The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is calling on the public to come forward with any information regarding the unlawful shooting of a bull elk, known as #244, as reported on their website. This well-known animal, part of the Central Wisconsin Elk Reintroduction Project, met an untimely and illegal end off East Snow Creek Road, north of Black River Falls. The carcass, discovered on private property, has set off an investigation by DNR officials following the troubling circumstance it was found in on March 18.
A necropsy confirmed that the elk had indubitably died from a gunshot wound. The bull was equipped with a GPS collar, which is hoped to significantly aid investigators in piecing together the events leading up to the illegal act. The slaying of the elk is a severe blow not only to the local wildlife but also to the surrounding community that has to now reckon with this loss. The DNR has stated that #244 was one of the last remaining breeding bulls introduced from Kentucky back in 2016, playing a crucial role in the Central Elk Herd's population growth efforts.
In a statement retrieved by the Wisconsin DNR, central elk herd biologist Christina Kizewski expressed the gravity of the situation: “The illegal shooting of bull 244 is a tremendous loss for the central elk herd and citizens of Wisconsin. The illegal harvest of a bull of this magnitude reduces opportunity to the hunting community and to recreationalists attempting to photograph or see elk within Jackson County.” Indeed, #244 was not only key to the elk’s breeding program but also an icon for wildlife enthusiasts in the region.
The DNR has used the information collected from the GPS collar and local trail cameras to further the inquiry, although no suspects have yet been openly identified. The department eagerly anticipates assistance from the public to swiftly bring the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice and to curb future incidents of this nature from happening again. Any person with pertinent details is urged to reach out and help ensure that the conservation efforts can continue undisturbed, preserving the delicate resurgence of the elk population in Wisconsin.
