Antigo Times

Top Menu

  • E-Editions
  • Contact Us

Main Menu

  • News
    • Business
  • Covid 19
  • Opinion
  • Courts
  • Arts & Ent
  • Sports
    • Sports News
    • High School Sports Scores
  • Classifieds
  • Obits
  • Video
  • Best of 2021
  • Class of 2020
  • E-Editions
  • Contact Us

logo

Antigo Times

  • News
    • Business
  • Covid 19
  • Opinion
  • Courts
  • Arts & Ent
  • Sports
    • Sports News
    • High School Sports Scores
  • Classifieds
  • Obits
  • Video
  • Best of 2021
  • Class of 2020
DNRDNRHunting & FishingNews
Home›News›DNR›Wisconsin’s 2020 Elk Hunting Season Ends On High Note

Wisconsin’s 2020 Elk Hunting Season Ends On High Note

By Antigo Times
January 26, 2021
1520
0
Jed Becker harvests an elk from the southern lobe of the Clam Lake Elk Range. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

FROM THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced that the five Wisconsin elk hunters filled their tags during Wisconsin’s third managed elk season. The 2020 season marked 25 years since the reintroduction and management of elk began in the state.

The five state-licensed hunters formed a strong bond and worked together toward a successful hunt. In order to stay safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the group used online chats and social media to discuss plans for the hunt and encourage each other for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“This wasn’t a typical season for this year’s elk hunters, so they got creative,” said Josh Spiegel, DNR Wildlife Biologist. “Each of the five hunters had unique experiences, but all ended the same with the harvest of a beautiful Wisconsin bull elk.”

There were many highlights to the 2020 elk hunt, including the first elk ever harvested in the Clam Lake Elk Range’s southern lobe, a 502 square-mile area added in 2012. One of the bulls harvested was also the first game animal harvested by one of the five hunters selected.

“Starting your hunting career by harvesting a bull elk on an unbelieve tag is a pretty incredible experience,” Spiegel said. “Not only were all the hunters rewarded for their hard work, but very grateful for their experience too.”

The Clam Lake Elk Range covers 1,620 square miles and reaches into portions of Ashland, Bayfield, Price, Rusk and Sawyer counties. The original herd began with 25 Michigan elk, released in 1995. In 2014 and 2015, 26 Wisconsin elk were released in the expanded range using an assisted dispersal process. In addition to that, 92 Kentucky translocated elk were released in 2017 and 2019 on the Flambeau River State Forest. In all, the Clam Lake Elk Range had a 2020 population estimate of about 300.

For various reasons, members of the Ojibwe tribes did not harvest an elk during the 2020 season with the five tags allocated. Over the previous two years, Ojibwe tribal members filled their five-bull annual quota, while the DNR tag holders filled nine of their 10 possible tags over the same timeframe.

Following a three-month application period, the DNR selected four hunters at random from a pool of about 28,000 applicants. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) awarded the fifth state-issued tag through their fundraising raffle. The RMEF chose a winner from almost 1,600 applicants.

For each $10 application fee, $7 is earmarked for elk management, habitat and research in Wisconsin. All of the RMEF raffle proceeds are earmarked specifically for elk management in Wisconsin. The 2021 elk hunt application period is expected to take place March 1 through May 31.

For more information regarding elk in Wisconsin, visit the DNR elk webpage here. To receive email updates regarding current translocation efforts, visit this DNR webpage, follow the prompts and select the “elk in Wisconsin” and “wildlife projects” distribution lists.

For inquiries regarding the tribes’ 2020 elk hunt, please contact Dylan Jennings, Public Information Office Director at the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, via email at djennings@glifwc.org.

Previous Article

Fall Turkey Harvest Numbers And Permit Sales ...

Next Article

Winter Safety Tips for Caregivers Supporting Someone ...

Related articles More from author

  • DNRNews

    DNR announces public meeting to share Wisconsin wolf population data

    May 29, 2015
    By Antigo Times
  • News

    North Central Region road construction update 7-23-15

    July 23, 2015
    By Antigo Times
  • News

    Two Local Women Celebrate Ordination at Area Church

    July 9, 2018
    By Antigo Times
  • BusinessNews

    Father, Son duo keep 10 employed in new Antigo-based company

    March 21, 2016
    By Antigo Times
  • EducationNews

    Local student competes in Science Olympiad

    April 21, 2016
    By Antigo Times
  • Local InterestNews

    Cougar sited near Antigo & Merrill in December, DNR working to verify photos

    January 10, 2018
    By Antigo Times

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Timeline

  • March 3, 2021

    Webinar/Phone Family Caregiver Education Programs – March

  • March 3, 2021

    Alzheimer Support Groups for March

  • March 3, 2021

    Insight FS to Award 10 Scholarships to Youth Pursuing a Career in Agriculture

  • March 3, 2021

    New Alzheimer’s Association Report Shows Latest Statistics on Alzheimer’s Prevalence, Incident, Mortality and Cost of Care

  • March 3, 2021

    Antigo Police & Langlade County Sheriff Reports for 3/8/21

Copyright © 2020 Multi Media Channels LLC.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted without the prior written consent of Multi Media Channels LLC.
×