The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources opens the elk hunting season on Oct. 18. It will be the eighth elk hunting season since the reintroduction of elk in the state, and the first season with antlerless harvest opportunities.
Out of more than 26,000 applicants, 13 hunters were randomly selected to hunt elk. An eight-bull quota represents an increase of four from the 2024 season.
The DNR’s elk management program is driven by hunter application fee revenue. It directly affects the future of the state’s elk population. For each $10 application fee, $7 goes toward the management program, habitat restoration and research.
The elk population has surpassed 400 animals.
Hunting is big business in Wisconsin, with $2.5 billion contributed to the state’s economy, mostly from deer hunting, according to the DNR.
