Upcoming Elk Hunt Helps Management, Health of Herd
December 2000

Jill M. Rohrbach, travel writer
Arkansas Dept. of Parks and Tourism

While most hunters are wrapping up deer season, a few are gearing up for hunting elk in Arkansas.

Elk range in the northwest part of the state along the Buffalo National River in Newton and Searcy counties and in portions of southern Boone and Carroll counties. Boasting a thriving herd of about 450, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) has allowed harvesting of elk for three years now with two hunts offered per year. December 11-13 is the final hunt for this year. The first hunt took place Sept. 25-27.

Wayne Pyles of Pocahontas participated in the September hunt. He said his first elk hunt was better than he thought it would be. Pyles thought he would have to go deep into the woods and that he might not see any elk until the second or third day.

"But I saw my elk on the first day," says Pyles.

So did Sam Henry of Paragould, who took an awe-inspiring 7X7 bull. He can relive the excitement of the day by viewing a video of the hunt taken by friends who were with him in the field.

It definitely takes help to get a downed elk out of the woods. At birth, calves weigh about 35 pounds. By the time they reach adulthood, cows weigh up to 500 pounds and bulls may reach 700 pounds. Each year, bulls grow a new set of antlers weighing up to 40 pounds.

A total of 181 hunters were issued permits to hunt the majestic beasts this year. Twenty of the permits were for hunting in four public land hunting zones with 161 permits for a private land hunting zone.

The AGFC selects the permits for public land hunting zones from a "squirrel cage" each year at the Buffalo River Elk Festival held in Jasper. The festival is usually around the first weekend of July.

The festival includes activities for the entire family, including a fishing derby, elk calling, crafts, food, live music, contests and games, AGFC aquarium and free gifts from local merchants.

For a person with a public land permit the hunt ends after three days or as soon as the individual kills an elk. Persons with permits for hunting on private land also have a three-day hunt. However, the private zone hunt is over after a total of 10 elk are taken. Each hunter is allowed to kill one elk only.

This year four hunters had bull permits to participate in the September hunt on public land. The remaining 16 permits for public land are for the December hunt. Four hunters have bull permits and 12 have anterless elk permits. Hunters participating in the hunt on private lands can hunt September and December if they desire.

When submitting an application to hunt on private property, hunters must have written permission from the landowner. Anyone who wants to hunt, whether on public or private land, must submit an application. The application period is the month of May. Applications are available at www.agfc.state.ar.us and are distributed through AGFC license dealers; or, contact AGFC offices at 501-223-6300. Applications for permits are disqualified for failure to comply with application procedures.

Other than luck of the draw or finding permission from a land owner, there is one other way to obtain an elk hunting permit - be the highest bidder.

Each year two of the permits for hunting the public land are auctioned off by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. This year the two permits brought $15,000 and $17,500. In 1998 a man paid $42,500 for one of the permits.

"Eighty-five percent of the money raised by the foundation auction goes back to Arkansas for elk management programs, with the foundation keeping the remainder," explained Michael Cartwright, AGFC wildlife biologist.

Managing elk in Arkansas is primarily for the purpose of maintaining a healthy population on public land. The hunting seasons have been established to control the herd size. Habitat improvement programs on public lands make those areas more attractive so elk don't stray to private property.

The AGFC also uses the hunt to monitor the herd's health and reproduction rate by carefully evaluating the harvested elk.

"We're looking for any type of diseases," explained Cartwright. "So far nothing has shown up."

Antlers are measured and the front lower incisor is sent to a lab in Montana to determine the animal's age. So far, the oldest bull taken in Arkansas was 15 1/2 years. All other bulls taken were less than 8 1/2 years. The oldest cow taken was 12 1/2 years.

Elk range through about 315,000 acres in Arkansas. The large beasts prefer open areas for grazing with nearby wooded areas for resting. Drivers often stop their cars along roads in and around Boxley Valley to view elk in the fields. Morning and evening are the best times to watch them.

Although elk are often thought of as a western animal, the eastern elk was a native of Arkansas. But, it disappeared from the state's forests sometime around 1840 and is now considered extinct.

The U.S. Forest Service introduced 11 Rocky Mountain elk in the Black Mountain Refuge of Franklin County in 1933.  Although the herd did well for a number of years, it eventually disappeared, likely due to illegal hunting, natural mortality and loss of suitable habitat. Between 1981 and 1985, 112 Rocky Mountain elk were again stocked. This time they were placed near the Buffalo National River in Newton County.

The 112 member herd has grown to about 450 elk. The animals are referred to as the Hilary Jones Elk Herd, after former game and fish commissioner Hilary Jones. Jones, along with local citizens of Newton County were instrumental in establishing the elk herd. Cartwright said local citizens were very supportive of Jones' program and "that's one reason it's been very successful."

Complete results from the September elk hunt on public land were: Walton Short of Magnolia took a 6X6 bull; Sam Henry of Paragould took a 7X7 bull; Rick Oncken of Missoula, Montana, took a 7X5 bull; Dustin Westmoreland of Sidney took a 6X6 bull.

Results for the private land zone were: Brian Keith Sanford of Blytheville took a spike bull; Phillip Vanderpool of Harrison took a spike bull; Wayne Pyles of Pocahontas took an anterless elk; Joe Liebhaber of Biggers took an anterless elk; Paul Conner of El Dorado took an antlerless elk; Trey Tracker of Marion took a 4X4 bull; Ken Reeves of Harrison took a 6X5 bull; Jimmy May of Harrison took at 5X3 bull; Arliss Conner of Harrison took an antlerless elk; Seth Record of Berryville took a 6X5 bull.

This release, along with others by the Department of Parks & Tourism, is available electronically through the Arkansas Press Association Bulletin Board: apa@lr.cleaf.com (in-state only) and the Department’s Web site: www.arkansas.com under media information.