Officials will use trail cameras, elk teeth to track Michigan's elk herd. What to know
As researchers with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources seek to identify the best method for tracking the state's elk population, they're adding new techniques, photographing elk with trail cameras and analyzing elk teeth, the DNR said in a news release.
The DNR also plans to keep doing its biannual aerial surveys. The next one is in 2026.
The department will then examine how the camera and aerial survey methods match up by results and cost-effectiveness, per the DNR.
"We will compare the results from these different survey methods and balance the precision of the estimates they provide with the resources they require," said Angela Kujawa, a DNR wildlife biologist.
Here's what to know about elk in Michigan.
What are elk?
Elk are the second-largest animal species in the deer family, per the U.S. Forest Service.
How will the DNR use cameras to survey elk?
The Michigan DNR will introduce trail cameras as a new option to track the state's elk population, per the news release.
The DNR will collect data from the cameras each summer from 2025-2027 and analyze the photos using AI technology and human review in partnership with the Michigan Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Michigan State University, the release said. Any pictures of humans will be deleted.
The analysis will include using MegaDetector, an open-source program to detect photos of animals; uploading the photos to Wildlife Insights, a cloud-based platform, to detect photos of elk, with a human checking the photos; and the MSU Cooperative Team seasonal staffers verifying the technology accurately detected photos of elk, per the release.
Where are the trail cameras?
The DNR's Wildlife Division has set up about 200 battery-powered cameras in and around Michigan's 1,100 square miles of core elk range in the northern Lower Peninsula in preparation for the next survey, the DNR said. The department placed most cameras on state-managed land, while DNR researchers also worked with landowners and put cameras on private land, per the DNR.
The cameras were placed on trees about 40 inches off the ground, the release says. The devices take pictures using infrared and motion detection and store the photos on SD cards.
How will the DNR use elk teeth to survey population?
DNR researchers will analyze elk teeth from animals hunted this fall and winter for statistical population reconstruction, a low-cost method to survey Michigan's elk population, the release said. This would be in addition to the aerial survey and trail camera options.
The DNR will consider whether results are accurate and if so, it could use this technique annually and allow for holding the other survey about every three to five years instead of biannually, per the release.
How does the DNR track Michigan elk?
The DNR has been doing aerial surveys every other year for over 20 years to gauge the state's elk herd, the department said.
The aerial survey typically include two planes flying each day with two DNR observers on board each plane over the course of eight days, the release said.
However, lack of adequate snow cover during the January survey time recently has complicated efforts, leading to an uncertainty rate of about 25%, per the DNR.
What is happening to the aerial survey?
The DNR will continue the aerial survey, holding its next one in 2026 as the department looks into the best option for estimating Michigan's elk population, per the release.
What is the DNR's broader plan for tracking elk?
The various methods factor into Michigan's elk management plan as officials seek to maintain a sustainable elk population and habitat balance, the release said. The DNR plans to compare outcomes after testing these new techniques to decide which is the best option, considering cost and results, per the release.
"That management plan really guides the information we need to manage our elk herd," said Tyler Petroelje, the DNR's northern Michigan wildlife research specialist. "And so we have a responsibility to follow the management plan to estimate elk abundance with the best tools that are available."
How many elk live in Michigan?
The Michigan elk population is estimated at 1,146, as of the most recent aerial elk survey conducted by the DNR in 2024. The survey's plus/minus 262 confidence interval means the total population could range between 884 to 1,408.
Why is it important to know Michigan's elk population?
The DNR must keep track of the size of the elk herd in Michigan to know how many elk hunting licenses to issue per year, the release said.
The department holds annual hunting seasons to effectively manage the state's elk population. In 2025, period 1 of elk hunting runs from Aug. 26-29, Sept. 12-15 and Sept. 26-29 and period 2 of elk hunting from Dec. 13-21, per the DNR's website.
What's the history of elk in Michigan?
Michigan's current elk population comes from reintroducing elk in 1918 after the state's native herd disappeared around 1875, the DNR says.
Population growth led to limited hunting in the mid-1960s, though factors like reduced habitat quality and poaching brought a severe decline by the mid-1970s, per the DNR. Rehabilitation efforts led to a population rebound by 1984, though this prompted hunting to resume amid elk damage to forests and agriculture, the DNR said.
How can you see elk in Michigan?
If you're looking to catch a glimpse of elk in the wild, fall breeding season is a great time, Pure Michigan recommends.
You can find elk feeding in open grassy areas in northern Michigan in September and October, with dawn and dusk being the best viewing times. Remember never to approach the elk.
Be sure to bring along binoculars, snacks, drinks, a paper map and have a full tank of gas. Check out this elk viewing guide to prepare for your adventure.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How elk teeth, trail cameras will help DNR survey Michigan elk herd
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