New extended elk season could target Prince Gallitzin elk

As reported in Endeavor News, the Game Commission wants to create a six-day extended season for hunters who haven’t killed an elk by the end of the Nov. 1-6 regular season. They would be permitted to shoot either an antlered or an antlerless elk outside of the “hunt” and “no hunt” zones.

This is an effort to limit the dispersal of the elk herd to areas that lie geographically beyond the traditional elk range, where the animals can cause traffic safety hazards and other conflicts. When even a few of the 700- 800 elk in Pennsylvania wander outside of the traditional elk range, which consists of 835 square miles, problems seem to multiply, according to the Game Commission’s Jerry Feaser.

When a 5-by-5 bull was spotted near Grampian in Clearfield County last March, field staff tranquilized the animal and fitted it with a radio collar to track movements. It continued to travel south and was hit by a vehicle while crossing I-80 near the Clearfield exit. A couple of years ago, after several elk wandered to Penfield, there were two or three vehicular collisions that resulted in elk fatalities.

This 6-by-6 bull elk has been seen regularly in Prince Gallitzin State Park and nearby game lands. It could be targeted by licensed elk hunters during the newly proposed extended elk hunting season in November. DCNR Bureau of State Parks photo Had the animals had been trapped and transferred back to the elk range, the accidents could have been avoided.

Trap-and-transfer has not been used for many years, according to Feaser. It requires manpower and expense, and there are risks involved.

Several years ago, during trapping and loading, a cow elk jumped the barrier trying to escape and broke her neck. This happened while a group of school students on a field trip were observing.

A 6-by-6 bull has been regularly seen in Prince Gallitzin State Park and on adjoining State Game Land in Cambria County since Labor Day, according to Park Manager Dennis Miller.

The Game Commission is uncertain if it roamed 30 miles south of the traditional elk range, or if it escaped from a game farm or a fenced hunting preserve. When a captive elk escapes to the wild, it could pose a disease threat.

Animals in captive herds out West have been found to carry CWD, tuberculosis and brucellosis. It is not known if any of these diseases have been identified in captive herds in Pennsylvania. To date, all harvested wild have tested negative.

Prince Gallitzin State Park staff said they like having the elk in the park and report that he has not caused any problems.

“Actually, we are all pretty excited about having an elk in the park and we hope that it stays,” Miller said.

What makes some wild animals wander far from the herd is a mystery. But the elk may soon have to pay a penalty for their wanderlust.

Final vote on the measure will take place in April. The number and allocation of elk licenses for November 2010 will also be decided at that time.