2025 elk hunting season in Wisconsin wraps up, 12 elk harvested

article

Photo Credit: Thomas Yarrington

MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin's 2025 elk hunting season has come to a close, running from Oct. 18 to Dec. 19.

"This elk season marks another rewarding hunt for 13 lucky state hunters," said Christina Kizewski, DNR Central Elk Zone biologist. "The opportunity to establish a close relationship with the elk hunters and witness the excitement each one had was very special."

Hunters had harvests

What we know:

The 13 Wisconsin state-licensed hunters who took part in this year’s hunt were randomly selected from a pool of more than 26,000 applicants.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received 17,737 applications to hunt in the Clam Lake (Northern) Elk Range and 8,452 applications for the Black River (Central) Elk Range. An eight-bull quota was established for the Clam Lake Elk Range.

Four licenses were awarded to state hunters, and, per treaty rights, the Ojibwe Tribes declared a harvest of four bull elk. In the Black River Elk Range, five antlerless and four bull licenses were issued to state hunters, up from a four-bull quota in 2024.

The DNR says the random draw process ensures that each applicant has an equal chance of selection within the respective management zones. Applicants were required to identify their management zone of choice during the application process.

State-licensed hunters were successful in both elk ranges, in which a total of seven bulls and five antlerless elk were harvested statewide. In the Black River Elk Range, nearly all license holders found success, filling five of five antlerless tags and three of four bull tags.

"All five antlerless elk were harvested in areas where the reduction of a few elk was intended, making it a successful harvest for the hunters as well as meeting harvest objectives," said Kizewski.

Some hunters found success during the first opportunity to hunt elk, from mid-October to mid-November, while others filled their tags in the December timeframe. In the Clam Lake Elk Range, all four state-licensed hunters harvested bull elk in the first two weeks of the season. Tribal hunters have until Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, to complete their pursuit of elk within Wisconsin’s Ceded Territory.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

Apply for the 2026 elk hunting season

What's next:

The DNR's Elk Management Program is driven by the revenue received from hunter application fees, which contribute directly to the future of the state's elk population. For each $10 application fee, $7 goes directly toward elk management, habitat restoration and research.

The 2026 elk hunt application period for Wisconsin residents is expected to open with the new license year on March 1 and run through May 31, 2026. The 2026 elk hunting season will open on Saturday, Oct. 17.

For more information on elk in Wisconsin, visit the DNR's elk webpage.