- Plan
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The Minnesota DNR will maintain a free-ranging, wild elk population. The long-term vision of the Interim Strategic Management Plan for Elk is to enhance the size and range extent of northwestern Minnesota’s elk population and provide increased recreational opportunities, while maintaining positive coexistence with private landowners.
We envision a healthy, self-sustaining, managed population that affords recreational (including regular hunting seasons) and economic opportunities for all state citizens, while actively addressing elk depredation situations.
Management will strive to:
- Maintain habitats and herd structure for sustainable reproductive potential.
- Offer hunting as a recreational opportunity and a tool to manage elk populations and reduce elk-landowner conflicts.
Continued growth of northwestern Minnesota’s elk herd will include establishing enduring relationships with landowners to minimize elk damage and provide elk recreational opportunities to the citizens of Minnesota.
Nine broad objectives frame the management plan to achieve the plan's goal:
Objective 1: Maintain a socially acceptable and biologically sound number of elk in the three elk ranges of the state, including the Caribou-Vita subgroup, which is shared with Manitoba.
Objective 2: Work cooperatively with landowners and producers to identify private land management opportunities and prevent or minimize property damage caused by elk.
Objective 3: Continue to improve and maintain quality habitat on, and encourage elk use of, public lands that benefit elk.
Objective 4: Ensure the health and reproductive potential of the elk population.
Objective 5: Provide consumptive and non-consumptive recreational opportunities.
Objective 6: Provide information to stakeholders.
Objective 7: Conduct and pursue funding for research that addresses known information gaps regarding elk management and recreational opportunities in Minnesota.
Objective 8: Support external research to evaluate the feasibility of elk restoration in northeastern Minnesota.
Objective 9: Inform and educate elected officials on elk management and legislative opportunities.
Read the management plan - Status
Three herds comprised of about 200 elk roam two areas of northwestern Minnesota.
Two larger herds range near the Canadian border in Kittson County, with one herd spending some of the year in Manitoba, Canada. The smaller herd of about 30 animals ranges near Grygla in Marshall County.
The DNR strives to maintain a healthy, self-sustaining, managed northwestern Minnesota elk population that affords recreational viewing and hunting opportunities while actively addressing elk damage to crops.
Legislative changes enacted in 2024 allows the DNR to increase the size of one of Kittson County's elk herds by 30% and directs the DNR to work with local communities, governments and partners to enhance the size and range of Minnesota's elk population.
The Red Lake Band of Ojibwe began holding off-reservation tribal elk hunts within the 1863 Old Crossing Treaty Area in 2022 and has voiced plans to conduct annual hunts. This treaty area encompasses the range of all three elk herds in northwestern Minnesota. The DNR will communicate each spring with the Red Lake Band about shared harvest opportunities, based on aerial survey results.
- Benefits
A healthy, self-sustaining, managed elk population will afford recreational and economic opportunities while actively addressing elk depredation situations.
The northwest Minnesota Aspen Parkland and Tallgrass Prairie ecosystems are rich with abundant wildlife species, including elk that offer great opportunity for recreation and economic benefit. Elk play an important role in the ecosystem, particularly the aspen-parkland region, as a native species.
Elk are able to increase plant diversity through low-level grazing. They also can prevent woody encroachment as they browse throughout the winter. Additionally, elk can help spread native plant seeds as part of their natural digestive process.
- Concerns
Wild, free-ranging elk are large animals that can damage agricultural crops, pose a danger to drivers and their vehicles, require comparatively large forage browsing areas, easily wander outside their designated ranges and provide another vector for potential wildlife diseases.
Population goals
Legislative direction in 2024 allows the DNR to explore managing elk in larger herds.
Even with this change, more work needs to be done in conjunction with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to meet with area communities and local governments, farmers and producers to ensure that elk depredation situations are actively and adequately addressed.
Small herd size may be detrimentally impacting the health and behavior of Minnesota's herds by:
- Making elk susceptible to catastrophic events.
- Limiting genetic variation.
- Possibly causing herd structural and behavioral changes associated with the heavy hunting pressure necessary to keep populations at or below established goals.
- Recreation
The elk range in northwestern Minnesota boasts tens of thousands of acres of public lands managed by the DNR, The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others. These lands stretch from the tallgrass aspen parklands west to the prairie grasslands.
The most popular period to view elk is September through October during the elk breeding season or rut. Elk can frequently be spotted in openings, especially at dusk and dawn. They also can be tracked by listening for the bull mating call or bugle. Grassy meadows, forest edges near openings and food plots established for elk are key areas for viewing.
Hundreds of miles of hunter walking trails in area wildlife management areas provide opportunities to view and photograph hundreds of species of birds and other wildlife.
There are two herds that provide viewing opportunities in Kittson County.
The Kittson-Central herd: Animals roam about 10 miles north and east of Lancaster and can occasionally be seen from paved or gravel county roads or, better yet, more isolated township roads. Skull Lake WMA is east and north of Lancaster. It provides more than 7,000 acres of elk habitat and can provide good viewing opportunities from the vehicle or on foot, especially in the fall.
The Caribou-Vita herd: Animals often can be found on the eastern portions of Caribou WMA, which is about 15 miles north and east of Lancaster. Elk are year-round residents on this 13,700-acre unit. Elk can be viewed from the vehicle or by hiking into the WMA.
The Grygla elk herd: Animals may be spotted along the west side of County Road 54 four miles north of Grygla where food plot fields were planted specifically for the elk. They can also be found along Minnesota Highway 89 about six miles west and north of Grygla.
Hunting elk in Minnesota is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and Minnesota's herds have drawn nationwide attention for their trophy-sized bulls.
Hunter harvest has been the principal tool used to manage elk population growth. Hunting also helps maintain more natural, wary behavior in elk, which encourages the animals to avoid croplands and other human-use areas.
Generally, bull or either-sex seasons have been conducted in September. Antlerless hunts have been scheduled later in the fall and into winter.
Hunters can explore hundreds of miles of hunter walking trails on a variety of state WMA's. These areas provide excellent opportunities to hunt ruffed and sharp-tailed grouse.
