In Pennsylvania’s elk country, you’ll see plenty of cows, some nice bulls, and maybe one even bigger than this one. Photo courtesy of Steve Sorensen

The bull elk is just down over the hill. You can hear his screaming bugle. The sun is about to set, and you’ve been waiting for this for a long time. Suddenly, you see enormous antlers silhouetted against the sky as the majestic bull approaches. You’re in position as you find him in your optics. He bugles again and adds a series of grunts, the suffix to the elk’s unique mating call. He’s only 40 yards away, his mouth open, his chest heaving.

It’s the moment of truth, but you won’t take a shot. You’re not carrying a rifle or a bow. You don’t have a tag. Maybe you’re not even a hunter. And you’re not in Colorado’s Rockies, New Mexico’s high country, or Dakota’s Badlands. You’re in Pennsylvania, on Winslow Hill in Elk County, just south of St. Marys. You’re carrying a camera and binoculars, and this is one of the greatest wildlife shows you’ll ever see.

Mid- to late September is the best time to visit Pennsylvania’s elk country, so set a date aside now. As you get near, you’ll wonder if you’ll be lucky enough to see some. Will you find the right place and time? Will the elk come out of the woods? Will you see any bulls? Will they be big ones? Will you hear the spine-tingling bugle of the bulls, and the soft mewing sound of the cows? During the last two hours of daylight, the answer to every question is a resounding “Yes!” It’s mating season, and they’re not shy.

I love taking someone who has never been there. The first time I took my dad, we saw 60 one evening including some dandy closeup bulls. The bulls will rake their antlers into the turf, rub them in trees, and parade around bellowing at their rivals while focused on the gorgeous girls.

The last of Pennsylvania’s original eastern elk (Cervus canadensis canadensis) was killed in 1877. The Pennsylvania Game Commission was established in 1895 and between the years 1913 and 1926 undertook a far-sighted restoration program. The agency released 177 Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) imported from mushrooming western herds into the best habitat in Pennsylvania for the big animals. They struggled for decades, and by 1971 fewer than 70 remained.

With the development of breeding and calf-rearing habitat, and efforts to reduce human-elk conflict, the elk gained a better foothold. By 2001, the population swelled to more than 600 and today there are around 1,500, primarily in the rugged mountains of Elk and Cameron counties. They’re also in Potter, Clearfield, Clinton and Centre counties. Their success has been so great that, for the elk’s own sake, the state now holds a limited hunting season which keeps the herd from expanding to areas where they will conflict with other land uses or be a threat to the public.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission promotes its elk herd for everyone, not just for hunters, by creating several viewing areas to make it easy for people to enjoy the show. The most popular one is on Winslow Hill near the tiny village of Benezette, where stands a modern, interactive museum called the Elk Country Visitor Center. That’s where you’ll learn more than you thought there was to know about elk. In partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Keystone Elk Country Alliance manages the Center.

The Game Commission conducts annual population surveys and performs habitat improvement projects on state lands. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has contributed significant dollars to help add critical acreage to the primary elk range, erect deterrent fencing, improve habitat and construct the Winslow Hill elk viewing areas. Other organizations contributing to the welfare of Pennsylvania elk include both hunting and non-hunting conservation organizations.

It’s always worth the trip to the elk wilds of Pennsylvania. You’ll discover that elk are easy to find and photograph, and they put on an impressive show. After the rut, the bulls return to their senses and leave the public areas for more reclusive haunts. I can’t make promises, but during nearly every one of my trips I’ve seen deer, turkeys, a bear, a bald eagle or other wildlife.

Remember your camera and your binoculars, because this trip is one of the most enjoyable wildlife excursions in the entire world that you can do on foot. It’s also the easiest, it’s close by, and it’s free. Elk country offers far more than can be described here, so get more information online at www.elkcountryvisitorcenter.com.

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When “The Everyday Hunter” isn’t hunting, he’s thinking about hunting, talking about hunting, dreaming about hunting, writing about hunting, or wishing he were hunting. If you want to tell Steve exactly where your favorite hunting spot is, contact him through his website, www.EverydayHunter.com. He writes for top outdoor magazines, and won the 2015, 2018, and 2023 national “Pinnacle Award” for outdoor writing.