Benezett Store To Be At 2014 Elk Expo At Elk Country Visitor Center- August 16th & 17th

2013 Elk Expo

The Elk Expo will be held this coming weekend at The Elk Country Visitor Center on  August 16th and 17th.  Numerous vendors are featured selling a wide variety of outdoor related  products.There is a full schedule of events including  wildlife oriented educational programs, elk and turkey calling contests, the elk license drawing. musical groups and other events.

Be sure to visit The Elk Expo website for full details.  An important point to remember is that parking at the Visitor Center is  limited and will be given first to vehicles with handicap parking require-ments. All other vehicles will be directed to parking at the Benezette Community Center from which  two shuttles will run  to and from the Visitor Center all day.  There is a $3/car fee for parking and bus service to defray the cost of transportation. This service received little use last year as attendance did not meet expectations and most if not all parking was handled by the Visitor Center parking facilities. Attendance may be up this year so visitors should consider the possibility they will need to utilize the service.

 Benezett Store To Have Booth At Expo

Benezett Store will once again maintain a booth at The Expo featuring many items including caps, sweat shirts, books, and videos.

Benezett Store Booth At 2013 Elk Expo

 Among the items to be on sale is a photo book, "Elk Scenic Drive" by Marci Geise and a book released last year, "Pennsylvania Elk" which was edited by Marci Geise and features photos by Ms. Geise along with several by well known Pennsylvania elk photographers including, David Anderson, Jim Borden, Richard Coy, Tom Dorsey, Coy Hill, Willard Hill, Ronald Saffer and Paul Staniszewski).
Click the following links for more information of these books:
Elk Scenic Drive
Pennsylvania Elk

Elk Films to be available at Benezett Store Booth at Expo and at Benezett Store  

   

I have released two documentary films about Pennsylvania's elk herd. "Running Wild In Pennsylvania Elk Country is a 2012 film that gives  a detailed look at the life cycle of the elk as well as providing  a close look at what other species of wildlife commonly seen in the elk range such as whitetail deer and eastern wild turkey are doing as well.

I was ably assisted in producing this film by Ronald Saffer who provided several still photos and valuable editorial advice in preparing the script.  Also David Anderson and John Koshinski provided dramatic bull fight footage.  Marci Geise provided several still photographs and video footage of bears, while Paul Staniszewski provided several still photos and constructive criticism.   Coy Hill provided  the cover photo,  and last but not least,  Billie Cromwell provided valuable input in writing the script.

Also of special note is a violent fight between mature whitetail bucks that I filmed in 2002.  There is a segment on Bull 36. a.k.a "Fred Jr."and  Dogrope" which features segments of a dramatic fight between this bull and a large 6x6 in 200.  This was before the bull was captured and collared.  This is the same bull fight which is featured at present in the Elk Country Visitor Center presentation, but it is edited differently so it is not a duplicate of the show at the center.

Also available at the Expo or at the store is the 2008 release "The Truth About Pennsylvania's Elk Herd"

This film is dedicated to elk restoration pioneer, Ralph Harrison. It shows a year in the life cycle of the elk with a focus on the rut, and  also discusses many of the controversies surrounding elk management today. It features a cover photo of Bull 36 in 2002, taken by Ronald Saffer, which was two years before he was fitted with a collar.

Click the following links for more information on these films.

"The Truth About Pennsylvania's Elk Herd"

"Running Wild In Pennsylvania Elk Country"

For those who would like to see a sample before buying, they will not likely have a player at the booth at the Expo, but they should be playing the films at the store and restaurant.  If not ask them if they will play you a sample.

I will not be at the Expo this year, but still encourage you to visit and support Benezett Store and the other vendors.

Originally published at Pennsylvania Wildlife Photographer by Willard Hill.

Elk Films DVDs and Books to be available at Elk Expo-Artisans to appear

Elk DVDs to be available at Expo

PA Wildlife Photographer Films "Running Wild In Pennsylvania Elk Country" and "The Truth About Pennsylvania's Elk Herd" will be available at the Benezett Store Booth at the Elk Expo.

By now most elk enthusiast are aware that he Elk Expo will be returning on August 17th & 18th. after a five year hiatus. For the first time, it will be held at the Elk Country Visitor Center on Winslow Hill.  The theme of this year's Expo will be "Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the restoration of elk in Pennsylvania's Great Outdoors".

Be sure to visit The Elk Expo website for full details.  An important point to remember is that as best as I can understand it there will not be public parking at the Visitor Center as the parking areas will be occupied by exhibitors, etc.  Instead parking will be at the Benezette Municipal Building and visitors will be shuttled to and from the Expo Site.

The store will feature a variety of souvenirs and other elk related merchandise, both at the store in Benezette and at their booth at the Expo.  They will also feature appearances by some of the Artisans who produce products for sale at the store.   Artists scheduled to appear are Elk County natives Jim Burke and Ralph Harrison.

 Mr. Burke is known for writing, “Pioneers of Second Fork,” which traces the history of 16 families of early pioneers who came to settle in western Pennsylvania at  Second Fork, which is  known today as Bennett’s Valley.

Mr. Harrison was born in Dent’s Run in 1928 and has lived there most of his life except for a stint in the military.  Ralph went to work for what was then know as the Department of Forest and Waters in 1951 and worked for them for the next forty years. While "elk management" was not a part of his official job description, he dedicated his life to their re-establishment and was instrumental in sparking the resurgence of the elk herd which began in the 1970s.  Mr.  Harrison has written at least four books during his career,  two of which, "The History of Pennsylvania Elk" and his most recent book, "Quehanna: The Blemished Jewel Restored" are currently available at Benezett Store.

Also scheduled to appear is elk enthusiast and photographer Marci Geise.  Ms. Geise is well known for  her first photo book "Elk Scenic Drive" and for hosting several wildlife oriented Facebook Pages throughout her career.  Marci plans to release her newest photo book, "Pennsylvania Elk", at The Expo.  The book is a co-operative effort among several elk photographers, which has been edited and assembled by Geise. Photographers whose work appears include; David Anderson, Jim Borden, Richard Coy, Tom Dorsey, Marci Geise, Coy Hill, Willard Hill, Ronald "Buckwheat" Saffer and Paul Staniszewski.

Both of my DVD-films, "The Truth About Pennsylvania's Elk Herd" and "Running Wild In Pennsylvania Elk Country", are to be available for purchase at the Benezett Store Booth and I  plan on being at there for a significant period of time on both days.  At this point I am not sure if they will be able to play sample clips of the videos at the booth, but I will be glad to discuss the videos, elk, and photography and filming with you if you stop by.

Artisans will autograph your copy of their work upon request.

 Also be sure to check out the new blog page I recently added to display sample clips for the "Running Wild in Pennsylvania Elk  Country" film.  Look for the page in the tabs directly below the blog header.


Originally published at Pennsylvania Wildlife Photographer by Willard Hill.

Ralph Harrison Receives Rothrock Award

Ralph Harrison: Photo by John Eastlake-all rights reserved

 Each year, the Pennsylvania Forestry Association (PFA) recognizes an individual, organization, or group's significant contributions to the public recognition of the importance of Pennsylvania's forest resources in the same tradition and spirit of Dr. Joseph T. Rothrock, the first president of PFA.

This year's recipient was retired Bureau of Forestry Maintenance Supervisor, Ralph Harrison, Elk County native and resident of Dent’s Run.  Mr. Harrison received a plaque with the following inscription:

"Ralph Harrison has demonstrated a life-long interest in and concern for the elk of Pennsylvania.   He successfully motivated forestry professionals to develop specific elk habitat actions for the Elk State Forest management plan and provided keen observations and knowledge that were essential to the accomplishment of the plan.  A healthy elk herd now populates over six Pennsylvania counties.  Know for his educational talks, tours, and publications, Ralph is the individual most responsive for saving the Pennsylvania elk herd as a valuable component of today's Penn's Woods."

For those unfamiliar with Ralph Harrison I will reprint an edited version of a post from this blog , "Ralph Harrison Above and Beyond The Call Of Duty"  February 13, 2008, which will give the reader an understanding of the conditions under which Ralph Harrison became involved with the elk."

"Mr. Harrison was born in Dent’s run in 1928 and has lived there most of his life except for a stint in the military. Ralph went to work for what was then know as the Department of Forest and Waters in 1951 and worked for them for the next forty years, although the agency changed names over this period. It would take a book to cover his life and in fact Ralph has written three. The first was “The Pennsylvania Elk Herd: published by The Pennsylvania Forestry Association in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and DER Bureau of Forestry. The Second was a smaller update of the first called, “The Pennsylvania Elk Herd of Today” Published by The Pennsylvania Forestry Association in cooperation with the DCNR Bureau of Forestry. His most recent is, "The History of Pennsylvania Elk Country", also published by The Pennsylvania Forestry Association..

Mr. Harrison never had an official job in elk management. There was no big title, just a simple love and respect for the animals, which led him to go above and beyond the call of duty and dedicate his life to them. He has seen elk population grow from less than twenty to over 800 animals. Although he would never claim responsibility, he was an important factor in this increase.

First, a greatly condensed history of the Pennsylvania elk herd to illustrate the backdrop against which Ralph Harrison's life work took place. The last Pennsylvania Elk was killed sometime in the late 1860s or early 1870s as a result of unregulated market hunting. In 1913 The Pennsylvania Game Commission released fifty animals in the north central part of the state. These animals were obtained from Yellowstone National Park. There were additional releases and in time the herd grew to the point that The PGC established a hunting season in 1923. Anyone with a general hunting license could kill an elk (bulls of 4 or more points were legal). In 1931 only one bull was killed.  The season was closed in 1931 and remained so until 2001.

During this time the PGC lost interest in the herd and at times few even knew they existed, as what few remained stayed well away from human habitation in most cases. The population began to increase slowly in the 1950s. Ralph recalls how he realized the elk herd was rebounding in the mid-1970s after a late August evening encounter with cows and calves in a meadow in which he heard bulls bugling in the woodlands. This so inspired him that he approached his boss the next day and outlined a proposal to help the elk herd survive and expand. Things progressed from there. A management plan was developed which included more public land acquisition and development of suitable elk habitat.

 In a nutshell the PGC did re-introduce the elk in 1913, but when the population declined too much to support a hunt, they lost interest in the species. It was The Bureau of Forestry, inspired by Ralph Harrison that picked up the torch and brought the elk herd to the position it was in a few years ago. The PGC only entered the fray after Forestry had done the hard legwork to bring the herd back from the brink. It should be noted that this was the agency as a whole, not some of the dedicated Game Commission employees who were assigned to the area. These included District Game Protectors Norm Erickson who served from late 1940s-1965 or 66, and Harold Harsbarger who ably filled the slot from 1966-97. PGC Wildlife Biologist Bill Drake was also numbered among these dedicated individuals. All were very interested in the welfare of the elk, even at times that The PGC as a whole was not.

Originally published at Pennsylvania Wildlife Photographer by Willard Hill.