Gene's Elk Watching Journal

GENE's ELK WATCHING JOURNAL

Pennsylvania's Eastern Elk
Cervus elaphus nelsoni

"Thousands of years ago, elks grew tusks, though evolution deemed the rack a better way to strut your stuff." (Corel)

Before white settlers arrived in Pennsylvania, the Eastern elk (Cervus elaphus) lived throughout the state, with concentrations in the northcentral and Pocono mountains. By 1867 the species had been extirpated; ultimately it became extinct throughout its range, which included New York and New England. Today, elk inhabit portions of Elk and Cameron counties, and are being seen more and more in Clinton and Clearfield counties. The animals are descendants of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni, a closely related subspecies) released by the Pennsylvania Game Commission between 1913 and 1926. The word "elk" comes from the German "elch," the name for the European moose. The elk is also called "wapiti," an Indian word meaning "white deer," probably referring to animal's sun-bleached spring coat or its light-colored rump.

The earliest encounters I had with elk were at the Nay Aug Park Zoo in Scranton, and in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. It was always interesting to see the elk at the park when we took our children there. They had a large bull in an enclosure and he was very impressive when he grew his antlers each year. He whined and bugled in the autumn, but it was for naught because there were no cows nearby. He was shot because he gored and killed his caretaker.

The other encounter happened one evening when I was sitting in a tree-stand on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains, bowhunting for Mule Deer the last day of a week-long hunt on BLM land between Baxter and Douglas Passes — about 8,000 feet. It was the last week of August, 1966.

During the week I saw plenty of deer, but no elk. That evening, I could hear elk bugling on the mountainsides and in the valley below. My archery hunting license was only for one mule deer of either sex, and the Archery Elk Season wasn't scheduled to begin until the following week when I was on my way home.

The evening before, I was sitting in a tree-stand a couple hundred yards further up the mountain, and watched a cougar chase deer and pull down a fawn. It was a sight to see.

As the evening wore on, I saw several does and fawns but not the large antlered, elusive buck I was hoping for. I soon realized the bugling increased and was getting closer when I heard a bull bugle a short distance away on the slope below. Before it finished its call, I heard a loud — almost deafening — screeching not more than 30-yards behind me. It scared me! I came up almost a foot off my seat and quickly rose to my feet, bow in hand and ready to draw an arrow. At first I thought it was the cougar I saw the evening before. Branches began to snap and as I turned, I saw the largest bull elk ever in my life. Humph . . . it was the first wild bull elk I ever saw! It was he who made the shrill sound that scared the daylights out of me when he bugled close by.

He walked through the spruce trees, maneuvering his large, thick, long tined, 6 by 6 antlers, and stopped when he came into a clearing, a mere 15-yards from my stand. He was a sight to behold! He stood broadside offering one of the best shots a bowhunter could want. He didn't know I was there. As soon as the bull on the hillside below bugled again, he stretched his neck, gave an ear-piercing bugle in answer, and continued on in the direction of the challenger.

At one time, elk were common in the East. The only states in which they did not occur are Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Florida. Elk numbers across the country may have totaled 10 million before Europeans arrived. But by the 1850s, the Eastern species of elk was extinct, decimated by market and subsistence hunting and the destruction of their habitat. Programs to restore elk to their former habitats in the East started as early as 1913, when a few elk were brought to Pennsylvania from Yellowstone National Park. That state even had an elk season from 1923 to 1931, but then the population crashed and was largely ignored for decades. Pennsylvania now boasts one of the largest elk herds east of the Mississippi, comprising around six hundred animals on an 835-square mile range that supports the herd.

I always dreamed of an elk hunt with bow and arrow but never had an opportunity to do so. In 2001, the Pennsylvania Game Commission held its first elk hunt in 70 years and offered permits in a lottery for 30 animals. I applied and didn't win a draw. Of the 27 elk harvested by successful hunters, 14 were antlered and 13 were antlerless. I entered the lottery again, in 2002. The number of permits increased to 70, and I didn't win. A total of 61 elk — 32 antlered and 29 antlerless — were taken during the season, which was held Nov. 18-23. In 2003 the draw was for 100 elk and I was disappointed again. But I'll keep on trying. Maybe someday I'll get lucky.

My daughter Tammy and her family travel to Parker Dam State Park with my son Eugene every year during Labor Day weekend. They reserve a cabin to stay in, and roam the countryside to watch the elk. They always come home with some great videos. After watching them, I always said, "I'll go next year," but for some reason I never did.

Early in the month of October, 2003, I received a phone call from Eugene who lived in South Williamsport. He said the elk were rutting and can be heard bugling in the Allegheny mountains of northcentral Pennsylvania. Since early September, he made several trips to the town of Benezette in Elk County to view and photograph them. He suggested I take a trip with him, since I always expressed a desire to go there and see Pennsylvania's elk herd up close.

Saturday, October 18, 2003 was the first day of early Muzzleloader Deer Season in PA, and I hadn't yet been out bowhunting for deer. But now I had an opportunity to spend some quality time in the northcentral PA mountains, heart of our state's elk range. There was still plenty of time left in the Archery Deer Season, so, I told Eugene I'd go with him. He suggested I travel to his home on Friday, spend the night, and we'd leave early Saturday morning and spend the day looking for elk. As in any type of hunting, you never know what you'll see.

Please note that this journal contains photos of elk with numbered collars. These are telemetry collars used to assist the Pennsylvania Game Commission biologists in research and management of the elk herd by providing information about elk food preferences, seasonal movements and habitat uses, and have been in use since 1981. These collared elk ARE NOT pen-raised animals, and ARE NOT confined in game farms.

The Pennsylvania elk herd is not tame, although they may appear to be. Normally, they avoid close contact with people and generally move away when approached. However, they may show signs of agitation if people get too close, throw things, or when people or cars block what they consider to be an escape route. Signs of agitation are nervousness, quick movements, or suddenly rising from prone positions. Bulls can be particularly aggressive during the rutting season. In the summer, cows that have given birth will be protective of the young calves and may take aggressive action against perceived threats. This is typical behavior with many animals and caution should be used at all times. They can move very rapidly when reacting to danger.

For more information about the Pennsylvania Elk herd, refer to the WWW Links below.

You need the Macromedia Flash Player to view digital photos on this site.
Download and Install

My journal begins with the first Elk Watching excursion I made in 2003. Subsequent trips follow. Please note that there are small photos embedded in the text. Most of them link to a larger version when you click on them. Now go to the contents and choose a chapter.

You can get a preliminary view of the 2008 Elk photos HERE

Journal Contents

CONTENTS

2003: This was my first trip to "Elk Country." I watched a bull elk named "Wild Eye" and got some great video of him with his harem in an apple orchard . . . more

2004: On this short trip I saw a large bull in the town of Benezette and several other smaller bulls around the countryside . . . more

2005: A bull elk in velvet is an awesome sight because his antlers look so much larger. On this mid-summer overnight trip I saw some very impressive bulls . . . more

2006: Besides seeing a large number of elk on this 3-day trip, the autumn flaming foliage offered another glimpse of the beauty of Pennsylvania's elk range . . . more

PREVNEXT