county representatives. The DNR will continue working with stakeholder groups to discuss elk management concerns. 


signs at a WMA stating Conservation Partners Legacy Grant program, MDHA, Legacy Amendment logos, adopt a WMA MDHA

Food (plot) for thought

A commonly debated topic among wildlife biologists and land managers is the use of forage plots and which forage mixes are best to attract wildlife while also meeting overall habitat management objectives. Forage plots on public land are only considered when there is a clear purpose, such as attracting wildlife to a specific area or enhancing the overall productivity of the habitat.

DNR staff at Thief Lake Wildlife Management Area and the Karlstad Area Wildlife Office deploy a number of forage plots each year for the purpose of attracting elk. Providing a high quality, desirable food source during key periods can substantially improve the overall vigor and health of Minnesota’s elk herds while aiding in enhancing people’s tolerance of elk on the landscape.

Despite having a significant amount of high-quality intact habitat, elk like many other big game species are often drawn to feeding on agriculture legumes, small grains, and row crops. This behavior has resulted in depredation and lower landowner tolerance of elk herds in the northwest. Providing high quality forage plots in key locations on public land has shown to alleviate and prevent some depredation on neighboring agricultural crops and stored forage. These forage plots coupled with additional habitat management practices such as prescribed fire, mechanical brush reduction, and timber harvest provide elk and numerous other wildlife species with an improved habitat complex by providing readily available nourishment during critical time periods.

Through the combined efforts of the Minnesota DNR along with support from our partners at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Minnesota Deer Hunter’s Association, the DNR plants a variety of forage mixes on more than 160 acres within the northwest elk range each year — specifically at the Skull Lake, Caribou, Beaches Lake and Thief Lake WMAs.

So how does the DNR incorporate these forage plots into our overall habitat management objectives?

  • Only using and selecting previous disturbed areas as not to negatively impact our intact native plant communities.
  • Using multi-species forage mixes that help build the soil and provide high quality nutrition to a wide array of wildlife species.
  • Utilizing no-till or minimum tillage agriculture practices.
  • Minimal use of herbicides and no use of insecticides (including not using neonicotinoid-treated seeds) and not using fungicide on public land.

elk bugling

Sound on for elk bugling!

If you’ve been to the far northwest corner of Minnesota in early fall and heard an eerie, whistling scream, you may have heard an elk bugling! The wailing noise, called a bugle, is one of the ways that bull (male) elk talk during the fall breeding season.

Deer, moose and elk all breed in the fall and this breeding season is sometimes referred to as the rut. Unlike deer and moose, which will grunt, snort and stomp, bull elk make a lot more noise in the dawn and again at dusk during the rut. These bull elk are competing for attention from cow (female) elk and declaring their territory is off-limits to other bulls. Large, strong, successful bulls will form a harem of cows that he will mate with, if he can defend his herd from other bulls that want to take his cows away. In addition to bugling, bull elk will also spar and fight as they compete for access to cow elk. Check out this video of elk bugling from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. 

Also, in case you missed it, watch Kelsie LaSharr, DNR elk coordinator, talk about bugling and also Minnesota elk biology, history and management on KSTP’s Minnesota Live program.

Learn about elk

Find more information about elk natural history, recreation, research and management on the Minnesota DNR elk webpage at mndnr.gov/elk. You can report elk you see by using our elk sightings tool. We also welcome photos you may have of Minnesota elk and you can send them our way with our photo uploader.

Hunters, trappers and wildlife watchers benefit from the management, habitat and oversight work of the Minnesota DNR’s area wildlife office staff. Have question, comment or concern? Area wildlife staff are happy to talk with you!