Minnesota family finds success raising elk on farm

The meat Mark and Lisa Luedtke raise on their farm is considered venison.

But it’s probably not the type of venison you think.

“Everyone in this area only thinks of white-tailed deer as venison,” Mark Luedtke said.

The type of wild game meat the Luedtkes raise is elk. They call the operation Luckyland Elk Farm and raise them naturally on an old 120-acre dairy farm in rural Bowlus, Minn.

“We use it instead of beef in everything,” Lisa Luedtke said. “Burgers, tacos, spaghetti — you name it.”...

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Minnesota elk production thrives

BOWLUS – The meat Mark and Lisa Luedtke raise on their farm is considered venison.

But it's probably not the type of venison you think.

"Everyone in this area only thinks of white-tailed deer as venison," Mark said.

The type of wild game meat the Luedtke's raise is elk. They call the operation Luckyland Elk Farm and raise them naturally on an old 120-acre dairy farm.

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Life on the Elk Farm

I’m Hannah Luedtke from Bowlus, Minnesota and I live on the Luckyland Elk Farm. I live on the farm with my dad Mark, my mom Lisa, and my younger sister Hailie. My dad started the farm in 2003 with 11 bred cows and now we have around 190 head!

Just a couple years ago I started to get really interested in doing stuff on the farm. When I was younger I would usually ask to go see the calves during the summer and occasionally I would go with my dad to do chores. During chores I would drive the ranger while dad put grain in the feed bins. Now during the summer, I help with chores whenever I have the time to. During breeding season, it is also fun to help choose the bulls that we get to use for breeding. Sometimes I also help when we are cutting the velvet antler and hard antler off. The hard antler can get a little scary with the bulls that time of year; they can be a little frisky. Usually during the summer when we get done with the outside chores..." 

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