PGC Cautions Elk Watchers As Peak Viewing Season Nears

6x6 Bull On Skyline: 2007 PGC Calendar- courtesy W.Hill

*Important Note: This post will display reasonably well in Firefox, but will not be formatted correctly in internet explorer 8. This is due to an issue with HTML from the PGC news release at the end. Try clicking the first box to the right of the address bar which makes the browser more compatible with posts that are not aligned correctly, etc. The post seems to display O.K. in IE7.

The mating season for Pennsylvania elk, or the rut as it is also known is now underway. It begins in late August and continues until sometime in October. Activity is greatly influenced by the weather,with action being more intense during cool spells, and decreasing during hot periods.

Each year thousands of tourists visit the elk range.  Most of these visitors will converge on Winslow Hill, which is near the village of Benezette and is the center of the traditional elk range.

Benezett Store

Gilbert Viewing Area-Fall 2007: W.Hill

All are hoping to see a large elk like Bull#36, also known as Fred Jr. He has most likely been the most photographed bull in Pennsylvania for the past several years.

Fred At Gilbert Viewing Area 2006: W.Hill

With this in mind, The Pennsylvania Game Commission released a newsletter today dealing with elk watching, and the "elk rescue", which we bloggers have also reported,

The following is an excerpt from that release:

Release #091-09

GAME COMMISSION OFFERS TIPS FOR ELK VIEWING SEASON
With Commonwealth’s elk viewing season fast approaching, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe is offering some guidance on where to go, as well as encouraging those planning to travel to “elk country” to be respectful of local residents.

“With a little guidance anyone can easily see elk this September and October, especially between Labor Day and Halloween, because the mating season, or the ‘rut,’ is on,” Roe said.  “Also, as winter approaches, elk are consequently on the move. So, you don’t need to be an expert in elk biology or be intimately familiar with the region’s topography or roads to find them. Folks just need some help with where-to-go and what-to-do information when they get to this rugged, big country.

“If you do travel to Elk, Cameron, Clearfield and Clinton counties to view this majestic animal, we encourage you to be mindful of local residents and the property. Since elk viewing is better in some areas than others, it stands to reason that the largest numbers of wildlife watchers will be in those areas with the best viewing opportunities. However, wherever people congregate along narrow rural roads, the potential for problems increases, especially when motorists and wildlife viewers on the road’s shoulder pay more attention to elk than oncoming traffic. Be safe. Be considerate. Be the one who knows he or she is doing everything right.”

For the full details of the story, visit the PGC website.

Also,The Game Commission has posted A HD Video produced by the agency on its website, which offers elk viewing tips and a sample of what visitors to the elk range can expect to see. To view this clip, click Here!