Are there any unconfined elks in Canada?
There are only a few places in Canada where we can find free-wandering elks in the wild. Aside from Banff and Jasper national parks in Alberta, elks can also be found inside Riding Mountain Park, North of Ontario.
According to the federal government, the elk was endangered because it has been victim of an intensive hunt, but since the protected parks, the elk is not endangered any more. They say we can find about 3000 elks in the wildlife.
In Canada’s other provinces, the elk can only be found on farms. There are approximately 15 elk farmers in the province of Quebec. You will find the listing on the AEWQ website.
Is elk hunting allowed?
Elk hunting is only allowed in specially conceived ranches. Elks are enclosed inside a very large fence, where it is allowed to hunt them in small groups, and at a certain price. Do a quick search with Google to find a ranch located in your province where it’s possible to hunt elks.
Why do we raise elks?
At the Ferme les Wapitis des Beaux Prés, elk hunting is not allowed. We raise elks since 1994, and our herd now counts approximately 100 animals. Each year, our females give birth to about 30 fawns, and we sell the same quantity of adult elks annually.
We mostly sell elks for meat, but some people also buy livestock for tourism. In the United Sates, some farms raise elks and reindeers so the tourists can come and visit their “Christmas village” which has been decorated for the occasion. Moreover, we sell natural products made from elk antlers to soothe arthritis, osteoporosis, and diabetes. Some elk farmers keep the animal’ skin to make fur coats, and they keep the antlers to make tools.
Poachers
The poachers who illegally hunt elks for fun and without a hunting permit need to be severely punished as they greatly harm the wildlife. Laws are in place to protect the animals, that is why we need to obey them. We have very little estime for those who kill elks for pleasure, like it happened in 2012 on a farm of another Quebec elk breeder. (available in French only)
For any question or comment, please do not hesitate in contacting us!
Tags: chasse de wapiti, élevage de wapiti, wapiti en liberté
why were poachers hunting them?
Poachers were hunting them mainly to get their antlers for trophy. Very few hunted them to have fresh meat. It was true in the 1800 but nowadays, it is mainly for trophy or just for the fun of it.