Alaska
Estimated Elk Population: N/A
Bull/Cow Ratio-N/A
Nonresidents pay $300

The steep, thick, dark country and often unpredictable flying conditions of southeast Alaska leave plenty of margin for error in the aerial elk census. But late-winter and early-spring flights by Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists, along with anecdotal observations by private and commercial pilots, suggest that elk numbers have remained stable in traditional wintering areas. 

While the average annual elk harvest in Unit 3 was 12 bulls from 1997-2005, the 2006 harvest plunged to a single bull. Last year, hunters managed to kill six bulls there. Despite the disappointing harvests over the last two seasons, ADF&G area biologist Rich Lowell remains cautiously optimistic that this fall’s Unit 3 elk hunt will return to a dozen bulls or so.

“During efforts to capture and radio-collar elk this spring, biologists observed a good percentage of bulls on Etolin Island,” Lowell says. However, locating these animals once they move inland from beach fringe winter range can be a challenge. Most elk on Etolin Island inhabit the South Etolin Wilderness, which is densely forested and rugged, with limited access,” according to Lowell.

Most Unit 3 elk are taken during the three established drawing permit hunts. In recent years ADF&G has offered an additional late-November registration permit hunt, which typically yields an elk or two. The state will decide whether to proceed with a November registration elk hunt after it assesses harvest results from the regular 2008 drawing hunts.

Contact: Alaska Department of Fish and Game, (907) 486-1880, www.adfg.state.ak.us

Alberta
Estimated Elk Population: 25,000
Bull/Cow Ratio-N/A
Nonresident pay $249.27 and must hire a guide

Alberta’s elk population is healthy, and all signs point to another fine season this fall. “We had a good winter and plenty of cold weather, but nothing that concerns us,” says Bruce Treichel, provincial wildlife allocation specialist. “The only changes we will make to the seasons are minor ones. We’re adding a few seasons in some areas and this only applies to Alberta residents.”

For instance, in Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 108 there is a new special draw for antlered elk and a new antlerless season for primitive weapon in the bow-only area around Calgary, WMU 212.

The mountains of southwest Alberta, where bulls must have six-points or better to be legal, continues to produce impressive animals. Opportunities for antlerless elk remain strong across the province.  

Contact: Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, (780) 944-0313, www.srd.gov.ab.ca

Arizona
Estimated Elk Population: 15,000-20,000
Bull/cow ratio: 15-25/100
Nonresidents pay $595

For those lucky enough to hold a bull tag, Arizona should continue to uphold its status as a land of giants this season. Populations and ratios of mature bulls remain strong across all traditional big bull units. Those with cow tags have a great chance to enjoy success as well.

And for all the tagless unfortunates, there’s something new. Arizona is offering over-the-counter-tags in several units around the state, with a cap on nonresident participation. “Our management objective in those units is to keep elk numbers as low as possible,” says Brian Wakeling, big game management supervisor. “So these are not high success-rate hunts. But if someone just wants to hunt elk in Arizona they certainly have the opportunity to do so.”

Also new this year is a November opportunity for bowhunters. “For 2008 we’ve established several archery hunts in November,” Wakeling says. “Historically most of our bowhunts are during the rut. We offer a small number of tags for these later hunts, around 25 per unit. We’ve sold them all, and it’s something we are going to be monitoring. While we expect lower hunter success in these late hunts, this gives bowhunters another opportunity.”

Contact: Arizona Game and Fish Department, (602) 942-3000, www.gf.state.az.us

Arkansas
Estimated Elk Population: 500
Bull/cow ratio: 40/100
Nonresidents can apply for $35 private land permits with written permission from landowner (plus $100-$300 for elk tag)

Now in its 10th year of modern elk hunting, Arkansas hunters continue to topple state records for both typical and nontypical bulls. And biologists believe some bulls now on the hoof would score toward the top of any state’s rankings. Arkansas once again celebrated the restoration of a great Ozark native on June 28 at the Buffalo River Elk Festival in Jasper. As part of the festivities, 26 lucky residents’ names (same number of bull tags as last year) were pulled out of the squirrel cage, and those lucky folks will get the chance to take part in the December hunt.

“We’re tweaking the permit system a little bit and have opened up a new zone that will be for nonresidents only, but our elk hunt is basically the same as last year’s,” says Mike Cartwright, Arkansas elk program coordinator. “We expect more good things.”

Contact: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, (800) 364-4263,
www.agfc.com/hunting/elk

British Columbia
Estimated Elk Population: 50,000
Bull/cow ratio: 20/100
Nonresidents pay $250 and must hire a guide

“Our elk population is big and growing, and our goal is to increase hunting opportunities for everybody,” says Stephen MacIver, a wildlife regulations officer. “We’ve got elk spread out all over the province and have had no proposals to decrease the numbers of tags, just increase harvest. We’ll be increasing the number of limited-entry permits in the coastal units around Vancouver, which reflects a rise in elk populations there.”

British Columbia plans to extend all its elk seasons by nearly a month in management units 406 and 407. Elk populations are exploding in agricultural areas such as the Peace River region, which will likely see substantial increases in tag numbers. As of yet, these increases are tentative and haven’t been approved. “We’re opening hunts on management units with large amounts of agricultural land and are planning on offering three winter seasons in these units: from Nov. 15-Dec. 14, Dec. 15-Jan. 14 and Jan. 15-Feb. 14. These will all be limited-entry permits,” says MacIver. BC is issuing 500 youth permits in the Peace Region as well. “Elk hunting up there is going to be stellar this year.”

Contact: Fish and Wildlife Branch, Ministry of Environment, (250) 387-9771, www.env.gov.bc.ca

California
Estimated Elk Population: 11,400
Bull/cow ratio: 25/100
One nonresident tag

Very few states have more than one subspecies of elk. Only one is home to all three of the remaining subspecies. Tule elk, native only to California, now number 3,800—a remarkable recovery from a century ago when the population was literally down to the last handful of animals. More than 6,000 Roosevelt’s thrive in the coastal forests of northwest California. And in the northeast corner of the state, a booming population of 1,600 Rocky Mountain elk features some of the largest wild bulls on the planet.  

Last year, for the first time, California offered one nonresident elk permit in the drawing and will again this year. This provides a rare opportunity to kill a tule elk, which are found only in the rolling oaks and marshes of central California. The La Panza and the Grizzly Island tule populations have almost 80 bulls per 100 cows, and crazy nontypical racks abound.

According to associate biologist Joe Hobbs, anyone with an elk tag in their pocket—for any of the three subspecies—should have a fine fall indeed.

Contact: California Department of Fish and Game, (916) 227-2245, www.dfg.ca.gov

Colorado
Estimated Elk Population: 292,000
Bull/cow ratio: 26/100
Nonresidents pay $526

Hoping to kill your first elk? Want to eat elk steaks instead of tag soup this winter? Look no further. With almost twice as many elk as any other state, and nearly a third of all wild elk in North America, Colorado is Elk Central. Bruce Watkins, big game coordinator, estimates hunters will kill upwards of 50,000 elk this fall.

“Most of our units will be open to over-the-counter tags for the second and third seasons,” Watkins says. “We had some localized elk mortality due to the heavy winter in the Rio Grande and Upper Eagle drainages and a little in the Gunnsion area, but nothing that should affect hunting.”

Those holding tags in limited-license “trophy units,” which may take 15 years to draw, should find mature bulls well worth the wait. In the rest of the state, younger bulls will be prevalent, although a few savvy bulls grow old even in the hardest-hunted units. As for antlerless elk, Colorado is quite simply the land of plenty.    

Contact: Colorado Division of Wildlife, (303) 297-1192, www.wildlife.state.co.us

Idaho
Estimated elk population: 115,000
Bull/cow ratio: varies by zone
Nonresidents pay $372.50

Idaho issues about 6,000 nonresident permits on a first-come, first-served basis across its 29 elk hunting zones. And with the largest wilderness area in the Lower 48 and plentiful national forest land, access and opportunity abound. But it definitely pays to be the early bird. Tags for an over-the-counter unit I’ve hunted with success in the past were already sold out by mid-May.

“There’s still plenty of tag demand, but we’ve reduced elk permits in the Pioneer, Salmon, Selway, Sawtooth and Island Park zones due to a combination of harvest and predation,” says Brad Compton, state big game manager. “We’ve seen population reductions in portions of central and north-central Idaho over the last 3 to 4 years.”  For those sharing the elk hunting with wolves, Compton’s advises, “Stay mobile. If
you find wolves or fresh sign in a drainage, move on.”

Compton also strongly recommends that hunters check both state and federal restrictions on vehicle travel before packing up for elk camp. “Do yourself a favor. Buy the maps and know what’s legal where,” he says. 

Contact: Idaho Department of Fish and Game, (208) 334-3700, www.fishandgame.idaho.gov

Kansas
Elk Pop: 175
Bull/cow ratio: 40/100 cows
Residents and military personnel only

Kansas opened up a September hunt for archery or muzzleloader last year at Fort Riley Military Reservation, the primary elk region, and will again have this hunt scheduled for September. There are 12 antlerless permits and seven either-sex tags available statewide. Matt Peek, elk program coordinator, says the seven lucky folks who hold either-sex tags can look forward to seeing some very impressive bulls. He adds that an unlimited number of hunt-own-land tags are now available to landowners adjacent to Fort Riley to limit crop depredation from the expanding herd.

Contact: Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, (620) 342-0658, www.kdwp.state.ks.us

Kentucky
Estimated Elk Population: 7,500
Bull/cow ratio: 50/100
Nonresidents pay $365 (only $10 to apply)

“Our overall success rate was about 88 percent last year for elk hunters,” says Charlie Logsdon, senior wildlife biologist. (Success rates across most western elk states hover around 20 percent.) Logsdon says Kentucky is issuing 100 bull tags and 300 antlerless permits this year, up from 300 total last season—proof that the Bluegrass State is fast approaching its ultimate management goal of 10,000 elk.

“We now have six elk hunting units,” adds Logsdon. Once drawn for a Kentucky elk tag, hunters list their top unit preferences, which the state puts back into a drawing. Hunters who don’t specify a unit by July 8 are randomly assigned one. Resident or not, lottery applications are a bargain at $10, and the state sets aside 40 of the 400 permits for nonresidents.

Contact: Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, (800) 858-1549, www.fw.ky.gov

Manitoba
Estimated Elk Population: 6,000
Bull/cow ratios: 25/100
Residents only

With concerns over bovine tuberculosis hanging over the Riding Mountain herd, Manitoba has slashed the target population from 5,000 to 2,500. Big game manager Ken Rebizant says Manitoba’s Conservation, Wildlife and Ecosystem branch, along with Parks Canada, is studying elk movements and the presence of disease in the Riding Mountain and Riding Mountain Duck area. Rebizant says despite bitter cold last February and March, elk numbers remain stable in the rest of the province and hunting prospects should be very similar to 2007.

Contact: Manitoba Conservation, (204) 945-6784, www.gov.mb.ca/conservation

Michigan
Estimated Elk Population: 1,200
Bull/cow ratio: N/A
Residents only

Michigan’s booming elk herd is about 25 percent—or 300 animals—bigger than managers would prefer. “Ideally we’d like to have 900 elk in Michigan, so we’re going to offer quite a few tags this year, “says Rod Clute, big game specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The department boosted its lottery tag quota to a record 330—110 either-sex tags and 220 antlerless permits. A third of the tags are for the early September season, the remainder for the December hunt. Clute says hunters should find abundant opportunities. They also have the option to transfer their tag to a youth or any person of legal hunting age with an advanced illness.

Contact: Michigan Department of Natural Resources: (517) 373-1263, www.michigan.gov/dnr

Minnesota
Estimated Elk Population: 55 on Thief    Lake, 60-100 for border herd
Bull/cow ratio: N/A
Residents only

With a small but stable elk herd here, 21 lucky Minnesotans will get to hunt wapiti in their home state this year. The state is offering two either-sex and 10 antlerless tags for the Thief Lake Wildlife Area herd. Farther north, one either-sex tag and eight antlerless permits will be offered for that portion of the border herd that migrates between Kittson County and Manitoba.

Contact: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, (888) 646-6367, www.dnr.state.mn.us

Montana
Estimated Elk Population: 150,000
Bull/cow ratio: varies by unit
Nonresidents pay $593

Big Sky Country is overflowing with elk in a number of regions, which was apparent last year when the state extended the general five-week elk season by two weeks in a number of areas. This year managers are trying to increase the kill by significantly expanding additional antlerless elk licenses, known as the A9/B12 tag, around the state. “Some parts of Region 2 will offer new unlimited archery-only A9/B12 licenses. Also new this year, hunters no longer need a general elk license to purchase an A9/B12 license.

“Now the only thing that stands between a person and the A9/B12 (beyond actually drawing the tag) is the conservation license,” says Quentin Kujala, management bureau chief. “We see all this as an expansion of this tool, and we wonder if this will add a little more harvest.”

Contact: Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, (406) 444-2535, www.fwp.state.mt.us

Nebraska
Estimated Elk Population: 1,600-1,700
Bull/cow ratio: N/A
Residents only

Since elk returned to Nebraska on their own—either from Wyoming or South Dakota or both—the state has worked aggressively with groups like the Elk Foundation to acquire key habitat and build strong landowner ties. As a result, the elk population has doubled in the past five years and many ranchers and farmers welcome the native back.

“We don’t intend to allow elk to establish in the eastern end of the state, but we’re allowing our elk populations in western and central Nebraska to increase within the tolerance of landowners,” says Kit Hams, big game program coordinator. “We’ve established two big units in the last two years that cover the whole central region of the state.” To boost harvest this year, the state added three weeks in December for antlerless tag holders who don’t succeed during their fall hunt. For 2008, 18 bull permits were added for a total of 71 and six fewer cow tags, bringing the total to 141.

Apart from fine opportunities for a successful cow hunt, the state recorded its first Boone & Crockett bull two years ago. Biologists report that quite a few mature bulls presently roam the Pine Ridge and Wildcat Hills country. 

Contact: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: (402) 471-0641, www.ngpc.ne.us

Nevada
Estimated Elk Population: 9,500
Bull/cow ratio: 33/100
Nonresidents pay: $1,200

Last year saw the fewest number of calves survive statewide ever documented in Nevada. “We had a very cold winter out in eastern Nevada in the Ely area, where we have our highest elk populations. The combination of an extended drought coupled with a tough winter hindered the reproductive abilities of elk, and we saw a decline in calf ratios,“ says Chris Healy, public information officer.

The record sale of 3,080 elk tags in 2007 resulted in the harvest of 1,396 elk, 630 of which were bulls. The quality of bulls in the harvest remains high, with 66 percent reported being 6-point or better with an average age of 5.7 years—a veritable ancient in most states.

Unfortunately, eastern Nevada is parched, having seen little precipitation since February. “It’s really going to hurt our range conditions this year,” says Healy. “This in turn will dictate antler growth and calf recruitment.” Despite this, hunters lucky enough to receive an elk tag for 2008 should enjoy overall healthy elk populations, with some truly mature bulls among them.

Contact: Nevada Department of Wildlife, Eastern Region: (775) 777-2300, www.ndow.org

New Mexico
Estimated Elk Population: 70,000-90,000
Bull/cow ratio: 40/100
Nonresidents pay $543

Big antlers need forage, and forage needs moisture. In the north-central hunting units of the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo mountains this year, snowpack has been better than in years past. And with quite a few nontypical Boone and Crockett bulls coming out of New Mexico, this year could be another for the record books.

While the north is doing well, southern portions of the state are hurting a bit with continued drought conditions. Even so, Stewart Liley, elk program coordinator, says a big southern bull is possible for persistent hunters.

“We manage the southwestern portion of the state for older age-class bulls, and during our aerial surveys last fall we saw bull/cow ratios in the range of 50/100,” says Liley.

Contact: New Mexico Game and Fish: (505) 476-8000, www.wildlife.state.nm.us

North Dakota
Estimated elk population: N/A
Bull/cow ratio: N/A
Residents only, except for a single tag allocated to RMEF

There is no hunting allowed inside Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and the elk know it. With many of the state’s wild elk living around the park in the western portion of the state, hunting them has proven tough. The hunting units around the park are above management goals, and come hunting season more than a few elk seek refuge inside its boundaries.

More elk licenses are available in the western part of the state, says Bill Jensen, big game biologist, but so far they haven’t set exact numbers. Season opening dates have been extended in North Dakota, and the state plans to move away from an early August season and go to a longer September through December season.

Elk also move around the hoodoos and washes of the Badlands and can be found in
the northeastern corner, having moved in from Canada.

Contact: North Dakota Game and Fish Department: (701) 328-6300, www.gf.nd.gov

Oklahoma
Estimated Elk Population: 1,500
Bull/cow ratios-N/A
Nonresidents pay $301

Permission is key to hunting any private land, but maybe even more so in Oklahoma. Resident and nonresident hunters there need written permission along with legal descriptions of the lands they wish to hunt, complete with landowner name and mailing address. And chances are if you ask early (before the season starts) and respect the land, you’ll get permission. Many landowners are more than willing to let hunters kill some of the elk that are taking a toll on their crops.

“In a portion of our elk range we’re a little above our management objective, and we’re increasing harvest due to crop depredation issues,” says Rod Smith, southwestern region supervisor. The majority of public land elk enjoy the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in the southwest, and permits will be aggressive this year.

“We’re expanding dates for antlerless hunting in southwestern Oklahoma with more days and more opportunities to harvest cows,” says Smith. “The population has grown, and we need to be sensitive to landowner needs. Thus, we’re increasing harvest to address those concerns.”

Contact: Oklahoma Department of  Wildlife Conservation: (405) 521-2739,  www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting.htm

Oregon
Estimated elk population: 120,000
Bull/cow ratios: vary by unit
Nonresidents pay $361.50

With Roosevelt’s to the west and Rocky Mountain elk to the east, Oregon boasts healthy populations of both species.

“It’s been a long winter, but there hasn’t been any indication of major problems with the elk [numbers],” says Peter Test, deer and elk program coordinator. Tag numbers will be much the same as last year, but expect minor changes to some antlerless hunts. The general archery tag went from either-sex to bull-only last year, but either-sex permits will likely become available in about two-thirds of the units after biologists assess population numbers.

In the northeastern corner, low calf recruitment has plagued elk numbers over the years and continues to concern managers. Studies have shown cougar predation to be a major contributing factor.

If you’re willing to work for Roosevelt’s in the tangled thickets of the rainforest on the west side, tags continue to be over-the-counter in
most units.

Contact: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife: (503) 947-6000, www.dfw.state.or.us

Pennyslvania
Estimated Elk Population: 700-750
Bull/cow ratios: N/A
Nonresidents pay $250

Think you have to get west of the Mississippi for Booner bulls? Think again. If you can draw the tag, places like Pennsylvania with ample forage, few predators and relatively mild winters are producing some major nontypical mass into the 400 range. As antlers grow, so too grows the population and the number of tags issued to hunters.

“For 2008 we’re going to have 45 licenses, up from 40 last year,” says Tony Ross, north-central region wildlife management supervisor. “Of these, 17 are bull permits and the rest are antlerless. We have already drawn 10 licenses for the September 2008 hunt, but this will be the final year of that hunt as our success rate was very low relative to the November season.”

Success rates for the November season have been around 80-90 percent. Managers began the September season hoping to add to the harvest while offering more hunter opportunity, but only two elk were killed last year.

Contact: Pennsylvania Game Commission: (717) 787-4250, www.pgc.state.pa.us

Saskatchewan
Estimated Elk Population: 15,000
Bull/cow ratio: 20/100
Residents only

This past April, researchers at the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre in Saskatoon discovered two dead elk that tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The elk, found in Wildlife Management Zone (WMZ) 50, were in the early stages of CWD and did not die from the disease.

“These are the first two cases of CWD in elk in Saskatchewan of the 1,080 elk tested since 1997,” says Yeen Ten Hwang, wildlife disease specialist. “For fall of 2008, we are setting up a program where we will take elk heads from hunters throughout the province and test them free of charge.” CWD has been present in the white-tailed deer population in WMZ 50 since 2005.

Elk populations continue to increase and hunting seasons are growing in length. 
 
“On the eastside of the province we suffered some big losses in deer, but the elk tend to move into agricultural areas, so we didn’t experience anything other than normal mortality,” says Ed Kowal, regional wildlife biologist. For 2008, managers extended the season in Zone 6 to reduce elk numbers there. “This population of elk is at three times the management objective. Elk retreat to Cypress Hills Park during the season, so we’re going to try and check this population with this season,” says Kowal.

Contact: Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment: 1-800-567-4224,  www.environment.gov.sk.ca/

South Dakota
Estimated Elk Population: 3,600 (excludes   Wind Cave N.P. and Custer State Park)
Bull/cow ratio: 35/100
Residents Only

Most of the state’s elk spend their days in the Black Hills, though some wander the border lands with Nebraska and Wyoming. In the past, tag numbers have been generous to deal with landowner concerns over crop depredation. That policy has worked.

“We were challenged in 2003 with bringing the herd down, and we think we’ve done that. Now, landowners are asking us ‘Where’d all the elk go?’ So we feel we’ve alleviated the depredation level but are still offering good opportunity for our hunters,” says John Kanta, regional wildlife manager for South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. Kanta adds that the department is cutting tag numbers back to increase hunter success rates and hunter satisfaction.

Contact: South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks: (605) 394-2391, www.sdfgp.info

Texas
Estimated Elk Population: 1,500
Bull/cow ratio: N/A
Nonresidents pay $300 for general hunting license

With 97 percent of Texas privately owned, public lands elk hunting is nearly nonexistent. In 1998, north-Texas ranchers were getting perturbed at the New Mexico elk that were eating their alfalfa. The ranchers convinced the state legislature to classify elk as exotics, even though they are native to west Texas. The ranchers are now allowed to shoot the elk on sight. Today five small bands run free in the Davis, Eagle, Glass, Guadalupe and Wylie mountains.

A study, funded partially by the Elk Foundation, is ongoing in west Texas to get an accurate elk count. The Elk Foundation is also working with the eight landowners who own the vast chunks of land where the elk roam.

Contact: Texas Park and Wildlife Department: (800) 792-1112, www.tpwd.state.texas.us

Utah
Estimated Elk Population: 60,000
Bull/cow ratio: 30/100
Nonresidents pay $388 for general tag, $795   for limited-entry tag, $1,500 for premium

Big Bulls. You’ll find them here as Utah wildlife managers enlist more than half of the state’s elk range in a limited-entry hunting system. The result?

In 2007, Jimmy Ryan killed the pending #2 bull elk in the world for the Pope & Young record book, with a monster 7×6 that nets 428 3/8 nontypical P&Y points. Another amazing archery bull was Cory Meacham’s 397 2/8 net bull featuring 26-inch sweeping long royal points.  Darrell Snedeger took the new state-record rifle bull elk with an official score of 434 7/8 gross and 424 1/8 net nontypical Boone and Crocket points. “We had quite a few good bulls taken last year in our limited-entry units,” says Anise Aoude, big game coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife.

Hunters should expect to see nothing less from this season. “The snowpack was heavier in the northern units than the past few years but shouldn’t adversely affect the elk herds there,” says Aoude. The snowpack might actually benefit the elk herd by providing plenty of water for great summer forage, resulting in stimulated antler growth and overall herd health.

Limited-entry elk permits have increased from 2,090 in 2007 to 2,447 for 2008.
Also new for this year is a change in the preference point system that has led to some confusion among hunters. In addition to accepting applications for big game permits, the DWR is also accepting applications just for bonus points and preference points which give hunters who are unable to hunt this year a better chance at obtaining a permit next season.

Contacts: Utah Division of Wildlife: (801) 538-4700, http://wildlife.utah.gov

Washington
Estimated Elk Population: 58,000-60,000 
Bull/cow ratios: 12-20/100 
Nonresidents pay $394.20

This past winter brought a lot of snow to the state, providing mixed tidings of moisture and winterkill. “We set some records in eastern Washington for snowfall and snowpack. While it won’t have a devastating affect on elk, we’re seeing some affects, so we’re cutting back on our antlerless tags in the Blue Mountains,” says Jerry Nelson, deer and elk section manager.

Washington assesses its management objectives at the herd level and recognizes 10 specific herds throughout the state. The elk population breaks down to about 50/50 between Roosevelt’s elk west of the Cascades and Rocky Mountain Elk in the eastern half.

Bull permits for both the west-side general season and east-side controlled hunts should be very similar to last year, with the exception of the Blue Mountains, which have gone up due to improved bull/cow ratios. The Blue’s have experienced a steady climb upward since 2003, due to habitat improvements and the arrest of some organized poachers. “For the second year in a row, we are hunting bulls in the Nooksack after a 12-year hiatus,” adds Nelson.

Contact: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: (360) 902-2515, www.wdfw.wa.gov

Wyoming
Estimated Elk Population: 95,000
Bull/cow ratio: 15-29/100 for “recreational   herds” 30-40/100“special hunts”
Nonresidents pay $493

To put it plainly, Wyoming feels it has too many elk—about 12,000 too many. Part of the problem begins with the first shot on public lands that drives the herd over the next ridge onto private land, where they can wait out the season in relative safety. The areas seeing a substantial fall in numbers are in the Atlantic Rim area, where at least 80 animals out of a herd of 500 died from eating poisonous lichen called Parmelia. (Read more)

The only major hunting region that will see some adjustments is in the Gros’ Ventre,
units 81, 82, and 83, which are experiencing low bull/cow ratios. The area will have a
spikes-excluded season.

Contact: Wyoming Game and Fish Department: (307) 777-4600, www.gf.state.wy.us