By The Archery Wire
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reports that the growth of the elk population in the Clam Lake area of northern Wisconsin could lead to an archery elk hunting season there as early as next year.
According to parameters established by the DNR, hunting can take place once the elk herd reaches 200. If approved, the number of permits will be around five percent of the total population, or around 10 permits. It would be archery only, with half of the tags going to tribal members and the other half to Wisconsin residents.
The herd presently numbers about 180, according the DNR. With the spring calving season expected to add around forty additional elk, the population would easily exceed the target number.
"There's quite a few bulls out on the landscape that aren't serving any biological function in the herd so we call them a harvestable surplus," DNR Assistant Big Game Ecologist Scott Roepke told Wisconsin Public Radio last week. "Initially, the harvest of those 10 or so bulls won't have a noticeable impact."
Prior to instituting a hunt, meetings would be held to gather comments from the public.
Tentatively, the 2013 bowhunt is scheduled for Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, or until the quota is reached. Interested persons may complete an elk reintroduction survey located on the DNR website.
