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PORTAGE, Wis. (WMTV) – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is investigating the shooting of an elk in Columbia County yesterday morning, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources confirmed.
The investigation is open and the DNR has a suspect, though they were unable to confirm if they were an in or out-of-state hunter, said a Warden Paul Nadolski.
The hunting of elk requires a special license that is only allocated by the DNR.
The elk season dates for 2021 are October 16 – November 14, and December 9 – 17. The report of the killed elk fell during a closed season.
Hunting elk during a closed season is considered a civil forfeiture with a penalty of $2,152.50. Without a license, elk hunters may also face misdemeanor charges, 1 thousand to 15 thousand dollar charges, and jail time, said a spokesperson of the DNR.
The Columbia County DA will use the DNR investigation report to decide if they will pursue criminal charges or civil forfeiture.
The elk was seized as evidence.
Elk overhunting in Wisconsin eliminated them from the state. Restoration efforts beginning in the 90s grew the population enough to allow for a harvest in 2018, the DNR website said.
A percentage of DNR application funds are still dedicated to elk management and research in Wisconsin.