Biologists have to know where the elk are likely to be at that time of year and what routes the elk usually follow. Then the biologists can set traps along the trails or in foraging areas. This technique involves flying a helicopter over an elk and shooting a net from the craft. When an elk wears a radio collar, its movements can be followed using radio telemetry. The collar contains a tiny transmitter that sends a signal that biologists can hear on receivers.
Biologists can locate elk from the ground or from an airplane or helicopter.
They are also using satellites to track wildlife. In 1981, elk were reintroduced to this area of the Ozark Mountains as part of a statewide program to restore the biodiversity of the region. Black bear, white-tailed deer, wild turkey and ruffed grouse have also been returned to the forests along Arkansas' Buffalo River. Elk now live as far east as Pennsylvania, where they were reintroduced in the early 1900s, and now more than 200 elk roam through forests in the north-central part of the state. Scientists are investigating the feasibility of reintroducing elk to other areas in the East.