Box 448 • Ridgway, PA 15853 Elk County Courthouse Annex • 300 Center Street • P.O. Elk, on average, are roughly three times the size of deer and reign supreme as the Lords of Pennsylvania’s forests. Hunters should bring plenty of help. In 1981, an elk was fitted with a marking collar for the first time to track movement. The oldest known cow in Pennsylvania was 32, and the oldest bull was 15. In 1927, hunters harvested 26 bulls marking the state's best harvest since the reintroduction. Please evaluate your own level of risk when determining whether or not to visit Elk Mountain. The meeting, which attracted governmental officials, legislators, farmers and hunters quickly became a sounding board for disgruntled farmers and ambitious planners. Brain worm apparently has not been a severe problem for the elk herd since 1973-74. Five- strand electric fence was placed around fields and pastures on more than 550 acres cultivated by six farmers, all areas where elk conflicts were being resolved with a gun. At birth calves generally weigh between 33 and 45 pounds, with males being heavier than females. Risk of serious injury or death can occur if a safe distance is not observed. To be honest, its amazing the Yellowstone elk survived to serve as the nucleus of Pennsylvanias resurrected elk herd. Keystone State. For example, if you have previously earned 5 bonus points for the general season and this year you apply for the archery season AND the general season, your existing bonus points are only included in your general season application. Our herd in Clearfield County is estimated to be roughly around 300. "The chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations told me personally that he could not support this bill for the above reasons, and in addition said, If this is done a precedent will have been established that will cost the state untold money.". When combined with other mortality for the year, a record 35 elk had been lost. Had some of our original eastern elk survived as breeding stock, the current status might be entirely different. In 1967, agency biologist Harvey Roberts suggested: "Due to the fact that we have never studied our elk herd, little or nothing is known concerning limiting factors, etc. For example, if you select Zone 2 and are drawn after Zone 2 has been filled, you'll simply be assigned to the next available zone. Pennsylvania is home to the largest free roaming elk herd in the northeast United States (currently estimated at a herd of approximately 1,400), and visiting Pennsylvania Elk Country to catch a glimpse of these majestic creatures has become an annual tradition for many people. They were something special to observe in the forest; a sight that widened eyes and quickened blood. Cervus elaphusSeasons and Bag Limits: Benezette is the ”Elk Capital of Pennsylvania” and is located in the heart of the state’s wild elk herd, now numbering nearly 1,400 majestic animals. Elk crop damage around St. Marys, however, didn't dissipate with the loss of 35 animals. SR 879 is directly off interstate I-80 Exit 120. Most Elk hunts at Tioga take place between the middle of September and the middle of November, so booking an elk hunt for fall is ideal. There was no reason to suspect they wouldn't, especially after they moved into the rich farming areas bordering big woods. The cooperative arrangement with DER did not mark the beginning of land management for elk by either agency. Check Station: Harvested elk need to be taken to the elk check station within 24 hours. Knowing the amount of public land available and road access are two major contributors. Regulations prohibit the use of motorized vehicles, including ATVs on state-owned property, with few exceptions. Elk County Courthouse • 250 Main Street • P.O. Check out these Elk Viewing Destinations before your visit. Why does the Game Commission radio-collar elk?Research and data collection are a fundamental part of elk management in Pennsylvania. The Game Commission pledged to do habitat improvement work beneficial to elk. How do I apply for and check the status of an elk license application? As of March 2020, there are about 1,350 elk in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvanias largest elk concentrations are believed to have been in the Allegheny Mountains. "Therefore habitat manipulation such as timber harvests and selective land clearings to create food strips should receive added emphasis...". Third; put your time in. Celebrating 100 Years of Elk in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, Special Requests to Use State Game Lands Information, Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP). Note that your preferred hunt zone has no influence on your chances of being drawn. Since it can never be possible to have an open season on elk, it seems foolish to me to try to provide habitat that would tend to increase the population.". In 1992 and 1993, the RMEF contributed an additional $92,000 to help fund habitat enhancements and purchase and erect deterrent electric fencing on areas sustaining substantial elk crop damage. Visiting Pennsylvania's Elk Country has become an annual tradition and regular trip for thousands of people from near and far. The commissioners, however, eventually chose not to. Very rarely, twinning is possible but occurs in less than 1 percent of elk births. They were released in six counties: Cameron, 24; Carbon, 24; Potter, 24; Forest, 10; Blair, 7; and Monroe, 6. The refined approach required 20 people, an airplane and a helicopter. At Tioga Ranch in Pennsylvania, you can hunt Elk from late August through the middle of March. Considering a Pennsylvania Elk Hunt? Results from the Elk Check Station. Elk Mountain is committed to the health and safety of our guests and staff. If you’re looking for affordable guided … Characterizing elk, or any wildlife, by naming them degrades their wild essence. Pennsylvania’s elk hunting season kicked off Saturday, Sept. 12 with the archery elk season, in which 26 hunters selected by lottery will be spread across nine of the 14 Elk Hunt Zones within the state’s elk range. Under the proposal, interested hunters would pay a nonrefundable $10 fee to be included in a public lottery. MAP. Elk County Pennsylvania public information on government, environment, local announcements and more. "We think it's time the Top Brass of the Game Commission takes an interest in solving this problem," wrote John Wegemer, Secretary, Elk County Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs in a 1970 letter to Game Commission Executive Director Glenn Bowers. Be Mindful of Rutting Season — Mid-September through October is elk mating season. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Do elk compete with deer for food? Another change that occurred in 2003 was a discontinuation on the limit of nonresident licenses that may be awarded. If you are unsuccessful in drawing you would earn 1 bonus point for the archery season and 1 bonus point for the general season (meaning you would now have 1 archery & 6 general points). To ensure the preservation of elk being released, the General Assembly in 1913 enacted a law protecting them until November 15, 1921, when a two-week elk season would be held. In 1915, barely two years after the first elk were released, the Game Commission bought 95 more from Yellowstone. Click the first radio button, scroll to the bottom of the page, click 'Start Here' and follow the prompts. During your visit be safe, considerate and respectful. Location: Winslow Hill Road, 3 miles from its intersection with Route 555 in Benezette. In 1992, the herd's size was estimated to be 205 elk; in 1993, 224. The county was created on April 18, 1843, from parts of Jefferson, Clearfield and McKean Counties, and is named for the Eastern elk … The following year one bull was taken in what would become Pennsylvania's last elk hunting season. "Some people feel they are sacred. How long do elk live? Do Your Part. Half of the Wyoming wapiti shipment went to Clinton County, the other half to Clearfield County. The 50 elk cost about $30 each. We thank our partners, Then the herd rebounded. Enhancements included aspen clearcuts, which later provided succulent browse, and development of food plots. "Unfortunately we know nothing concerning age or sex structure. But in the '90s, with the aid of better natural food conditions and deterrent fencing, elk flourished. GPS Coordinates are 41.3233 N and 78.3684 W. Cell coverage on the elk range is sparse. In 2000, the herd was an estimated 566, more than doubling its early 1990s numbers. In addition, prescribed burning and mowing were used to improve grasses and clovers, and farmers were enlisted under sharecropping agreements to plant remote herbaceous openings. But the proposed elk hunt, as appealing as it was to most hunters statewide, was not popular in Elk and Cameron counties, the elk herd's stomping grounds. Elk taken to Clinton County were placed in a three-acre holding pen and released several weeks later after spring green-up was underway. "The more we do for the elk, the more they seem to respond to it," surmised former agency biologist William Drake, who had worked with the states elk for some time. The Pennsylvania Automated License System (PALS) is the site to apply for the elk license drawing and check the status of your application. came to a head at an October 1970 meeting in Emporium. The most apparent remedy was to intensify habitat improvement work on state game and forest lands in the roughly 250-square mile elk range in an effort to keep the big beasts away from agricultural areas. Antlered Only: Applicant is only interested in hunting antlered elk. The trap-and-transfer project was funded by and in cooperation with the PGC, DCNR, Pennsylvania State University, Frostburg State University, Purdue University and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. If I find an elk shed can I keep it? However, it is not legal to pick up any parts or bones of an elk you found dead, including skulls and antlers. Listen for the famous bugling of the male elk during August-October, as the elk are in rut during this time of the year. During the first season hunters took 23 legal bulls. A preference point is awarded for each year a hunter has applied and has not been selected. The Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmens Clubs joined the discussion. Although the program provided only limited benefits in its early years, it eventually evolved into a tremendous operation that truly catered to elk. The hunting seasons no doubt made a dent in the states scattered elk herd. Raymond H. Morningstar, the agencys northcentral division supervisor, wrote in a 1970 memo to Bowers, "Public opinion would be greatly against shooting the elk, except for a few farmers, but if this herd gets much larger perhaps a limited number of permits to kill bulls could be issued. Winslow Hill - The most visited elk-viewing site in Pennsylvania, with two established viewing areas, off-road parking, and portable restrooms. Elk County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 31,946. The terrain they bounded into was vastly different, the vegetation unfamiliar. But with time and through an educational effort that showed elk habitat improvements also benefited species such as deer, bear, turkeys, grouse and a variety of nongame animals, the amount of habitat work increased and opposition to it waned. It was a proactive management approach to limiting elk conflicts and the potential for habitat deterioration. Elk beset by the stringy worm became incapacitated and very approachable. "Still hunting," or stalking, was the only legal way bull elk could be hunted. Bowers wasted little time at the meeting explaining the Game Commission's position on the discussed topics. Or, potential elk hunters can apply at any license vendor. This varies with geography. It increased by an annual average of 20 percent until it hit 135 in 1981. This varies with geography. A banded elk in Clinton County. First; think about where elk spend time when sheds are dropping. There are a few abandoned farms in the area which could be planted just for these animals, perhaps they would leave the farmers alone. By strategically locating these areas, many elk were persuaded to stay off farmlands, where they'd likely have been killed if they caused crop damage. Elk showed a preference for herbaceous openings in the spring, summer and fall, and clearcuts in the winter.". Wildlife includes white-tailed deer, black bear and fox. People were flocking to wherever elk could be found to take pictures and feed them. Later that year, an elk committee, comprising Game Commission and Bureau of Forestry officials and local farmers and sportsmen, was formed to address elk-related problems and serve as a conduit between managers and residents. ​When visiting Benezette, tune into the Game Commission's Northcentral Elk Viewing Area Information Radio Station, WRBR385, broadcasting on 1620 AM. Elk, or wapitis as they were called by native Americans, were doggedly pursued wherever they could be found in colonial Penns Woods. A year later, use of telemetry collars began. The broadcasts are brought to you in partnership with the Keystone Elk Country Alliance and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The parasite is commonly found in whitetails, but poses no threat to them. Pennsylvanias elk hunt has continued every year since 2001, annually drawing about 20,000 applicants for the elk licenses made available. Prior to that, estimates of the herd's size ranged from 25 to 500, depending upon whom you talked to. But in the 50s, they began drawing attention again. Today, the elk population is around 1,000-1,200 and can be found in 10 of Pennsylvania’s counties. In regards to the elk tourism attraction/management area, he noted that sportsmen's dollars shouldn't be committed to a "Chamber of Commerce-type program." Antlerless Only: Applicant is only interested in hunting antlerless elk. Succulent legumes -- alfalfa and clovers -- were also planted on food plots to attract and hold elk on public lands. In 1930, the bull elk harvest dropped to five, sparking concern among sportsmen. Other wildlife also commonly seen. So whether you're trying to view or hunt elk, you'll have more success if you go early in the morning or late afternoon/evening. They believed the farmers were entitled to compensation for their losses and petitioned legislators to address the issue. A year later, the agency considered restocking elk after several were shot in mistake for deer. "Some range and movements of elk varied greatly between the sexes and seasons of the year," agency biologist Rawland D. Cogan reported in 1987. There is only one record of twins occurring in Pennsylvania and they were still-born. It's also important to note that census refinements during this period without question increased the proficiency of counters to find elk and no doubt led to the discovery of previously uncounted elk. Death followed. What is the average weight of a calf? Not only is it illegal to feed elk in Pennsylvania, but it teaches them to associate people, cars or homes with food and can lead to dangerous situations. Habitat improvements under the management plan began slowly because of budgetary and manpower constraints, not to mention negative reaction from some who questioned the logic of dedicating Game Commission resources to an animal that couldn't be hunted. And a third option is to examine State Forest maps available online or at each State Forests headquarters. Elk Check Station (map) (PDF) The brain worm problem afflicting elk during the mid '70s was diagnosed by Penn State researchers through necropsies on carcasses. Where should I go to look for sheds? How many elk do we have in Pennsylvania? They were a unique resource. Do elk have any natural predators in Pennsylvania? Getting the chance to take a Pennsylvania elk, which hadn't been hunted in more than half a century, was big news to hunters. 717-787-2084. A person who suffers elk damage has every right, morally and legally, to kill an elk.". Learn more about elk in Pennsylvania at the visitor center. Not only was he shocked a month earlier when he found out he was drawn to receive one of five coveted tags, but he took full advantage by punching that tag the first night of his September hunt. The season runs until Saturday, Sept. 26. Talk of the herd being exterminated by farmers spread like wildfire. Elk affected people that way. The best way to accomplish that was under a new cooperative elk management plan developed by the Game Commission and Department of Environmental Resources' Bureau of Forestry and implemented in early 1982. huntfish.pa.gov. It was installed on some State Game Land in Elk County in a field that often sees a lot of elk activity. Losses to hunting, poaching and those relocated or shot because of nuisance complaints all played a role in the ensuing decline that occurred. The best ski resort in PA. Our family is so lucky to live near Elk Mountain. Following a series of open houses throughout Pennsylvania to collect public opinion about holding an elk hunt, the Board of Game Commissioners in April 2001 adopted a proposal to hold an elk hunt later that year. We invite you to review season highlights. Persons interested in becoming a guide for Pennsylvania elk hunters should contact the Special Permits Enforcement Division at 717-783-8164. The elk in all the other release areas were gone. It was a move seemingly destined to take the gun -- and unregulated harvest -- out of the farmer's hands and place it firmly in the grip of wildlife managers. Do elk have twins? In 1976, the Game Commission expanded its meager elk management efforts. Researchers do not know exactly why the elk herd increased from 38 to 135 animals from 1973 to 1981. In 1912, the Game Commissioners and agency Executive Secretary Joseph Kalbfus began talking about re-introducing elk in Pennsylvania. The Game Commission and several partner organizations put a tremendous amount of time and effort into improving elk habitat, which inevitably benefits deer and other wildlife. Farmers shot several bull elk in a matter of days after the meeting and residents became indignant. It functioned more as a sounding board than a regulatory body, but the committee's periodic meetings kept everyone abreast of what was going on. We have made the difficult decision to close the live stream a bit early this year, while we consider possible updates. It also became more actively involved in an elk study being headed by Dr. John L. George, the professor of wildlife management at Pennsylvania State University. In the early '90s, elk research concentrated on herd reproduction, calf mortality and health profiles, much of which was accomplished through telemetry and blood analysis. Both began experimenting with habitat improvements in the early '70s. The Elk Country Visitor Center, 134 Homestead Dr., PA 15821, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  GPS coordinates are 41.3233 N and 78.3684 W.  All elk must be brough to the check station within 24 hours of harvest. The proposed lottery hunt, expected to be an annual event for two to three years, was a response to the increasing crop damage being caused by the growing elk herd, which had doubled in size from 1971 to 1981. The check station is open to the public. For example, if you applied for all three seasons and were drawn for the archery season, your applications for the general and late seasons would be instantly removed and you would be awarded bonus points for those seasons (1 point per season). "It is my personal belief that the elk herd is as large or perhaps larger than it need be and, so far, they are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. At this page, choose one of the identification options below to check your records, fill in the necessary information and click on the "Continue" button. Radio collars are specifically used to estimate three things: age specific survival, habitat use and population. An additional 22 elk were bought from a Monroe County preserve that year. The elk rut is triggered by photoperiod (day length) and generally begins around the middle of September and carries through the early- to mid-October. Many agency officials considered the hunt an alternative to the use of spotlights and rifles to resolve elk crop damage, a tool that could be used for selective harvest and customized management. Yes, many scientists believe that the teeth are remnants of tusks from prehistoric ancestors. You may spot the elk herd if. Other officials suggested doing something to sustain or promote growth of the elk population. The big animals, they found, were very destructive in agricultural areas. In Pennsylvania wild cow elk live and average of 10 years, while bulls live an average of 8 years. During the project, the PGC, with assistance from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry and Bureau of State Parks and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, trapped and transferred 63 elk from Elk County and relocated them in Clinton County, mostly on the Sproul State Forest. Pennsylvania’s first-ever archery elk season is one that Jim Lickfeld will never, ever forget. The Game Commission's elk management efforts received a substantial shot in the arm in 1990 when the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) contributed $38,000 toward the purchase of State Game Lands 311, a 1,600-acre acquisition at that time, in the Winslow Hill area of Elk County (near Benezette). If you believe there is an error, please contact the License Division at The high-water mark for elk harvest was 1927. They seemed to like the silk.". YouTube Videos; SHARE THE FUN. Click the first radio button, scroll to the bottom of the page, click 'Start Here' and follow the prompts. Persons just accompanying an elk hunter are not required to have an elk guide permit.Table - License Issued and Harvest Success. The application period of the elk hunt opens when licenses go on sale in mid-June and closes July 31. Annual Elk Population Survey & Harvest information can be found in the, North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development "When the farmers complained," former Game Commissioner John M. Phillips reflected, "we went into Centre County and found where a band of elk had been raiding a cornfield at night and had destroyed every ear in the field by biting about two inches off the end. Any number of unlicensed persons may accompany hunters as long as they wear the required fluorescent orange and do not participate in the hunt itself or carry a firearm. Elk are crepuscular, moving more during dawn and dusk. Successful archery season elk hunters need to contact the Northcentral Region Office at 570-398-4744. How many elk do we have in Pennsylvania? Learn about the new season opportunities in this Elk bugling in Benezette. Changes in photoperiod (day length) cause a reduction in testosterone that ultimately causes a bull's antlers to drop off. Only bulls with four or more points to at least one antler were legal game. Habitat improvements appear to have helped by somewhat concentrating daily movements and reducing elk encounters with civilization. Along with the outcry for assistance came a proposal by the Cameron County Soil and Water Conservation District and the North Central Pennsylvania Economic Development Corporation to establish a 10,000-acre elk management area in Elk and Cameron counties. That the state's elk had endured two score and a handful of years without any management assistance -- save closed season protection -- was a credit to their perseverance and a blessing for Pennsylvanians, who have come to truly appreciate this unique resource. Prior to this Bowers' statement, farmers thought it was illegal to shoot elk for crop damage. The Pennsylvania elk herd is now estimated to number around 1,400, and is scattered throughout Elk, Potter, Cameron, Clearfield, Clinton, and Centre counties. Citing farmers for killing elk causing crop damage was something Game Commission officials wanted to avoid. The Game Commission in 1998 launched a three-year trap-and transfer project to remove elk from areas in their primary range in Elk and Cameron counties where they were in conflict with other land uses or pose a threat to the public. The best spot to start an elk viewing adventure is at the Elk Country Visitor Center on Winslow Hill. Game Commission elk research, mildly pursued in the late '70s, attracted more and more attention and funding as the '80s progressed. Most bulls tend to lose their antlers right between March 10 and 25; there are always exceptions. Hunters relished the idea of hunting them. Many residents in Elk and Cameron counties, however, enjoyed the elk. Farmers cursed as they surveyed their latest losses. Wildlife watchers often congregate in areas with the best viewing opportunities. Elk County. The effects of disease and parasites are totally unknown. Problems can arise when folks gather on the shoulders of rural roads and are focused on watching elk rather than oncoming traffic. Most studies during the '80s focused on elk movements and home range. It appeared some sort of management initiative was going to be needed to satisfy growing public concern for elk. GPS DD: Lat. The traditional elk range was comprised of one-third publicly-owned land and two-thirds privately-owned land. During the 90s, the elk herd experienced significant annual growth. A calf's birth weight is correlated to the health of its mother, which is dependent upon the quantity and quality of the available habitat and seasonal variation in weather patterns. Deer, turkeys and quail topped the list of game animals the agency bought and released. Bonus points serve as a multiplier and your name is entered in the drawing for as many bonus points as you have, effectively increasing the probability of drawing a license. Where can I get detailed information about individual elk hunt zone boundaries? Applicants can only be drawn for one season/tag per year, and all three drawings are held on the same day (Mid-August) in consecutive order. The first elk census, conducted in 1971 under the Penn State study, showed there were about 65 animals. In 2006, the Game Commission scheduled and held the states first-ever September elk hunt, a special seasons designed to assist farmers who sustain substantial elk crop damage in the early fall, before crops are harvested. The creation of the Game Commission in 1895 paved the way for an ambitious effort to replenish and provide additional protection to many of the states dangerously low wildlife populations. Elk are primarily grazers while deer are primarily browsers, however, elk will seasonally shift to a browse-based diet, particular in winter. This theory probably is not too far-fetched, in view of the fact that the forebears of our present herd came from the Yellowstone area. Check flight prices and hotel availability for your visit. We thank you for your patience and understanding. Herbaceous openings and food plots were created and timber regeneration cuts made. Find hotels, restaurants and activities near the Pennsylvania elk range on the PA Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau website. Shortly after they were released, the elk began to wander in search of food and cover, to distance themselves from the trains that delivered them, to seek out areas where human activity was limited. Elk in Potter County Pennsylvania. The most popular elk-viewing site in Pennsylvania, Winslow Hill provides two viewing areas with off-road parking. Regulations: Please consult the current Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest for details about this year's elk hunt. Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania 67 contributions 17 helpful votes. Even people who are familiar with their haunts find it difficult sometimes to even sight some of these animals. Pennsylvania's elk herd currently numbers over 700 animals spread out across a 3,750 square mile range; however, many people base what they know about the elk on the small percentage of the herd that inhabits the area immediately around Benezette. They were chased with dogs, jack-lighted, tracked whenever snow provided a trail, and shot on sight. Hunted to extinction in Pennsylvania in the late 1860s, they were reintroduced to the state between 1913 and 1926. "It's time we generated a realistic feeling toward these elk," he said. Applicant Options:  For most of the seasons, there are four options when an applicant applies. Stationary check Station during the rut because they are also called buglers, whistlers and ivories pursued in the Run. Is sparse provided only limited benefits in its early years, while 16 are hunting elk... 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