Elk in Wisconsin

Elk Management Areas

Clam Lake Herd

The Clam Lake elk herd is estimated to be approximately 355 individuals as of July 2023. The herd currently occupies a range of approximately 400 square miles. The primary habitat used by the elk consists of aspen and pine forests interspersed with forest openings, as well as lowland conifers in the winter. The northern herd can sustain an annual bull-only hunting season and now occupies about 25% of the Clam Lake Elk Range (CLER).

This population has grown slowly but steadily since its reintroduction in 1995. The average rate of growth is 10% per year, but the growth rates have varied from as high as 30% to as low as -16%. Primary causes of mortality include predation by wolves and black bears, vehicle collisions and (in recent years) hunter harvest. 

The entire Clam Lake Elk Range is located within the 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories where the Ojibwe tribes’ off-reservation, treaty-observed rights may be exercised under their respective tribal conservation codes.

Five state highways cross or border the range, with a sixth lying just south of the southern boundary. Additionally, numerous county highways run throughout the Clam Lake Elk Range. There are no sizeable human population areas within the range border.

Habitat In The CLER

Based on the habitat suitability model (derived from a study by Didier and Porter), the Wisconsin Elk Study Committee (WESCO) determined that the United States Forest Service (USFS) Great Divide District (GDD) of the Chequamegon National Forest (CNF) near Clam Lake was most suited for an elk reintroduction.

This range, referred to as the Clam Lake Elk Range lies within the Northern Forest Region of Wisconsin and is comprised of portions of five counties, including Sawyer, Ashland, Bayfield, Price and Rusk. It’s 1,620 square miles and is primarily forested. A significant number of forest openings are maintained for elk and other wildlife use. Overall, 68% of the CLER is public land ownership and lies roughly in two lobes.

The northern lobe was the original Clam Lake elk range and encompasses a total of 1,112 square miles, centered on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest-Great Divide District (CNNF-GDD). The CNNF-GDD comprises of 589 square miles (377,200 acres) of flat to rolling terrain in portions of Ashland, Bayfield and Sawyer Counties. Approximately 65% of the northern lobe is under public ownership, with relatively little private ownership in agricultural production.

A key component of the landscape is the now-decommissioned U.S. Department of Navy's Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Communication System. The ELF line is an X-shaped corridor, annually maintained as a wildlife opening (free of trees and shrubs). Because these open areas are dominated by highly palatable forage for elk like grasses, sedges, and forbs, the ELF line provides seasonally important elk habitat. Each segment of the X-shaped corridor is about nine miles long (~36 miles in total) and varies from less than 20 to more than 300 feet wide. 

The southern lobe of the Clam Lake Elk Range contains 508 square miles of suitable elk habitat that was officially added to the range by administrative rule in 2012. Public lands (federal, state, county and open industrial forest) make up 78% of this lobe and include major blocks of the Sawyer, Price and Rusk County forests, the Flambeau River State Forest, multiple state wildlife areas and large blocks of industrial forest land.

Aspen clear cuts are one the primary sources of food within the CLER, and many properties provide regenerating aspen stands in industrial and managed forests, aggressively managed for revenue generation. They contain vast acreages of aspen in all age classes, including over 171,700 acres (23% of the lobe) of aspen forest.

Population Goal

2012 Elk Plan Amendment established a population goal of 1,400 elk for the original CLER. This population goal was originally established in the 2000 Management Plan and Environmental Assessment (aiming for one to two elk per square mile for the 1,112 square mile Clam Lake elk range). When the boundary was expanded through the 2012 Elk Plan Amendment, the goal remained unchanged (1,400) for the then-expanded range. This goal represents a density goal of approximately 0.9 elk per square mile, recognizing that elk live in family groups and observed densities are locally higher.

Map of Clam Lake Elk Range [PDF]

Black River Herd

The Black River Elk Range (BRER) is approximately 80 miles south of the southern boundary of the Clam Lake Elk Range and is approximately 252 square miles. The BRER is located in the Central Forest region of eastern Jackson County. This region of Wisconsin is primarily forested with some scattered grasslands, barrens and sedge meadows. The vegetation mosaic consists primarily of pine (jack, white, red), oak (red, white, black), central hardwoods and aspen forest, with intermittent open areas. Compared to the northern elk management zone, temperatures are slightly warmer and considerably less snowfall accumulates in the central elk management zone.

The Black River elk herd is estimated to be approximately 160 animals as of July 2023, including newborn calves to be born this spring. Vehicle collisions have been the leading cause of mortality in the Black River herd. Since reintroduction, the population has increased through natural reproduction, and the Black River herd is now an established wild herd in central Wisconsin.

In December 2001, the Natural Resources Board (NRB) adopted the Black River Elk Herd Management Plan. As part of the plan, the DNR determined that the Black River State Forest and surrounding public lands (primarily the Jackson County Forest) matched the criteria of lying within a historical elk management zone and providing suitable habitat to fulfill an elk herd’s biological needs while minimizing the potential for human-wildlife conflicts.

Overall, 83% of the Black River elk range is in public ownership. Land ownership consists of large areas of the 68,000-acre Black River State Forest (including the Dike 17 Wildlife Area) and 120,000-acre Jackson County Forest (including the Wazee Recreational Area), Ho-Chunk Tribal land and privately-owned parcels.

Map of Black River Falls Elk Range [PDF]

Management

Elk Management Plans

• Original 2001 Black River Falls Elk Management Plan [PDF]
• 2012 Clam Lake and Black River Elk Management Plan Amendment [PDF]
• 2018 Black River Elk herd update[PDF]

Habitat management within both the Black River and Clam Lake Elk Ranges has focused primarily on the dietary needs of elk. The staff has utilized past research on elk food preferences in Wisconsin and the eastern elk states, as well as radio collar data to help inform habitat management decisions. While the thermal cover has also been identified as an important habitat component for elk, thermal cover in the form of conifer stands is abundant within the elk management zones and does not appear to be a limiting factor.

Since elk utilize a broad range of habitat types and food resources, management efforts must be diverse to ensure all aspects of an elk’s diet are considered. As such, past and current management efforts have focused on the creation and maintenance of natural or established forest openings, enhancement of natural grassland and shrub-type habitats such as barrens and forest management practices that promote early successional aspen and mast-producing oak.

New openings have also been created on both private and public lands to increase the nutritional quality and abundance of food during the spring, summer and fall months. Food resources are critical during these times because elk prepare to give birth and raise their calves. Additionally, these forest openings have shown to be highly beneficial in drawing elk away from roadways and crops. These openings have also helped cultivate positive relationships with landowners, who have been able to get grass and clover fields created and planted on their property at little or no cost. Several of these were accomplished as a component of perpetual conservation easements developed by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, whereby the landowner donated their development rights to RMEF, ensuring the long-term opportunity to provide this habitat component on private lands. Staff will continue to maintain and create forest openings as needed and as opportunities present themselves.

Forest management practices that promote important forest resources are also conducted. The forest resources that have been documented to be the most beneficial to elk in Wisconsin are aspen and oak (primarily red and black oak). Young aspen (0-10 years old) provides abundant high-quality woody browse throughout the year, while aspen leaves are highly attractive during the growing months. Elk also seek out mature oak stands during the fall and winter months in search of highly nutritious acorns which help build fat reserves for the winter months. In addition to the importance of aspen and oak, elk also utilize a broad range of other woody species like maple in their daily consumption of forage. As such, newly established timber harvests that provide abundant early successional forest browse and abundant grass/forb resources on the ground layer are also highly attractive areas to elk.

Elk management staff routinely meet with their state, county and federal land management partners to ensure elk habitat is considered during the development and implementation of forest management plans and projects. In addition to promoting beneficial forest elk habitats on public lands, DNR staff also actively work with private landowners to encourage similar habitats on private land. Typical recommendations include maintaining or increasing the acreage of important timber types, ensuring these species are properly managed through regular harvest and resisting invasive species and forest conversion to less desirable species. Aspen and oak habitat management guidelines (HMGs) are being developed and implemented by DNR Wildlife Management staff and should be referenced before establishing timber sales within the elk management zones.

Land acquisition and protection are also critically important to the long-term health and persistence of Wisconsin’s elk population. DNR staff have worked with several public land management organizations (DNR, county forests, USFS), partner groups and private landowners to acquire critically important habitat. These acquisitions not only protect important properties from development, but they also allow for beneficial habitat management practices to be completed that further aid in elk management efforts. In addition, they also provide public viewing and hunting opportunities for elk.

Habitat can play an important role in mitigating the potential impacts of predation on elk. Reintroduction efforts in recent years have focused on broad areas of young forest habitat rather than mature forest. Elk in the Northern Elk Management Zone are demonstrating a significant ability to avoid predators in young forests and mortalities have been low. In 2014 and 2015, 26 Wisconsin elk were moved to the Flambeau River State Forest and Sawyer County Forest in the southeastern quarter of Sawyer County where there are large areas of aspen cutting with dense stands of regenerated aspen. Aspen in the 0–10-year age class is abundant and provides excellent predator escape cover.

The first state-managed hunt for elk in Wisconsin was held in 2018 in the Clam Lake Elk Range only. As of 2023, five managed elk hunts have been completed in the Wisconsin Northern Elk Management Zone (2018-2022). In 2018 and 2019, hunting was only open within the original Clam Lake elk range portion of the Northern Elk Management Zone. Starting in 2020, the entire Northern Elk Management Zone was open for elk hunting. To date, the Central Elk Management Zone has not held a hunt. To date, 39 bull elk have been harvested by WDNR licensed and tribal hunters in the modern-day elk hunting seasons. Visit the Elk Hunting page for more information.

Chronic Wasting Disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a degenerative disease of the brain and nervous system tissue that infects members of the cervid family (deer, elk, etc.). CWD is present in white-tailed deer in Wisconsin but has not yet been detected in elk in Wisconsin. All hunter-harvested elk, as well as all elk that die of other causes, are tested for CWD. Routine sampling of hunter-harvested white-tailed deer within and surrounding the two elk ranges also occurs.

Elk Viewing

To ensure the successful management of elk, please respect the elk and their habitat. Disturbances to the elk, such as calling them or attempting to view them by foot, may force the elk into areas in which they may not otherwise reside and can make them more susceptible to predation, vehicle collisions or other undesirable circumstances.

While it is understandable that people will have the desire to observe the elk, the public is asked to refrain from pressuring or calling the elk during the rutting season. This type of disturbance can disrupt breeding activities and separate the elk from their family units, leading to slower population growth. The many partners involved in the elk reintroduction are happy to see high public interest and excitement surrounding the elk reintroduction, but please respect the elk's space and view them from afar.

An interactive touchscreen kiosk has been retrofitted into an existing signboard located at the junction of state highways 77 and GG in Clam Lake. The kiosk is designed to provide visitors to the area with expansive information about the resident elk herd and their habitat. The program provides information about the history of elk in Wisconsin and even has a video clip of the original elk reintroduction. Most importantly, the program contains other tools and information to help visitors experience elk, including wildlife spotting guides, maps and directions to nearby viewing areas. Please note that the interactive kiosk may not be available during winter months.

To have the best chance of viewing elk, while keeping safe, please keep in mind these recommended wildlife viewing tips:

• Start early in the morning and stay into the evening. Elk are most active during these periods of the day.
• Go during the late fall/early winter and spring. These are the best timeframes to see Elk.
• Drive slow, use your flashers, only pull over in safe areas and stay in your vehicle.
• Try and try again. Don't forget to take pictures when you do succeed. 
• Do not feed, call to or approach any wildlife. It is illegal to bait or feed elk in Wisconsin.
• Do not honk at wildlife or block traffic.
• Stay in your vehicle and do not trespass without speaking to the landowner first.

Elk Advisory Committee

The Elk Advisory Committee reviews and makes recommendations on the reintroduction and management of wild elk. The committee advises the Wildlife Policy Team on a variety of topics, such as herd monitoring, growth strategies, research priorities, herd health issues and other reintroduction strategies. The committee will provide input on other elk herd management and policy decisions as requested. The Elk Advisory Committee is comprised of representatives from many agencies and organizations, including the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, United States Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture-Wildlife Services, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Ho-Chunk Nation, Wisconsin Conservation Congress, Wisconsin County Forest Association, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Wisconsin Bowhunters Association, Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association and Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation.

• Upcoming meeting dates

Committee meeting minutes

• Nov. 14, 2022 meeting notes [PDF]
• April 5, 2022 meeting notes [PDF]
• Nov. 11, 2021 meeting notes [PDF]
• March 24, 2021 meeting notes [PDF]
• Jan. 28, 2021 meeting notes [PDF]
• Nov. 11, 2020 meeting notes [PDF]
• March 18, 2020 meeting notes [PDF]
• March 1, 2019 meeting notes [PDF]
• Oct. 1, 2018 meeting notes [PDF]

Ongoing Elk Projects

Department staff members are tending to numerous projects to ensure the success and sustainability of our Wisconsin elk herds. Some recent and ongoing projects include:

• Surveyed citizens on their awareness and views of elk and their management in Wisconsin [PDF]. Results showed that, in general, the public had very positive attitudes toward elk and support their management within the state.
• Posting elk signage and performing media outreach before the deer hunting season to ensure that hunters are aware of elk in the area.
• Distributing elk identification sheets [PDF] to local registration stations and popular establishments to educate hunters before deer hunting season.
• Collaborating with Snapshot Wisconsin to monitor remote game cameras across both elk ranges to capture elk images used for bull analysis, herd monitoring and distribution of elk.
• Collaring elk (winter trapping and calf searching) to monitor habitat use and preference, home range size, dispersal, survival information, cause-specific mortality and collection of other data for research analysis.
• Completing habitat projects for elk, including creating large wildlife openings that are planted with clovers and grasses and maintaining existing (or created) wildlife openings into the future.
• Working on an assisted dispersal of elk to ensure a maximum portion of the elk range’s preferred habitat is utilized and to reduce nuisance location when applicable.
• Monitoring daily locations on all GPS-collared elk, including bulls, cows and calves, to provide information on mortality, home range size, habitat preference, calving, season movements and dispersal.
• Active participation with Federal, State, County and Tribal partners in timber and forest management to increase preferred forested and open habitat types.