Elk In Missouri

elkinMISSOURI

HistoryElk ranged historically from Southern California, east toNew York and south to South Carolina. Lewis and Clarkreported elk in Missouri on their trip west in 1804, andexplorer Henry Schoolcraft referenced elk when writingof his journey through the Missouri Ozarks in 1818–1819.By the mid-1880s, however, market hunting had erasedany trace of elk from the Missouri landscape.In 2011, the Missouri Department of Conservation(MDC) reintroduced the first group of elk onto PeckRanch Conservation Area in south-central Missouri. Theseelk were captured in Kentucky and transported here afterundergoing disease testing and a quarantine period.Additional elk were brought into Missouri in 2012 and2013. These 108 elk formed the base for our Missouri elkherd in parts of Carter, Shannon, and Reynolds counties.BiologyElk (Cervus elaphus) are in the deer family (Cervidae),and they are the second-largest cervid in North America.Bull elk (males) in Missouri can weigh more than 700pounds and cows (females) can weigh more than550 pounds. Elk have a brown to sometimes reddishcoloration with a light-colored rump patch. Males growa set of antlers every year and will use those duringthe breeding season to defend groups of female elk.Elk can be found in herds year-round, but the size ofthe herd may change throughout the year. Adult malesand females are often in separate groups for most ofthe year. Like other members of the deer family, elk arecrepuscular, meaning they are most active during dawnand dusk.HabitatElk are habitat generalistsand use many differenttypes of habitat inMissouri. Elk spend muchof the day in forests andglades, venturing out intomore open habitats atdawn and dusk.219Elk ent RiverConservationAreaNPeck RanchConservationAreaMHVanBurenWPY60

FoodLike deer and cattle, elk have a four-chambered stomach,which allows them to eat a variety of foods. Elk can feedon anything from forbs, grasses, and leaves to nuts,twigs, and lichen. In Missouri, elk prefer foraging in openareas with lots of grasses, forbs, and legumes. Their dietwill change with the seasons as different foods becomeavailable. For example, as fall approaches and acornsstart to fall, elk will incorporate them into their diet.ELK CANINETEETH are remnants ofPREHISTORIC TUSKSthat changedas the animal evolved.3

ReproductionElk, like deer, go through a period called rut. During therut, males will gather groups of females, called harems,and defend those females from other males. In theory, thismeans the most dominant males are the ones who breed.Peak rut in Missouri typically occurs from late September tomid-October. Some breeding behavior can still be seen intolate November.Females can reach reproductive age within 18 months.A little before giving birth, they will leave the herd to find acalving area. Calves are born from late May to mid-Augustand weigh 30–45 pounds at birth. Calves are mobile withina few hours of birth and can get up and run quickly. Twins,unlike in deer, are a rare occurrence.Antler LossBull elk in Missouri willdrop their antlers from lateJanuary through March.The timing of antler dropdepends on severalvariables, includingphotoperiod (length ofdaylight), testosterone levels,body condition, and age.Older bulls typically shedtheir antlers earlier thanyounger bulls.A set ofELKANTLERS40can weighPOUNDS.Elk ManagementResearch projects help MDC determine survival andreproductive rates of the restored elk population, witha goal of growing the state’s herd to 400–500 head. Asthe herd grows, MDC will recommend to the MissouriConservation Commission a carefully monitored huntingseason. If approved by the Commission, hunting would beginprior to the population reaching the goal, but not beforethe population reaches a number that can sustain annualharvest. Herd health and size will dictate how many elk can besustainably harvested each year.How do elk benefit Missouri?A species native to Missouri, elk provide a sense of naturalhistory, unique wildlife viewing, and potential huntingopportunities. Grazing elk help maintain open spaces on thelandscape. They are a large, highly visible, popular species thatwildlife viewers are willing to travel to see. From the rut duringlate September and October to calving during late spring andsummer, elk viewing opportunities abound. Local communitiesbenefit from the ecotourism surrounding elk watching. Futurehunting seasons could provide another economic boost tolocal economies.4

Research in MissouriMDC, working with partners including the University ofMissouri and University of Montana, has studied elk inMissouri since reintroduction. Researchers use GlobalPositioning System (GPS) technology, capture, aerialobservation, and other methods to monitor elk movements,herd size, and herd health.Researchers fitted the original elk herd with GPS collars,which helped them monitor elk locations and movements.Older GPS collars are replaced occasionally, and newborncalves are fitted with collars designed to expand as they grow.Researchers have also used GPS technology to determinehow elk respond to human disturbance associated with deerhunting. Hunters participating in managed deer hunts on PeckRanch CA between 2011–2013 were asked to carry GPS units.Comparing the GPS data from the hunters with data collectedfrom the elk during the same time, researchers found that elkadapted to the hunters’ presence. The study confirmed MDC’sability to continue pre-elk reintroduction activities, includinghunting, on local conservation areas with minimal disturbanceto the elk population.GPS collars also help MDC determine how elk use thelandscape. Prior to the reintroduction of elk into Missouri,researchers were uncertain of how the elk would usethe habitat within the Elk Restoration Zone counties. Inpreparation for the first group of elk, MDC, working withcooperating public and nongovernmental organizations,improved more than 1,000 acres of existing open publiclands. Land managers planted elk-friendly grasses, forbs,legumes, and annual cereal grains; added new openland acres; and continued quality forest managementpractices. Many neighboring private landowners alsoworked with MDC, using federal and state habitatimprovement programs, to make similar improvementsto their property. These efforts proved successful, as mostelk have remained in the reintroduction area, primarilywithin Peck Ranch CA and neighboring public lands. As thepopulation grows, elk will continue to expand and use newareas within the Elk Restoration Zone counties. Continuedhabitat work, public support, and hunting will help usmanage elk in Missouri into the future.Researchers gauge herd health through a regularschedule of elk capturing, observation, and sampling.Captured adult elk are examined to determine their ageand tooth wear. Researchers sample their blood and feces,collect ticks, and replace their GPS collars. They also measurethe antlers of bull elk.At the time of capture, cow elk are checked with anultrasound to determine whether they are pregnant. If theyare pregnant, researchers insert a vaginal implant transmitter(VIT). When a calf is born, the VIT comes out and sends asignal that helps researchers locate the calf. Once located,calves are weighed, and genetic samples are taken.They are also collared and tagged with a passiveintegrated transponder to aid future identification.MDC uses the information from this researchto determine survival rates and estimate futurepopulation changes.MDC also uses aerial surveys to help researcherstrack herd size and movement patterns, which willplay an important role in setting harvest limits forfuture elk hunts.5

brainwormBrainworm (P. tenuis), alsoknown as meningeal worm, isa parasitic worm that naturallyoccurs in Missouri and needsa living host to survive. Theusual host for brainworm iswhite-tailed deer. In deer, theworms are found between thebrain and the meninges (thinmembrane between the skulland brain surface). In previouswork in the Missouri Ozarks,more than 40 percent of deerskulls that were examinedhad brainworm. Deer arethe primary host for theadult stage of the parasite,but show very few negativeeffects from it, as deer andbrainworms have evolvedtogether. Cattle and humansaren’t at risk from brainworm,but elk aren’t as lucky.Parasitism by brainworm isthe leading cause of death inMissouri elk where the causeof death is known. Despitethis, the elk populationcontinues to increase.Signs of brainworm in elkinclude isolation from otherelk, weakness, unsteady gait,fearlessness, unusual headtilt, and emaciation. In bullelk, brainworm commonlycauses antler deformities.The only way to definitivelydiagnose brainworm is todetect worms in the brain orspinal cord of an elk duringa necropsy (wildlife autopsy).A presumptive diagnosiscan be made if, during thenecropsy, signs of the worm,including tunnels, eggs, andswelling in the brain or spinalcord, are found.6

Primary HostAdult worm lays eggs ondura mater of deer’s brain.Worm larvae hatch, migrateto deer’s lungs, are coughedup and swallowed.Worm larvae penetratedeer’s stomach wall andmigrate to the spinal cord.brainwormlife cycle(Parelaphostrongylus tenuis)Deerinadvertentlyeats infectedslug or snail.Worm larvae enter deer’salimentary canal and arepassed through the feces.Intermediate HostLarvae are picked up by slugor snail (gastropod) thatencounter infected feces.Elk dies(dead end host).Elk inadvertently eatsinfected slug or snail.Worm larvae travel to spinal cord and brain. Elkshows signs of abnormal behavior, emaciation,and, commonly, antler deformities in bull elk.LIFE CYCLE ILLUSTRATION: MARK RAITHEL,ADAPTED FROM NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE7

mdc.mo.govCopyright 2018 by the Conservation Commission of the State of Missouri.Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs of the Missouri Departmentof Conservation is available to all individuals without regard to their race, color, religion,national origin, sex, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, or disability. Questionsshould be directed to the Department of Conservation, PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102,573–751–4115 (voice) or 800–735–2966 (TTY), or to Chief, Public Civil Rights, Office of CivilRights, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.W000915/2018

coloration with a light-colored rump patch. Males grow a set of antlers every year and will use those during the breeding season to defend groups of female elk. Elk can be found in herds year-round, but the size of the herd may change throughout the year. Adult males and females are often in separate groups for most of the year.