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Hearing a bull elk bugle in the distance on a crisp autumn morning is a special experience for anyone who appreciates the natural world.
The bugle is an eerie high-pitched, nasal squeal that bull elk employ to attract potential mates and establish dominance over rival males. The first time I heard an elk bugle, the shrill sound of it struck me as oddly out of place coming from such a large and magnificent animal.
But after having the opportunity to observe and listen to bull elk several times here in Pennsylvania and out west in Yellowstone National Park, their haunting mating call is an exceptional thrill I never tire of experiencing.
Currently, about 1,000 elk inhabit Pennsylvania's elk range, which comprises parts of Elk, McKean, Cameron, Clinton, Potter, Clearfield and Centre counties north of Interstate 80. Elk are a spectacular sight any time of year but are especially interesting this time of year. The peak of the mating season, commonly called the "rut,'' for the Pennsylvania elk herd occurs from mid-September through early October.
Mature bulls weigh 700 to nearly 1,000 pounds. Many of them will have a grand set of antlers that they use to impress potential mates or as weapons to fight off rival males. Those sparring matches can be compelling to watch.
All of these factors draw wildlife watchers to the elk range to observe the spectacle of the elk rut firsthand. During the next several weeks, thousands of visitors armed with binoculars, spotting scopes or cameras will travel to north-central Pa. to view the wild elk living there.
There are several worthwhile sources of information for folks unfamiliar with the Pennsylvania elk range. Doing a little research before heading north will help avoid a lot of frustration and potential problems.
The Elk Country Visitor Center is located at 950 Winslow Hill Road in Benezette. This facility opened in 2010 and is the centerpiece for visitors to the region. During September and October, the center is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Check out its website (elkcountryvisitorcenter.com) for information on elk watching in the region. The Pennsylvania Game Commission website -- PGC.pa.gov -- also offers a wealth of information about elk in Pennsylvania.
The area around Winslow Hill is a highly popular attraction in elk country. Located just off Rt. 555 a few miles from Benezette, this area harbors a good concentration of elk and ample viewing opportunities, so on any given day chances of seeing some elk there are good.
The downside to the Benezette/Winslow Hill area is it sometimes gets crowded this time of year. Traffic jams are common on the narrow back roads there, as drivers by the dozen pull over and park any way they can to view elk in a field or nearby woodlot. Always remember to be respectful of private property and the animals themselves. While the elk in some locations are somewhat accustomed to humans stopping to watch them, they are still wild animals, and the elk range isn't just a big theme park. Feeding wild elk is also unlawful in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania elk herd has not always been the wildlife showpiece it currently represents. Native elk were found throughout Pennsylvania in the early 19th century but were all but eliminated from the state by the late 1800s, except for a small population in the area around Elk County. The Pennsylvania Game Commission began an elk restoration program in 1913 by releasing animals obtained from Yellowstone National Park, S.D., and a private preserve in Pennsylvania.
This effort continued until 1926 with 177 elk being transplanted into the central, northeastern and north-central regions of the state. Although only the population in the north-central survived, a hunting season was held from 1923 until 1931 during which time hunters took 98 bull elk and another 78 elk were killed illegally or for crop damage. But elk numbers never expanded significantly, and elk hunting was closed in 1932.
For the next 30 years, Pennsylvania elk remained mostly a novelty in a small area of the north-central region. In the 1970s, the Pennsylvania elk herd consisted of only a few dozen animals. During the late 1970s and 1980s, the Game Commission commenced efforts to manage the elk herd and elk habitat through scientific research and study with the purpose of expanding both the number of animals and their range. Those programs proved remarkably successful, and in 2001, the Game Commission began a tightly regulated elk hunt each year to manage the numbers of elk and prevent them from expanding into areas that would create undue conflicts with farmers and other landowners.
Each year, a limited number of elk licenses are issued via a random drawing, giving those hunters drawn the opportunity to harvest a Pa. elk during three separate hunting seasons: an archery elk season in September; a general season in early November; and a late season in early January.
The restoration of elk in Pennsylvania represents a great conservation success story for both hunters and wildlife watchers. The opportunity to see wild elk is only a short drive from our area and a great way to spend a day or two this fall.