State officials are trying out new ways to keep an eye on Michigan's elk population — from elk teeth to trail cameras.

As researchers with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources seek to identify the best method for tracking the state's elk population, they're adding new techniques , photographing elk with trail cameras and analyzing elk teeth, the DNR said in a news release.

The DNR also plans to keep doing its biannual aerial surveys. The next one is in 2026.

The department will then examine how the camera and aerial survey methods match up by results and cost-effectiveness, per the DNR.

"We will compare the results from these different survey methods and balance the precision of the estimates they provide with the resources they require," said Angela Kujawa, a DNR wildli

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