GAYLORD — Michigan Department of Natural Resources researchers will test trail cameras as a new method for estimating the state’s elk population in northern Lower Michigan.
According to an Aug. 18 news release from the DNR, the pilot project, part of a larger research effort, aims to determine whether cameras offer a more accurate and cost-effective alternative to the department’s current aerial surveys.
About 200 cameras have been set up across the 1,100-square-mile core elk range, mostly on state-managed land but also on private land with landowner cooperation.
The data will be compared to aerial survey results to evaluate precision and efficiency. DNR wildlife biologist Angela Kujawa said the study will weigh the accuracy of each method against the resources they require.
Accurate population estimates help the state decide how many elk hunting licenses to issue each year. For more than 20 years, the DNR has conducted aerial surveys every other year, relying on sufficient snow cover to detect animals. The last survey in 2024 estimated the herd at 1,146, with a confidence range between 884 and 1,408 elk.
DNR wildlife research specialist Tyler Petroelje noted that inconsistent snow cover has challenged aerial counts, which have about a 25% uncertainty rate. While adequate for general population management, he said the method can be imprecise when measuring against Michigan’s goal of maintaining 500 to 900 elk.
The next aerial survey is scheduled for 2026. In the meantime, researchers will collect trail camera data each summer from 2025 through 2027. The photos will be processed with artificial intelligence and reviewed by staff in partnership with Michigan State University’s Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.
Researchers will also analyze teeth collected from harvested elk using a statistical population reconstruction method, which could supplement surveys and potentially reduce how often independent surveys are needed.
Petroelje said the findings will help support the state’s elk management plan, which guides efforts to maintain a sustainable population in balance with habitat.