Pennsylvania Elk

Elk on Winslow Hill

The famous breeding season for these massive mammals has just concluded. Now they will remain in their harems of about 15-20 animals throughout the winter. If you wish to view these amazing animals, the elk range in Pennsylvania encompasses about 835 square miles in Elk, Cameron, Clearfield, Potter and Clinton counties. In the approaching winter months the best places to run into elk or to observe their sign is in the forest. They seek evergreens for cover and deciduous trees as a source of food. Through my experiences they prefer their woods adjacent to open fields. The herd of elk in the photo was taken in Benezette on Winslow Hill last March. These elk are more ‘tame’ than others.

Rubbing of an Elk

 

The photo of the rubbed tree was taken last February on a Game Lands in Cameron County. Notice the size difference compared to a Whitetail rub. I ventured out to the Game Lands several times last year and saw rubs, trails, tracks, beds, and scat. But I never stumbled upon an elk. This herd is a little more wild than the herd on Winslow Hill, but I am bound and determined to catch a glimpse of some, one of these days. Jackie R.