PA 1st Mega-Bull in the bag....

[yobuck]

From what I remember in my reading the PGC tried to introduce them in different areas around the state but the farmers kept shooting them for "crop damage" which is the primary reason they never expanded much outside of their current range.

Now how much of it was actually for crop damage vs exploiting a legal way to kill an elk without drawing a tag we don't know but the fact that pretty much any elk that stepped out of the official area got killed I'm going to lean more towards the latter.

Well they have increased in numbers well beyond their original range.
If you were to go back to the 60s for example you would have to go to the area near Saint Marys if you hoped to see an Elk.
Much of the area between Saint Marys and Benezette is reclaimed strip mines, which has largely become grassy fields.
Which is why so many of the Elk are found in that area.
However other areas in that region are also former strip mine areas. Frenchville for example has many many acres of open fields that had been strip mines in the 50s and 60s.
And the Elk herd there has grown in numbers that could well rival the Benezette area.
The PGC has also been busy creating food plots where no strip mines ever existed. Thruout the 50.000 acre Quehanna wilderness area for example.
It should also be noted that all of those food plots that im aware of are in close proximity of a road, many within site of a road.
As for the farmers, im of the opinion they dont get to keep any Elk they kill for crop damage.
Road killed Elk are a different matter, i know people who have claimed those.

 

[Philward]

Winters and habitat are why southern states continually grow bigger elk than northern. Very little to do with genetics as a whole since they all came from yellow stone. Bulls have to spend too much energy to survive winters in the north. In the southern states winters are a joke even in hard winters compared to the north. Bulls can use all their energy to grow antlers in south. Same kind of deal in PA it sounds not to harsh winter and great groceries and Time mean big elk.

Keep them pictures of the big boys coming my hunts just around the corner and it's fueling the fire!!

Not sure about the "Southern States" but not too mild here this past year. Flagstaff, Az had 146" of snow for 22/23 winter. Some years we have mild winters but most of the time they can be pretty brutal in all the Western states Elk Country.

We don't have harsh winters here in coastal WA and we don't get elk anywhere near this large (at least where I typically hunt them). Roosevelts for sure and they can get big in the NP or in reserved private areas. It's not all environment and is hugely affected by hunting pressure. Even with a 3 point minimum for most areas they don't get much beyond 4 point. But I hunt archery for elk and would just as soon shoot a cow as a bull, lot more chances for success that way.

 

[marksman1941]

We don't have harsh winters here in coastal WA and we don't get elk anywhere near this large (at least where I typically hunt them). Roosevelts for sure and they can get big in the NP or in reserved private areas. It's not all environment and is hugely affected by hunting pressure. Even with a 3 point minimum for most areas they don't get much beyond 4 point. But I hunt archery for elk and would just as soon shoot a cow as a bull, lot more chances for success that way.

I live in S Oregon and we rarely see huge bulls like this. I was happy as a muzzleloader cow hunter for the most part, until oregon DFW in all its wisdom changed its regulations so that national forest lands were bull only, and the hare tag was only valid on blm and private lands. Considering most of our herds are national forest based, this absolutely killed the muzzy season. Then they further hamstrung us by moving season up one week, and sticking it immediately after general rifle season. Historically there was a week gap, so elk would move back in without that pressure and you'd see them. Since it's back to back with rifle now, the pressure stays up and the elk are nowhere to be seen normally.

 

[Plinker147]

Yea exactly it takes time, feed and genetics to grow big bulls. My point is genetics plays a smaller roll than the other two IMO. The majority of Gov tags bulls killed NM are ~10 years old. You don't get them monster without the age class and PA is obviously doing it right!!

 

[yobuck]

Yea exactly it takes time, feed and genetics to grow big bulls. My point is genetics plays a smaller roll than the other two IMO. The majority of Gov tags bulls killed NM are ~10 years old. You don't get them monster without the age class and PA is obviously doing it right!!

If you were to take a poll of Pa hunters, especially those who live and or hunt in the prime Elk range, you might be surprised as to the opinions regarding the Elk herd.

 

[CMP70306]

Well they have increased in numbers well beyond their original range.
If you were to go back to the 60s for example you would have to go to the area near Saint Marys if you hoped to see an Elk.
Much of the area between Saint Marys and Benezette is reclaimed strip mines, which has largely become grassy fields.
Which is why so many of the Elk are found in that area.
However other areas in that region are also former strip mine areas. Frenchville for example has many many acres of open fields that had been strip mines in the 50s and 60s.
And the Elk herd there has grown in numbers that could well rival the Benezette area.
The PGC has also been busy creating food plots where no strip mines ever existed. Thruout the 50.000 acre Quehanna wilderness area for example.
It should also be noted that all of those food plots that im aware of are in close proximity of a road, many within site of a road.
As for the farmers, im of the opinion they dont get to keep any Elk they kill for crop damage.
Road killed Elk are a different matter, i know people who have claimed those.

That may be the case now but it was not in the past which lead to a number of elk being killed over the years by farmers. Below is the history of the elk here in PA.

History of Elk in PA

www.pgc.pa.gov

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

...a few more bulls out on the prowl, maybe high 30's tonight should absolve them in a frenzy tomorrow morning..archery season opens Saturday and hopefully a few success photos will show ...enjoy

..looks like someone's been rolling in the coal mud...

 

[Window]

The RMEF tag has been filled and it is a mass- monster. The World Record is coming and is still walking around, hopefully someone will find him. Lots of bugling just starting, enjoy the photos of some big boys, again not all mine but enjoy them....sweet dreams.View attachment 491356View attachment 491357View attachment 491358View attachment 491359View attachment 491360View attachment 491361View attachment 491367View attachment 491362

What a magnificent bull! I'd keep it hush hush. Just like the libs did in Colorado, next they'll want to reintroduce wolves there and destroy a great thing.

 

[memtb]

What a magnificent bull! I'd keep it hush hush. Just like the libs did in Colorado, next they'll want to reintroduce wolves there and destroy a great thing.

Already introduced……just not announced! Just kidding…..but, expect it to happen!

The public announcement for the re-introduction for Wyoming was about 20 years after some where placed under cover of secrecy! memtb

 

[marksman1941]

Already introduced……just not announced! Just kidding…..but, expect it to happen!

The public announcement for the re-introduction for Wyoming was about 20 years after some where placed under cover of secrecy! memtb

We had that same thing in oregon. A few years after they were planted here, DFW started talking about how a wolf had hiked his *** from Montana, through Idaho, through Washington, south into oregon, and settled near the California border. AND THEN a female happened to follow the SAME ROUTE a year later, found the male, and they had a litter. Now there's nearly 200 confirmed wolves in 16 packs in oregon and growing faster every year….

 

[Window]

We had that same thing in oregon. A few years after they were planted here, DFW started talking about how a wolf had hiked his *** from Montana, through Idaho, through Washington, south into oregon, and settled near the California border. AND THEN a female happened to follow the SAME ROUTE a year later, found the male, and they had a litter. Now there's nearly 200 confirmed wolves in 16 packs in oregon and growing faster every year….

Sad. There s a resolution to that.

 

[marksman1941]

Sad. There s a resolution to that.

S.S.S. ?

 

[8x68s]

Holy Moley!
A beer raised to that one.

So many really good beer choices we have in Oregon!

 

[marksman1941]

So many really good beer choices we have in Oregon!

Oregon really is a beer Mecca!