Local connects on Michigan elk

Goodrich-Christina Johnson accomplished a first during the last two hours on the last day of her recent elk hunt to northeastern Michigan.
The 34-year-old former Goodrich resident shot a 705 pound, five-by-six bull elk, her first, at about 7 p.m., Sept.18 near Atlanta, Mich., just before her elk permit expired.
‘I’ve never even shot a deer before,? said Johnson, adding, ‘It was a great experience.?
The 6-year-old elk, shot at about 125 yards with a 30.06 Remmington, concluded a nine-day early state hunt. Johnson, a 1990 Goodrich High School graduate, was hunting with her father, Steve Beers of Goodrich and brother, Jason Beers, from the Elk View Cabins near Johannesburg, Mich. The group spotted a total of 89 elk, including 34 bulls, says Johnson.
The Michigan early elk hunt is divided into two seasons, Aug. 26-30, and Sept. 15-18, with a total of 55 licenses drawn from several thousand entries. A second season, with about 155 licenses, are drawn for a December elk hunt.
The 2006 first hunt produced 45 animals with 54 hunters participating, says Michigan Department of Wildlife Technician Bruce Baker, from the Atlanta Field Office.
Baker says the purpose of the first hunt is to thin out the nuisance elk that roam too far from a designated range and cause damage to crops.
‘Right now, we’re at capacity of about 1,000 to 1,200 animals, but the number of elk in the area is just an estimation,? said Baker. ‘We need to cut that down to about 700 to 800 animals.?
Baker said the elk are native to Michigan, but due to overhunting and poor management, the last known elk was taken from the state about 1900. A few animals were reintroduced in the state about 1930 and since then, have thrived in the northeastern sections of Michigan.