Bull elk wanders thru harvested farm field near Dallas Center, Iowa.Photo: Jace Elliott, Iowa DNR
(Undated) -- The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has been getting a lot of phone calls this year about bull elk. DNR Deer Biologist Jace Elliott says this is the time of year when the adult male elk wander, seeking a mate and sometimes they'll make it into Iowa. He says sightings are becoming more common, likely because of growing herds in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.
He says one large elk in particular has been spending quite a bit of time in central Iowa, in Dallas and Boone counties. Elliott says they suspect it has been in the area for most of the year and perhaps for several years. He says that's unusual because most elk that wander into the state do not stay longer than a few weeks or months.
Elliott says the elk can reach up to 900 pounds, but 600-700 pounds is more typical.