HARRISBURG (PRNewswire) — As part of the state’s sixth modern-day elk season, which ran from Nov. 6-11, 40 licensed elk hunters harvested 33 elk: 14 antlered and 19 antlerless. The 40 hunters awarded licenses were selected at a public drawing from a field of nearly 19,000 entrants on Sept. 23.
Jon DeBerti, Game Commission elk biologist, said that this year’s hunting season went well.
“Harvest was well distributed across the range,” DeBerti said. “It is important that we continue to harvest elk in areas where elk/human conflicts can arise, and keep elk densities at levels that will not degrade habitats.
“In speaking with several hunters and guides, finding elk seems to be getting more difficult than in years past. This year with some acorns available in most parts of the range, hunters found groups of elk using forested areas instead of openings. This may have been the reason for the second lowest success rate – 82.5 percent – since the elk hunt began in 2001. Several hunters and guides expressed difficulty finding and keeping
track of elk during and prior to the elk season.”
Of the elk taken, 17 were shot on Monday, including eight of the antlered elk, Nov. 6; 9 on Tuesday, Nov. 7, including four antlered elk; two on Wednesday, Nov. 8, including one antlered; one antlered elk on Thursday, Nov. 9; three on Friday, Nov. 10; and one on Saturday, Nov. 11. Hunters filled 14 of the 15 antlered elk licenses and 19 of the 25 antlerless elk licenses.
The largest antlered elk, in terms of weight and the largest rack, was taken by John A. Shirk, of Goodville, Lancaster County. He took an 849-pound, 10×8 on Nov. 6, in East Keating Township, Clinton County. Those
hunters rounding out the top five, by weight of antlered elk harvested, were:
— Bryce F. Gilson, a junior hunter from Mt. Holly Springs, Cumberland County, took a 777-pound, 6×7 on Nov. 6, in Fox Township, Elk County;
— James L. Salsgiver, Titusville, Venango County, took a 775-pound, 6×7 on Nov. 7, in Jay Township, Elk County;
— Timothy A. Kennedy, Templeton, Armstrong County, took a 761-pound, 7×8 on Nov. 8, in Jay Township, Elk County; and
— Charles F. Beamer, Mill Hall, Clinton County, took a 758-pound, 6×6 on Nov. 7, in Benezette Township, Elk County.
The heaviest antlerless elk was taken by Sarah L. Campbell, Landisburg, Perry County, who harvested a 559-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 6, in Gibson Township, Cameron County. Those hunters rounding out the top five, by weight of antlerless elk harvested, were:
— Kenneth C. Powell Jr., Elizabethtown, Lancaster County, took a 549-pound elk on Nov. 8, in Benezette Township, Elk County;
— Aaron B. Manns, Irwin, Westmoreland County, took a 542-pound elk on Nov. 6, in Benezette Township, Elk County;
— Thomas E. Wheeler, Lewistown, Mifflin County, took a 497-pound elk on Nov. 6, in Jay Township, Elk County; and
— Jimmy L. Arbogast, Sandy Lake, Mercer County, took a 493-pound elk on Nov. 6, in Jay Township, Elk County.
Other women who harvested an elk were: Brenda L. Wilkens, East Stroudsburg, Monroe County, took a 465-pound elk on Nov. 7, in Gibson Township, Cameron County; and Cheryl E. McGhee, New Providence, Lancaster County, took a 335-pound elk on Nov. 10, in Huston Township, Clearfield County.
The other junior hunter who harvested an elk was Bradley A. Harvey, Ridgway, Elk County, who took a 465-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 11, in Benezette Township, Elk County.
DeBerti noted that Patrick M. Vivona, York, York County, took a 468-pound elk on Nov. 7, in Gibson Township, Cameron County. This elk was at least 21 years old, and was originally captured in 1993.
“This elk has been re-collared two times since 1993, and has been part of many Game Commission studies,” DeBerti said.
For the September 2007 hunt, which will be held September 17-22, 2007, nine licenses were awarded to Pennsylvania hunters and one to a hunter from South Carolina, who received an antlerless elk license. The two either-sex license recipients were from Allegheny County and Northumberland County. Seven antlerless elk licenses were awarded to Pennsylvania hunters living in the following counties: Allegheny; Berks; Butler; Elk; Northumberland; Tioga; and Warren.
Earlier this year, the Game Commission held Pennsylvania’s first-ever September elk hunt, which resulted in the harvest of two antlerless elk. The season was held Sept. 18-23 and was extended to include Oct. 21-28, and was proposed as a means to address elk conflicts reported by farmers in the area.
The first elk of the season was taken by Richard E. Derhammer, of Harveys Lake, Wyoming County. On Sept. 20, Derhammer harvested an antlerless elk that weighed 420 pounds. On Sept. 22, Ronald R. Dombroiak,
of North East, Erie County, harvested an antlerless elk. No weight was taken.
For more information on elk in Pennsylvania, visit the Game Commission’s website http://www.pgc.state.pa.us, choose “Hunting” then click on the photograph of an elk.