CALLICOON – The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has responded to multiple reports of an elk in Sullivan County since 2024. Elk are rarely seen in New York State and do not have a known breeding population.

On Tuesday, the Democrat reported that an Elk had appeared on a game camera near Callicoon and other sightings are now apparent, according to the DEC.

Sportsmen as far away as Lordville, in Delaware County, reported capture of an Elk on game cameras.

Pennsylvania has a known breeding population of narly 1,000 Elk in the western part of the state and also offers yearly hunting permits to tag one.

There are also several “penned” hunting areas that have Elk in their enclosure.

Elk are susceptible to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), an untreatable and fatal disease also found in deer and moose that poses a serious threat to wild populations in New York and nationwide. 

Due to the disease risk an elk poses to New York’s white-tailed deer population, DEC is seeking additional information on the elk’s location. Anyone with additional information should contact DEC’s Region 3 Wildlife office at (845) 256-3098 or email Wildlife.R3@dec.ny.gov.