The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters they have until May 31 to apply for a chance at a 2026 elk hunting license.
Wisconsin’s elk season is open only to state residents. Hunters can apply online through Go Wild or in person through license agents statewide.
Several changes are in effect for 2026. Applicants may apply for a bull elk license, an antlerless elk license or both in units with a huntable quota. Hunters also must select a hunting unit grouping when they apply.
Selected hunters will have one continuous season from Saturday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Dec. 13. That replaces the split-season structure used from 2018 through 2025.
The application fee is $10 for each drawing. Hunters are limited to one application per person, per authorization type. The DNR recommends applicants update their contact information so successful hunters can be reached quickly.
Of each application fee, $7 goes to elk management, monitoring and research. If selected, the elk hunting license costs $49.
Wisconsin residents may draw an elk license only once in their lifetime, though declining an antlerless license will not count against that limit. Winners will be notified in early June.
All winners must complete a Wisconsin elk hunter education course before receiving a license. The class covers elk history, regulations, biology, behavior, scouting and hunting techniques.
More information is available on the DNR’s elk hunting webpage.
Youth trap league gets boost from Delta Waterfowl donation
Maribel Sportsman’s Club’s youth trap league is underway.
The Packerland Chapter of Delta Waterfowl has helped keep shooter costs down by sponsoring the program.
Co-Chairman Phillip LaBlanc attended a recent club meeting and presented a $500 check to support student shooters.
Maribel Sportsman’s Club awards scholarship to Denmark senior
At its May meeting, Maribel Sportsman’s Club held its annual grounds cleanup and fish fry.
The Scholarship Committee also met and selected James F. Nellis for a $500 scholarship.
Nellis, the son of Eric and Sara Nellis, is a senior at Denmark High School. He plans to attend Fox Valley Technical College to study natural resources technology.
The scholarship will be paid after Nellis completes his first semester with the required minimum GPA and provides proof of enrollment for the second semester.
Antler donations help Leader Dogs for the Blind puppies
Each year, I collect deer and elk antlers for Leader Dogs for the Blind.
The antlers are used as chew toys for puppies because they do not splinter. I ship them to Deb Delie in the Suamico area, where they are divided among puppy raisers in the region.
Once again, hunters in this area stepped up. They donated 27 antlers with 83 total points. Of those, 26 were deer antlers and one was an elk antler.
I collect antlers year-round, not just during deer season. The age of the antlers does not matter, so if you find some while cleaning out a garage, please do not throw them away.
Call me at 920-682-3106 to arrange pickup at a convenient time. Special thanks to Ray Baranczyk, who picks up the antlers from me and delivers them to Deb Delie each year.
Bluebird houses still available from local sportsmen’s clubs
The birdhouse project sponsored by Maribel Sportsman’s Club and Francis Creek Sportsmen’s Club was successful again this year.
A few bluebird houses are still available, though wood duck and bat houses are gone. To arrange pickup of a bluebird house, call me, Bob Schuh, at 920-682-3106.
That’s it for this week, so have fun in the great outdoors.
Outdoors columnist Bob Schuh’s “Scoping the Great Outdoors” column appears each Sunday in the Herald Times Reporter. Reach him at 920-682-3106 or bobschuh@lsol.net.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Wisconsin elk license deadline nears for 2026 hunt
Reporting by Bob Schuh, Special to Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter
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