Wild Elk

Wild elk roam parts of the county and attract photographers and hunters! The elk may be hunted with permit during hunting season. Searcy County is the Elk Hunting Capital of Arkansas!  Searcy County led the state of Arkansas in elk harvest numbers in 2022, as it does every year! Wes Wright, elk program coordinator for the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, said the initial tally of elk during recent surveys was 419, which is about a 5 percent increase from last year. “This is the first time in five years that we’ve seen an increase,” Wright said. There are likely a few more. Since habitat work in Richland Valley began, Wright says he’s seen as many as 300 elk in one morning at that location. “Historically, we see about 40 bulls per 100 cows and about the same ratio of calves to cows,” Wright said. “One calf per two adult cows is pretty typical of other states with elk populations.” Wright says Arkansas’s bull-to-cow ratio falls a bit higher than many Western states that are traditionally known for elk hunting.