(The Center Square) – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is looking for information on the illegal killing of a bull elk in Jackson County.
The bull had a GPS collar and was one of the last remaining elk from a group brought to the state from Kentucky in 2016 as a breeding bull for Wisconsin’s Central Elk Herd.
The bull was found dead March 18 from a gunshot wound off East Snow Creek Road and on private property north of the city of Black River Falls.
The WDNR says it has detailed information on the shooting from the elk’s GPS radio collar and nearby cellular trail cameras.
“The illegal shooting of bull 244 is a tremendous loss for the central elk herd and citizens of Wisconsin,” WDNR central elk herd biologist Christina Kizewski said. in a statement. “The illegal harvest of a bull of this magnitude reduces opportunity to the hunting community and to recreationalists attempting to photograph or see elk within Jackson County,
“Bull 244 was one of the largest and most photographed bulls in the state and has contributed to the successful growth of the newly established herd through his breeding efforts.”
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact DNR’s confidential Violation page online or by call 800-847-9367.
