ELK HUNT: 33 OF 40 'SCORE'
Population remains close to 700

Harry Rhone (left) made the most of his Pennsylvania elk hunt last week when he took this 6x7 in Management Area 3, near State Game Lands 14 in Shippen Township. Estimated live weight of the bull was 707 pounds. Rhone is pictured here with his guide Jeff Colwell of Hick's Run Outfitters.

All but seven of the people chosen for 40 elk-hunting licenses filled their tags during the six-day season that closed last Saturday.

Entering the hunt, the Pa. Game Commission (PGC) estimated the elk herd in Cameron, Elk and nearby counties at between 650 and 700. Last week's hunt and a special limited season in September, during which two elk were taken, will have little impact on the size of the herd.

PGC officials say the area can support a larger elk herd because the animals are more spread out than at any time in recent history. The controlled hunt sends license-holders into specific management areas selected due to possible overpopulation or degree of difficulty -- often terrain -- to make the hunt challenging.

Rick Macklem, an information officer with the PGC Northcentral Region, said the elk kill of 33 was slightly higher than the PGC anticipated. Overall, he added, the seventh annual hunt was a success.

"People said they really enjoyed of this once-in-a-lifetime experience" said Macklem. "For one young man from Williamsport, it started early as he yelled in excitement when he learned he was selected for a bull license."

Nine of the 33 elk taken last week were from Cameron County. Another 14 were from Elk County's Benezette Township, the official "Pennsylvania Elk Capital."

Hunters from as far away as Florida made the trip. Many of the 40 hunters hired guides from the region.

Among the more notable developments, 14-year-old Brandon Tastierik from Springdale shot a cow elk and Suzy Stefani from Sigel got her cow with a muzzleloader, both in Benezette Township.

Cameron County's Lumber Township saw some action when Keith Quigel from Williamsport took a big 7x7 bull on the opening day. It had a field-dressed weight of 554 pounds.

Dennis Henry of Greensburg shot the heaviest elk, a massive 792-pound bull with a 8x7 rack, in Clearfield County's Covington Township. Robert Domachowski of Butler took this year's largest cow in Benezette Township. It weighed 454 pounds dressed.

All 33 elk were taken to a check station, where biologists extracted samples for disease testing, and to examine food preferences and habitat use.