News and notes from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE-TAILED DEER, ELK
People sometimes report seeing elk in areas beyond far northwestern Minnesota. Hunters need to make sure they know the difference between deer and elk in the field. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website (mndnr.gov/hunting/ deer-elk-id.html) has drawings and traits listed to help distinguish elk from white-tailed deer. Additionally, the DNR encourages people to report elk sightings in Minnesota using the online elk sighting reporting tool (mndnr.gov/elk/elk-sightings.html).
Deer hunters invited to share wildlife observations
Minnesota deer hunters can use an online log (mndnr.gov/ mammals/deer/management/deer-hunter-field-log.html) to re port wildlife they see while hunting. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources uses the information to supplement its model-generated population estimates, which are an important tool for managing wildlife.
Using a mobile device or computer, deer hunters can enter information about wildlife they see while in the field, including deer, turkey, bear, fisher and other species. Hunters are encour -
aged to fill out a hunter field log after each hunt, even if no deer are observed. This allows for an accurate estimate of the number of deer observed per hour of field observations, which provides a useful comparison to deer density modeling results.
Minnesota DNr's online log will remain open through the end of 2026.
