Elk hunters in Wisconsin have reason to prepare for the wilderness once more, as the Department of Natural Resources announced the opening of the 2025 elk hunt application period. Starting today until May 31, the DNR is accepting applications for a hunting opportunity that includes increased quotas within the Black River Elk Range, now offering both antlered and antlerless harvest authorizations.
This season, there's a palpable shift in the air; the DNR has set a quota of four antlered and five antlerless elk for the Black River Elk Range, while the Clam Lake Elk Range quota sits at eight antlered elk. Significantly, 50% of the Clam Lake quota is reserved for Ojibwe hunters, who maintain their hunting traditions and cultural heritage through such agreements. Hunters who set their sights on the Black River will see the first four randomly drawn applicants receive authorization for antlered elk, the subsequent five will be offered an antlerless option.
Elk hunters must choose between the Black River or Clam Lake Elk Range when applying. If selected for an antlerless elk, hunters can choose to accept or pass; if passed, the authorization will go to the next person until all five are claimed. The DNR reminds that only Wisconsin residents can get an elk license, and it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity per person, regardless of the elk's sex. Notifications for successful applicants will be sent by early June.
Hunters can apply for an elk license online through the Go Wild portal or at an in-person license sales agent for a $10 fee, limited to one per person. This fee supports elk management and research, with $7 going toward these efforts and habitat improvements for other species. If selected, the elk hunting license costs $49.
Before hunting, winning applicants must complete a Wisconsin elk hunter education course covering elk history, biology, regulations, and hunting techniques. This ensures hunters are responsible stewards of the tradition, as per the Department of Natural Resources press release.
