Should they add a limited antlerless-elk hunting season?

The Missouri Department of Conservation is considering whether to add a limited antlerless-elk hunting season for residents and they want the public’s input. The department reintroduced wild elk in the Missouri Ozarks about ten years ago. Because of that, those numbers continue to grow, which allows for the harvest of a small number of antlerless elk. The population goal for elk in Missouri is to get to about 500 animals and to keep them limited to southern Missouri’s Carter, Reynolds, and Shannon counties. The herd is currently estimated to be around 320 animals before calving begins this year.