Elk reintroduction could begin next yearWildlife biologist Michele Windsor jokes she?ll be getting elk for Christmas in a couple years, but if a new targeted plan from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources goes through, the entire local area will have something to unwrap.
The DNR is re-establishing its focus on reintroducing elk to the state ? a goal that has been set back by nearly 10 years due to chronic wasting disease and budget shortfalls. Jackson County remains the top location for a second reintroduction effort, and that could occur as early as the 2011-12 winter.
?There?s been a renewed interest and energy within the department to reintroduce elk,? said Windsor, who works out of the Black River Falls DNR Service Center. ?We?re starting to get some steam again ... but there are some big hurdles to cross.?
Jackson County could split 50 to 60 Canadian elk with Clam Lake ? the lone elk populated spot in the state ? if funding and state and federal approval are present. This would be the third push to get more elk in Wisconsin since a 2001 analysis identified Jackson County as a prime location to establish a new herd because of its large amount of publicly owned land.
?It keeps on bubbling to a surge and then it kind of derails, but it?s not completely off the track,? Windsor said.
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