Four residents of Wisconsin beat the odds and had their names drawn from among 38,000-plus entries for the state’s first-ever managed elk hunt to take place in 2018.
“This is an historic time for the department and I would like to sincerely thank all those who applied for an elk license,” said Kevin Wallenfang, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources deer and elk ecologist. “It was a privilege to call all the winners and personally congratulate them – each one recognizes that this will be a unique and exciting experience.”
An additional license will be awarded through a raffle conducted by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation on August 11. Tickets can be purchased here. All Wisconsin residents may enter the raffle, including hunters that applied in the state drawing. Raffle tickets may be purchased for $10 each; the same cost as the state application fee.
Proceeds from elk license applications and the RMEF drawing are earmarked for elk management in Wisconsin.
“Offering this hunt has taken Wisconsin’s elk management program to a whole new level,” said Wallenfang. “There has been high interest and excitement since we announce the hunt, and it has brought a level of awareness to a lot of people who didn’t even know that we have elk in our state. It’s an important opportunity to inform and build advocacy for our elk reintroduction effort, while providing a limited, but exciting, recreational opportunity. We anticipate more tags in the future as the herds grow.”
Go here for more information about the elk hunt.
(Photo source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)