Most Common Time of Year for Wisconsin Elk to be Struck by Vehicles

Tuesday, September 12th, 2023 -- 8:00 AM

(By Margaret Faust, Wisconsin Public Radio) It’s the peak season to get a glimpse of the rare but growing elk herd in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.

And, according to Margaret Faust with Wisconsin Public Radio, sadly for the elk, it is also the most common time of year they are fatally struck by vehicles. It’s elk breeding season in September and October, and bull elk are known for their bugling call to attract females.

It’s the best time to have a chance to see the animals in northern and central Wisconsin, where they were reintroduced after being hunted to extinction at the end of the 19th Century. According to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Service, more tourists are coming to try to spot the elk during the season.

The forest service is warning as more and more people come out each fall to watch elk in northern and central Wisconsin, more cars are crashing into one of the largest species within the deer family.

According to the Department of Natural Resources, in the Black River Elk Range in central Wisconsin, the leading cause of death for elk is vehicle crashes. Twenty-two elk died after getting hit by a car between 2015 and 2022.

In the Clam Lake Elk Range in northern Wisconsin, 48 elk have died in vehicle collisions between 1995 and 2022. Josh Spiegel, the northern herd biologist with the DNR, said elk are not like smaller deer, a common misconception.

"A lot of our motorists drive towards that elk and think, 'Oh, it's gonna move out of the way, and they don't," Spiegel said. "They're very lethargic in a sense. They don't get excited." Spiegel said both elk and spectators are safer away from the highways.

He said people should drive slowly, avoid blocking the road,and wear bright colors if they are going to watch elk from shoulders and pullouts. "We want to try to protect as many of them, and us, as possible," Spiegel said.

Spiegel said elk spotters should travel in pairs or groups. He said one person should focus on driving while the other person looks for elk.

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