(ABC 6 News) – As Minnesota gears up for deer hunting season in just a few weeks, the state’s Department of Natural Resources is trying to let hunters know they may find more than just white tails in the woods this year.

Despite elk being a rarity outside of their current range to the northwest, the last few years have seen more and more individuals far to the south.

Elk have a long history in Minnesota, at one time ranging throughout the state, but now, elk are limited to just a few small herds up near Canada.

A lot of it has to do with human expansion, according to Clarissa Schrooten, a naturalist at Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo which holds some elk for educational purposes.

“The fact that the lands have changed so much and agriculture has taken over so those prairie lands are not as prevalent, the population of the elk isn’t as prevalent,” she said.

However, in recent years, more wild elk have begun being spotted across the state, well outside of their normal ranges.

The DNR’s elk reporting tool shows sightings as far south as Mower County as of last year, and some of the most recent sightings are just south of the Twin Cities.

State elk coordinator for the DNR, Kelsie LaSharr, says these are likely lone males looking for ‘opportunities.’

“We do see an uptick during the rut, which is their mating season,” she said. “So they’re searching far and wide for another herd.”

Of course, the tool is only as accurate as the people who use it.

That’s why the DNR is also trying to make sure people are aware of the biggest differences between elk and their white-tailed cousins.

“The biggest thing to look for is size,” said LaSharr. “Elk in Minnesota can be anywhere from 500 to 1,000 pounds when they’re fully grown.”

Elk also notably have a much larger rack of antlers than white-tailed deer, thought the younger elk bulls will only have what are called spikes.

Both LaSharr and Schrooten hope these sightings mean a healthy future for these gentle giants.

“I would never have guessed that elk were coming down this far south,” said Schrooten, “but I really do hope that it’s because we’re having enough prairie restoration that they’re finding the things that they need and we’re making the changes that we need for them to survive and thrive.”