Question a da week

[Lee Borgersen]

 

                                  Question a da week

Q: How widespread are elk in Minnesota?

A: Elk were once numerous across the Minnesota prairie and forest transition zone prior to settlement by Europeans. Elk were absent from Minnesota by the early 1900s because of overharvest and conversion of Minnesota's vast prairie ecosystem to agriculture.

Through restoration efforts and immigration from Manitoba and North Dakota, there are currently about 150 elk in northwestern Minnesota found in two primary herds near Grygla and in Kittson County. Each winter, the DNR conducts aerial surveys to estimate elk numbers.   

The DNR plans to initiate a research project using GPS collars to learn more about elk movement patterns and the habitats they prefer. This information will help guide the management of elk and their habitats into the future.

Gino D'Angelo, DNR deer project leader

[cookie]

I would be interested in hunting a elk in Minnesota with my bow