North American wapiti, more commonly known as elk, are generally associated with mountainous regions of the West. However, before white settlers arrived with their guns, axes and plows, these large herbivores inhabited much of the Continent. Nevertheless, I was surprised to see "Elk Crossing" signs in the northern part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula during our recent visit and have since learned that this is the largest free roaming elk herd east of the Mississippi.
Elk were extirpated from Michigan by the late 1800s due to a combination of over-hunting and habitat loss. Then, during the second decade of the 20th Century, efforts were made to re-establish an elk population in the Pigeon River watershed of the northeast Lower Peninsula; despite some initial success, poaching and the degradation of habitat proved to be significant problems. Finally, through the cooperation of landowners, the general public and the Department of Natural Resources, the Michigan elk population began to stabilize in the 1970s and has recently been maintained between 800-900 wintering individuals; habitat restoration and a strictly controlled hunting program have been instrumental in this effort.
While the reintroduction of a native species is, in general, a laudable project, it cannot be successful without both adequate habitat protection and a reliable means of population control. Since the State has no plans to reintroduce gray wolves and cougars in this region, population control falls to human hunters. Indeed, one wonders whether hunting and tourism proponents were the driving force behind this elk reintroduction program. The public surely enjoys the opportunity to observe these magnificent animals in the wild but, for all practical purposes, the State of Michigan has created a regional hunting preserve.
