The Michigan Department of Natural Resources could increase the number of elk tags given to hunters next year.
It would be the first increase in four years.
A normal elk herd in Michigan in a given year is between 500 to 900, but Brian Mastenbrook with the DNR says there could be as many as 1,200 this year. He says that many elk can create problems and now they want the population to shrink.
"Whether it's elk in crop fields, whether it's elk damage to people's forest regeneration, whether it's ... elk car accidents," Mastenbrook said.
This year the state gave out 200 elk tags. Mastenbrook says they don't have a concrete figure in mind for next year, but the DNR will officially propose a new number at a meeting of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission on March 19.
The proposal will then go to public comment.