The 2022 Elk Expo kicked off today in Benezette, Pennsylvania. As part of the first day of the Expo, the annual elk tag drawing was held, and the lucky individuals below have been given the chance of a lifetime. Congratulations to those who drew a tag! For everyone else, myself included, there is always next year.
Results of the 2022-2023 Pennsylvania Elk Tag Draw:
Archery Antlered
B. KUSANT STOCKTON- NJ Zone 3
D. KAMMERDIENER TEMPLETON- PA Zone 10
M. WILLIAMS FAIRFIELD- PA Zone 12
M. COURTWRIGHT MOUNT JULIET- TN Zone 4
J. SCHWARTZ FLOURTOWN- PA Zone 14
D. RESSLER CONESTOGA- PA Zone 12
M. WENGERD PUNSUTAWNEY- PA Zone 5
M. RANKIN COALPORT- PA Zone 5
J. LAW COTTONWOOD- ID Zone 13
E. DICKEL WINDSOR- PA Zone 13
J. CAMPBELL JR LISBON- OH Zone 9
L. SMITH VAILS GATE- NY Zone 14
M. COOK HONESDALE- PA Zone 11
A. GRUVER HERMITAGE- PA Zone 11
Archery Antlerless
J. FOLK JR BUNOLA- PA Zone 3
B. MORROW ENOLA- PA Zone 12
S. MOTTERN BLOOMSBURG- PA Zone 4
A. ROCCO DAYTON- PA Zone 5
K. KNAPP MECHANICSBURG- PA Zone 10
S. YATCHENYA ROCKAWAY BEACH- NY Zone 9
J. DIRZULAITIS DOUGLASSVILLE- PA Zone 10
C. MATULEWICZ GENEVA- NY Zone 14
D. PHILPOT SHOHOLA- PA Zone 9
Z. PYLE NEWPORT- PA Zone 12
R. BAKER QUAKERTOWN- PA Zone 11
A. YODER SCHUYLKILL HAVEN- PA Zone 12
B. RANKIN BLOOMSBURG- PA Zone 13
T. HIGH NEWMANSTOWN- PA Zone 13
H. KARKI NEWCASTLE- PA Zone 14
General Antlered
F. STOUGH SALTSBURG- PA Zone 2
R. BAUM HANOVER- PA Zone 10
D. BACANSKOS FURLONG- PA Zone 4
T. CRALEY YORKHAVEN- PA Zone 3
L. SHIPE COAL TOWNSHIP- PA Zone 13
A. SMITH JOHNSTOWN- PA Zone 2
D. WENGER FREDERICKSBURG- PA Zone 13
D. STOLTZFUS HONEY BROOK- PA Zone 10
K. HOCKENBERRY SHERMANSDALE- PA Zone 13
C. GORDON HONEY BROOK- PA Zone 12
L. ONEAL FISHERTOWN- PA Zone 8
J. KIEL PORTAGE- PA Zone 2
P. TROYER MIFFLINTOWN- PA Zone 14
T. CHANDLER COBURN- PA Zone 10
R. PALMER CLEONA- PA Zone 3
J. SEGARIA VOORHEES- NJ Zone 4
D. FLEAGLE FANNETTSBURG- PA Zone 12
C. BOWERSOX NEW BLOOMFIELD- PA Zone 11
T. RANKIN UNIONTOWN- PA Zone 5
G. GROOVER CANTON- PA Zone 8
C. YEZIORO UNIONTOWN- PA Zone 5
E. CRAFT HUGHESVILLE- PA Zone 12
A. BUTTI EDINBORO- PA Zone 14
J. PROKOP SAINTMARYS- PA Zone 5
G. WILDERS FAIRFIELD- PA Zone 11
W. WARFEL LANCASTER- PA Zone 14
S. HASSLER GREENCASTLE- PA Zone 6
A. DAVIS BLOOMSBURG- PA Zone 6
D. KURTZHALS GIRARD- PA Zone 6
B. WEAVER HANOVER- PA Zone 9
T. MESSENGER LEBANON- PA Zone 9
General Antlerless
P. BOYER GREENVILLE- PA Zone 3
C. MILLER MANHEIM- PA Zone 2
J. COIL TEMPLETON- PA Zone 2
D. HARTZLER BELLEVILLE- PA Zone 10
L. BROOKS MEADVILLE- PA Zone 2
M. BRKLYCICA DELMONT- PA Zone 2
L. HUSAK MT PLEASANT- PA Zone 13
D. GRIMM WARRIORSMARK- PA Zone 2
K. HAMPTON WEST MELBOURNE- FL Zone 2
T MAY ROCHESTER- NY Zone 10
J. BARATH HONESDALE- PA Zone 12
L. FRYMYER NEW HOLLAND- PA Zone 10
K. MARKER BERLIN- PA Zone 10
M. MILLER BEAVERFALLS- PA Zone 8
D. REPLOGLE BEDFORD- PA Zone 3
J. HOUVENER CRANBERRY TWP- PA Zone 5
R. SPERLING MIDDLETOWN- VA Zone 14
F. LILLEY 3RD GLENMOORE- PA Zone 6
O. STAUFFER PUNXSUTAWNEY- PA Zone 2
C. WALLINGFORD SPRING MILLS- PA Zone 3
W. SONNTAG SLIPPERYROCK- PA Zone 2
J. KARK MILLERSVILLE- PA Zone 10
B. MCLAUGHLIN MIFFLINBURG- PA Zone 2
R. STROMBERG JENKINTOWN- PA Zone 2
M. MAST LUTHERSBURG- PA Zone 10
D. HENDERSON LOWER BURRELL- PA Zone 10
A. HOWE LAWRENCEVILLE- PA Zone 2
D. KASHNER PAXINOS- PA Zone 13
R. HESS ORANGEVILLE- PA Zone 4
T. HILL ALBRIGHTSVILLE- PA Zone 12
J. COSLETT KINGSTON- PA Zone 4
D. FELEGY EMMAUS- PA Zone 14
D. CHELIRAS LEWIS RUN- PA Zone 4
J. BIA 2ND ARNOLD- PA Zone 8
R. DERBIS BUTLER- PA Zone 4
C. BECKER JAMISON- PA Zone 5
J. LUSE MILLHEIM- PA Zone 13
J. MCGHEE PEACH BOTTOM- PA Zone 14
J. TAYLOR NORTH WALES- PA Zone 5
B. MARCYJANIK BUTLER- PA Zone 6
J. BURROUGHS BUTLER- PA Zone 6
M. HEVNER YORK- PA Zone 5
D. IMBROGNO KANE- PA Zone 5
P. HIPPLE NEW PROVIDENCE- PA Zone 12
T. MITCHELL BARTO- PA Zone 14
D. FITZGERALD HELLERTOWN- PA Zone 12
J. MCCLOSKEY BOYERTOWN- PA Zone 6
R. PESCE CENTREVILLE- VA Zone 12
A. CARETTI LORETTO- PA Zone 5
L. MOGEL READING- PA Zone 8
D. MINK FAWNGROVE- PA Zone 8
R. ERCOLE WAYNE- PA Zone 12
J.LUSE SR CENTRE HALL- PA Zone 12
A. SIMS LYKENS- PA Zone 11
D. MUNCH GLENROCK- PA Zone 9
R. WEIRICH LANCASTER- PA Zone 10
R. CHESTNUT NEWVILLE- PA Zone 9
D. NELSON ALBURTIS- PA Zone 9
T. STANLEY BESSEMER- PA Zone 9
C. PETERSON WAYLAND- NY Zone 12
J. SCHETTLER VOWINCKEL- PA Zone 12
J. WINTERS CRANBERRY- PA Zone 12
R. SHUTT JR NORTHUMBERLND- PA Zone 14
R. POOLE GREENCASTLE- PA Zone 12
T. KIMMEL DILLSBURG- PA Zone 14
B. HANN HUNLOCK CREEK- PA Zone 12
B. MCELHENY CRESSON- PA Zone 12
T. MCGUCKIN PERKIONENVILLE- PA Zone 13
R. SHELLY BETHLEHEM- PA Zone 13
J. FIRST HARRISBURG- PA Zone 13
Late Antlered
G. BARAN ERIE- PA Zone 5
E. JOHNSON JERMYN- PA Zone 2
R. SHEPHERD SALTSBURG- PA Zone 12
D. BUSHOR RENOVO- PA Zone 8
T. STORMER SALIX- PA Zone 9
M. SMITH CENTER VALLEY- PA Zone 3
G. BANES WEATHERLY- PA Zone 12
G. JACKSON CASTLE ROCK- CO Zone 13
C. WALSH HALIFAX- PA Zone 14
Z. OUTMAN WESTFIELD- PA Zone 13
N. ZEARING MINERAL POINT- PA Zone 11
S. PROWELL YORK- PA Zone 10
R. SPATZ BERNVILLE- PA Zone 4
R. HALE DILLSBURG- PA Zone 6
D. ASH EVERETT- PA Zone 11
Late Antlerless
A. STROBEL NORTH WALES- PA Zone 2
D. BEAVERS COVINGTON TWP- PA Zone 2
F. LITAVISH PENN RUN- PA Zone 12
D. CORNELIUS DERRICKCITY- PA Zone 5
R. LOUDON BROCKPORT- PA Zone 2
S. SCHWALM DAUPHIN- PA Zone 14
T. UMINSKI GLENSHAW- PA Zone 3
T. BARKER KITTANNING- PA Zone 11
S. SEELEY DUBOIS- PA Zone 13
C. MARTIN BROGUE- PA Zone 4
J. HEWITT BOYERS- PA Zone 12
M. MCLAUGHLIN FINLEYVILLE- PA Zone 10
W. PONIATOWSKI NORTH EAST- PA Zone 2
C. ROBERTSON UNIONTOWN- OH Zone 10
P. KOSKI SANDWICH- MA Zone 14
J. LUCE NEWMILFORD- PA Zone 5
J. RANK ELIZABETHTOWN- PA Zone 4
R. SIGMANS NEW TRIPOLI- PA Zone 12
J. LUKETIC VANDERGRIFT- PA Zone 2
J. SMITH MOHRSVILLE- PA Zone 5
J. SALLINGER JEFFERSON HILLS- PA Zone 14
J. CARDMAN 2ND FAIRVIEW- PA Zone 5
L. BURKHOLDER WILLIAMSBURG- PA Zone 6
A. PETRUN ROCHESTER- PA Zone 6
G. HECKMAN WYALUSING- PA Zone 8
K. WINGARD CLARKS MILLS- PA Zone 12
W. CLOUD 4TH DENVER- PA Zone 8
J. BUMBARGER PHILIPSBURG- PA Zone 13
B. DUNN MIFFLINTOWN- PA Zone 9
T. BROWN OHIOPYLE- PA Zone 9
C. BIRD NEW ALBANY- PA Zone 12
J. BUSS PENNSBURG- PA Zone 9
R. KAPER RENFREW- PA Zone 13
A brief history of Pennsylvania Elk:
If you didn’t already know, Pennsylvania has a healthy elk herd managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Native to Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania elk heard was reduced throughout the 1800s until it was completely in exterminated by 1860. For nearly 50 years, Pennsylvania was absent this beautiful species. Reintroduction efforts began in 1913 when 50 elk were brought to the state by train from Yellowstone. Conservation efforts were rocky throughout most of the 1900s. Elk seasons were held from 1923-1931, again pushing the Pennsylvania elk herd to near extinction.
From the 1930s to the 1970s, very little was done to protect the Elk herd and the population remained less than 100. Modern research into the Pennsylvania elk population began in 1970, headed by Dr. John George of the Pennsylvania State University. The first census under this study, performed in 1971, showed an elk population of just 65. In the early 1990s, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation increased its involvement in Elk Management in Pennsylvania, starting with a contribution towards the purchase of State Game Land 311 (near the famous Winslow Hill in Benezette). As conservation efforts increased, the elk herd improved substantially.
In the late 1990s, a trap and release program was started to move elk from Elk County eastward into Clinton County. By 2000, the elk population was estimated at 566. The modern elk season in Pennsylvania started in 2001 when 30 lucky individuals out of 50,000 applicants drew elk tags. 27 elk were harvested. The preference point system, now used in the elk tag draw, was introduced in 2003. Today, the elk population in Pennsylvania stands at around 1400.