Clay County officials weigh in after call involving ‘unusual’ visitor. Who was it?
The Clay County Sheriff’s Department responded to an “unusual” call near Kearney on Wednesday morning involving an antlered visitor.
Around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office received a report indicating a vehicle had struck an elk on Summersette Road near Means Street, just southeast of Kearney, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff’s office.
By the time sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene, the driver who struck the elk had already left, according to the post, leaving deputies unsure whether the person had been injured. The elk did not survive.
Several commenters on the Facebook post noted that there may be an elk farm in the area. However, sheriff’s deputies contacted agents at the Missouri Department of Conservation, who confirmed the elk was wild, the post said.
Other commenters noted that they had previously heard of a wild elk in the area.
“There was a post on a Kearney page not long ago about the one lone wild elk,” Jayme Smith said. “There was concern this would happen in the comments.”
Are elk native to Missouri?
According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, wild elk are native to Missouri, but were initially eliminated from the state in the mid- to late 1800s. From 2011-2013, the department reintroduced the mammal to the area with help from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and local landowners.
Elk are considered a “very large member of the deer family,” according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. The mammals are characterized by their thick necks, shaggy winter mane, slim legs, long heads and large ears.
Male elk typically have large, backward-sweeping antlers, which they grow and shed annually, the department of conservation said.
Additionally, elk create distinct sounds, setting them apart from similar mammals, such as deer.
Male elk are known for their “screaming bugle,” the department of conservation said, as well as distinct “grunts, mews, and barks.” When elk walk, their front legs can emit a “knuckle cracking” sound, used to maintain contact with their herds.
The mammals are typically found in wooded areas or open pastures, the department of conservation said.
Could Clay County install ‘elk crossings?’ Police department, commissioner weigh in
The Kearney Missouri Police Department poked fun at the sheriff’s department in the comments on the post Wednesday, asking whether deputies planned to “host any educational trainings for the elk to teach them how to use crosswalks.”
“Asking for a friend,” the police department said.
Clay County Commissioner Jason Withington chimed in on the police department’s remarks.
“We’re actively reviewing funding options for dedicated elk crossings — safety first for all Clay County residents,” Withington said. “In the meantime, we’ll ask them nicely to look both ways before crossing … compliance has been hit or miss.”
Missouri residents can report an elk sighting to the Missouri Department of Conservation through the department’s website. In the Facebook post, the sheriff’s department urged drivers to “be alert for both deer and elk” on roadways.
This story was originally published February 11, 2026 at 6:50 PM.
