Elk once roamed throughout all of Pennsylvania but today they are found mostly in Elk County. The rapid settlement of communities destroyed the herds and by 1867 elk was completely eliminated from the state. Hunting had been unregulated plus the elk's habitat loss combined to form the biggest factors leading to their demise.

From 1913 through 1926, Rocky Mountain Elk were introduced into Pennsylvania. Over this 14 year period, 177 elk were trapped and transferred from Yellowstone National Park, South Dakota and Monroe County's private reserve. These elk were released in central and northeastern Pennsylvania. Only the north-central releases were successful. The first elk hunting season was started in 1923. Those early hunting seasons stopped in 1932 due to the dwindling herd of elk but have resumed in recent years on a very limited basis.

The elk that remained produced our present herd of over 500 animals. Elk prefer to feed on legumes and grasses, but will browse on trees and shrubs. Elk are highly social animals. Usually the only time cows seek isolation is during calving in May and June. Adult bulls, which do not generally associate with the cow-calf groups during the spring, summer or winter, form bachelor groups. These groups disband when the bulls start forming harems for their breeding season (rut) in September and October.

Where can Elk be seen? 
The town of Benezette is considered to be the heart of Pennsylvania's Elk Country. Benezette is located along SR 555 in Elk County. To reach the public viewing area, start at Benezette Hotel and travel north along Winslow Hill Road 3.5 miles. Elk are best observed at dawn and dusk, in September and October during their mating season. As you may know, elk are very large animals, weighing from 500 to 800 pounds.

Keep in mind that elk are wild animals and can be dangerous, especially bulls during the rutting season and people can disturb them by approaching too closely. While completing your search for elk, please respect private landowners' rights and privacy. For your own safety, view elk from a safe distance and keep in mind that feeding elk is against the law in Pennsylvania.

The information for this page was adapted from the brochure produced by Elk County Visitors Bureau. Visit their site at:  Elk County Visitors Bureau. If interested in more elk news, another site for you would be: Elk County's Web Site.