Elk hunting season starts today

Today marks the beginning of elk hunting season in Missouri. It’s the first-ever year for that season.

Only five hunters were selected by the Missouri Department of Conservation to take part, due to the low number of elk in the state.

Those hunters can take down an elk during archery season, which began today, or with a gun when the firearms season starts in December.

The last time elk were hunted was nearly 200 years ago before they disappeared, largely due to unregulated hunting and habitat changes.

Elk have been re-introduced in Carter, Reynolds and Shannon counties.