The elk hunting season in our neighboring state of Pennsylvania opened on Monday, October 30 and runs for six days through Saturday, November 4.

While Pennsylvania now has three separate seasons for elk, a two-week archery season in September, the general season that is now, and a late season that begins on December 30th. The general season is tops in participation, with half of available elk licenses used in the general season. 

This year over 57,000 people applied for the chance to hunt Pennsylvania elk. This year, 72 of the 144 Pennsylvania elk licenses are for the general season. Of those, 30 hunters will be hunting antlered elk (bulls), and 42 will be hunting antlerless elk (cows). 

Elk licenses for the general season have been allocated in 12 Elk Hunt Zones, geographic elk-management units dispersed throughout the northcentral Pennsylvania elk range. 

Hunters participating in the general elk season, in which firearms are permitted, must wear, at all times, 250 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange material on the head, chest, and back combined, visible 360 degrees. They must properly tag elk harvests and bring them to the Game Commission’s check station, where the elk are weighed, and samples are collected to test for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), brucellosis and tuberculosis. To date CWD has not been detected in Pennsylvania elk.

Game Commission elk biologist Jeremy Banfield said, “Every elk hunter that comes through the check station is elated, and I sincerely enjoy sharing in their excitement and try to keep the check station experience quick, easy and enjoyable. I encourage hunters and visitors to ask questions and witness firsthand an important part of how the Game Commission works to manage elk.”

Following completion of the general season, 46 hunters will participate in the late season that runs from December 30th to January 6th, 2024. Seventeen of those hunters have licenses for antlered elk, 29 for antlerless elk. 

During the 2023 archery season held on September 16th-30th, 22 elk were harvested, including 17 bulls and five cows.  

Last year during the 2022-23 elk hunting seasons hunters harvested 131 elk (55 bulls & 76 cows) during three seasons, with 11 bulls meeting the minimum score for inclusion in the state records. 

Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans said, “Pennsylvania’s world class elk provide an incredible, one of a kind and often once in a lifetime, the opportunity like none other in Penn’s woods. It’s no wonder why hunters mark their calendars to be sure they submit their applications each year. It’s an experience you’ll never forget.”