Bull elk is likely from Black River Falls herd
By Correne Martin
Although community members didn’t seem to know how a bull elk showed up on a rural Wauzeka sheep farm Oct. 25, a regional DNR wildlife biologist suspects it was a wild elk, about 2-3 years old, that came down from a Black River Falls herd.
Property owners Greg and Rhonda Cerven weren’t feeding the elk to keep him around, nor were they doing anything to drive him away. He was not disturbing anything on their land either. According to the Cervens, the elk was still around early this week.
Dan Goltz, wildlife biologist from Viroqua, believes it is the same young bull elk spotted in Richland County and northern Crawford County previously.
“It seems like it’s a young male looking for a cow,” he stated. “What’s happening is we only have two dominant bull/cow groups in the Black River Falls or Clam Lake area. If you’re not that dominant bull, you leave and start looking for cows.”
Goltz thinks this elk could continue its path south before hitting the Mississippi River, and then he would most likely turn back and head to where he originated before the winter gets too snowy.
He recommended that, if members of the public happen to see the elk, they should keep their distance to be safe. With deer hunting season upon us, Goltz reminded hunters to be certain of their target. He said there is an elk season in Wisconsin; however, there are only five licenses allocated.
