How many wild elk are in Arkansas?
There are approximately 500 elk in Arkansas. How many were released? From 1981-85, 112 elk were released in Arkansas – 105 from southwestern Colorado and seven from western Nebraska. How large are Arkansas elk? Most mature bulls weigh about 700 pounds. The largest bull taken by a hunter in Arkansas weighed 895 pounds. Mature cows weigh about 500 pounds. The largest cow taken weighed 635 pounds. How long do elk live? Elk can live 15-20 years. Harvest data shows most Arkansas elk were 1.5 to 6.5 years old, based on annual growth rings in teeth. The oldest checked bull was 15.5. The oldest cow was 24.5. Why not reintroduce elk into every county in Arkansas? Elk need appropriate habitat and public support. That combination isn’t available in every county. They need large areas. An adult bull elk uses up to 60,000 acres. Almost 90 percent of Arkansas is privately owned, and most private land holdings are relatively small. Most farmers usually have little tolerance for elk, so biologists are
