MN ELK

[The_King48]

I can NOT find anywhere in the DNR rule book about elk being a once in a life time hunt. I found that moose in MN are a once in a life time hunt. Am I safe to assume since I can't find it you can keep appling for the lottery even after you get drawn?

[skee0025]

I didn't even know this state had Elk outside of the Zoo and I would think they might get a little salty if you were to take one out of those "habitats".

[mrklean]

i remember they use ot have it in there it was a once in a lifetime unless it changed

[The_King48]

I grew up in Kittson county and they have a herd of 20 or so there. They bounce between Canada and the USA. There is another herd east of there too and that I think is more famous for hunting.....

[AngelicFatum]

I took this from the DNR HSOforum:

"In Minnesota, elk hunts are considered once in a lifetime, which means parties that choose to purchase their license, will not be eligible to apply for future elk hunts."

Elk Hunt Info

[Gissert]

The Kittson/Roseau herd numbers between 100-300 critters, and trades back and forth between Minnesota and Canada.

The Grygla herd numbers 50-70 critters. My wife, daughter and I had 28 cows and calves, plus 2 bulls in front of us in September when went on a calling/camping trip. There were 3-4 other bulls calling back that we never saw.

If you like the idea of elk in Minnesota, consider joining the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and attending a local banquet. A good percentage of the money raised stays in Minnesota, and also helps enhance habitat that also helps other game such as sharptail grouse.

[deerminator]

I've read all the Elk literature on the DNR site a few times in the past year or two. I think it's neat they have some here but from what I take, I don't think the numbers or hunting opportunities would expand much beyond what they already are? It seems like the potential conflict with landowners would be too great? Or am I off base? I don't know. That's why I'm asking.

Also, any firshand experiences of the "wildness" of Minnesota's elk herd. From what I read, it sounded like everyone tagged out almost immediately in the early hunts. Again, I'm asking cause I don't know. I've talked to some guys in Pennyslvania where they've reintroduced Elk and their firsthand accounts are that they're not very afraid of humans, wandering into construction sites and urban areas.

[jigglestick]

"Am I safe to assume since I can't find it you can keep appling for the lottery even after you get drawn?"

I am curious to find out why one would want to do this, knowing it is a once in a lifetime hunt?

[Gissert]

I had the bull tag in 2005. Believe me, these elk are wild.

My biggest problem was that the elk were outside the hunt boundary. I could not hunt them there, even though they were on public land.

Trying to pull a bull from hot cows over a half mile away is toughh. I almost had it happen the last morning, but he would not come the last 200 yards and cross the road.

They do seem to have a little less caution than you'd expect, but elk have a little different makeup than deer. They have a natural curiousity that can betray them, but when they spook for real, they are GONE in a hurry.

If the elk are hunted in breeding season, play the wind and try not to get busted by a cow and you should get your bull. After breeding season, the calling will not be very effective, if at all.

The Grygla herd has a pretty established range, and stick to it most of the time. There is evidance, however, that they do co-mingle and breed with the Kittson herd. I dont think this herd will expand much, due to habitat size and the regulation set up by the legislature to keep the herd at a certain level. At one point in the 80's, the herd was slated for extermination by the state, thank goodness that did not happen.

The Kittson herd can and will cause ag-related conflicts on the western end of their range. As you go east and north toward the Roseau pools and Manitoba, these conflits will be less and is pretty good elk range as long as the habitat is maintained. This is where the RMEF and DNR can help.

I am unsure as to the future hunting of these animals. There are issues with their international travels. For now, this herd has excellent potential for expansion.

I again urge anyone interested in seeing elk expand and flourish to contact the DNR and let them know your feelings. More importantly, join the RMEF and attend banquets. That is the engine that will sustain elk in Minnesota.

[Musky Buck]

How much can the elk expand and flourish in MN ? What type of numbers could we potentially see and what are the numbers today ?

[hoppe56307]

To add to Musky Buck's questions, I was wondering if any of the dedicated funding money will be able to go to the elk, and is there a Central Minnesota Chapter of RMELF?

[The_King48]

"Am I safe to assume since I can't find it you can keep appling for the lottery even after you get drawn?"

I am curious to find out why one would want to do this, knowing it is a once in a lifetime hunt?

I didn't know it once in a LIFETIME hunt. Did you read the post?

[pinkfloyd4ever]

Just read it too, I always thought Moose were once in a lifetime and Elk were a lottery system.

[mrklean]

i remember before moose and elk were always once in a lifetime since the elk pop has started to get better i didnt know if that changed

[Musky Buck]

Concerned about our Moose situation, M.B

[Gissert]

RMEF chapters that I know of are St. Cloud, Willmar, Brainerd (Jan.31 banquet, IIRC, Bemidji, and Battle Lake(just had our banquet on the 6th.)

Go to the RMEF site at rmef.org and there will be a listing of chapter locations and banquet dates.

[Gissert]

Muskybuck - Grygla herd will likely not get too much bigger unless they start setting up in the state land farther to the east, and they dont seem to be doing that. (except in 2005 when I was hunting them, LOL)

The Roseau/Kittson herd? Hard to say, really. The portions that have been farther west have run afoul of farmers.

The portion up near the pools around Caribou are better positioned for growth. Not so much trouble for them to get into. I have hear that the potential herd size could be a few hundred. Time will tell.

I too, am concerned about the moose. Looks like that they are declining in arrowhead region too.

[SrBrits]

the elk hunt in MN is once in a lifetime, if you take the tag, some will refuse the tag if not drawn for the bull, and that is why the dnr has alternates ready to take any tag that is refused. the late season in kittson just got over, dec 6th thru 14th, all four tags filled, and according to the dnr that will put kittson at 100% fill for the year, all 11 issued were filled. the areial survey from last march had kittson and west roseau at over 100 animals, and like gissert said, unless the elk move east and stay there, the numbers won't get much higher, to much conflict with cropland and the state is very slow to pay for damage. the other down side here is that if 1 animal ever tests positive for TB, the whole MN herd will be eradicated by the MN Dept of Ag.lets hope that never happens.

[mrklean]

I know look at the TB zone up there, if im correct which im probably not, no deer has tested positive yet just a cow and they are blasting away the deer up there

[Musky Buck]

Your Pic. still freaks me out mrklean, no doubt, why are they slaughtering them again, because a Holstein got the TB ? Wouldn't a sick deer with TB die anyway along with whatever maybe ate it ? Let the deer hunters run wild up there, heck I'd throw out a 50 spot to help with that rather than hire some sharpshooters and helicopters, do it over x-mas break when a bunch of us have free time, give us each a section to hunt and we'll drop them. MB

[mrklean]

You gotta watch the office on NBC thursday at 8 and you will love that show then you wont be freaked out by the pic, i think there are now 2 zones for the TB area

[eyesorbust]

the sharpshooters can do a much better job then the locals. they have all the advantages of baiting the deer. plus the helicopter helps also. i'm sure they are using walkie-talkie's also. there is not many deer left up here in the area. one tough winter and they will all be gone