The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced the successful conclusion of the state’s eighth managed elk hunting season, which ran from Oct. 18 through Dec. 19, 2025. Thirteen Wisconsin hunters took part in the limited hunt, marking another milestone in the state’s ongoing elk management program.
More than 26,000 hunters applied for a chance to participate this year. The DNR received 17,737 applications for the Clam Lake (Northern) Elk Range and 8,452 for the Black River (Central) Elk Range. In the Clam Lake range, an eight-bull harvest quota was set, with four licenses issued to state hunters and four bull elk allocated to Ojibwe Tribes under treaty rights. In the Black River range, the DNR issued nine licenses total—five antlerless and four bull—an increase from the previous year’s four-bull quota.
Hunters were selected through a random draw, giving all applicants equal odds within their chosen management zone. Overall, state-licensed hunters harvested a total of 12 elk statewide, including seven bulls and five antlerless animals. Success rates were particularly high in the Black River Elk Range, where hunters filled all five antlerless tags and three of the four bull tags.
According to DNR biologists, the harvest met both hunter expectations and management goals, especially in areas targeted for population reduction. Some hunters filled their tags early in the season, while others were successful later in December. In the Clam Lake range, all four state hunters harvested bull elk within the first two weeks of the season. Tribal hunters may continue hunting within Wisconsin’s Ceded Territory through Jan. 4, 2026.
Funding for Wisconsin’s Elk Management Program comes largely from application fees, with the majority of each $10 fee directed toward elk habitat, research, and long-term population management.
Looking ahead, applications for the 2026 elk hunt are expected to open March 1 and run through May 31, 2026, with the season scheduled to begin Oct. 17. Additional details about Wisconsin’s elk population and management efforts are available through the DNR.
