Missouri Elk Hunters Could Begin in 2016

Elk hunting could begin in Missouri in 2016 if the herd grows from its current size of about 100 to 200 by then, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. Elk were reintroduced in Missouri in 2010 with about 50 elk trapped each year in Kentucky and delivered for observation at the Peck Ranch Conservation Area in southeast Missouri. The herd will only grow through reproduction. Several elk reportedly died during relocation and last year’s drought, leaving the herd count currently at 100. Whenever elk hunting does begin, officials say only 30 to 40 permits will be issued. The agency’s goal is for elk to become part of the natural landscape. Elk were once common in Missouri before European settlement but had been eradicated from the state by the end of the Civil War.