Thousands of Missourians apply to go elk and black bear hunting this year

Thousands of Missourians have applied to go elk and black bear hunting this year. 

Missouri has sold nearly 14-thousand elk and black bear hunting permit applications this year. 

The Missouri Department of Conservation reports more than 85-hundred of those are for elk hunting.  

More than 53-hundred are black bear permit applications. 

Five elk hunting permits and 400 black bear hunting permits will be offered this year. 

Missouri is home to about 540-840 black bears and the population is growing roughly 9% each year. 

The department says Missouri has about 250 elk.