Word is definitely getting out about Pennsylvania’s elk population and opportunities to obtain a license. The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) made 144 available tags available for the 2023 hunt and hunters nationwide scrambled to try to get one.
“We had over 57,000 people apply to get those 144 licenses this year. That is a record. We’ve never had that many people apply before,” Jeremy Banfield, PGC elk biologist, told Brian Whipkey, USA Today outdoor columnist. “And it’s turning out to be a great season so far.”
Among those successful is a long-time Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation member and supporter who obtained a coveted Pennsylvania elk tag at a national auction hosted by RMEF. He took a monster bull early in the 2023 season.
RMEF has a long and active conservation history in Pennsylvania. It is home to more than 14,000 RMEF members and 30 chapters that raise funding to put back on the ground in the Keystone State.
In fact, since 1991, RMEF and its partners completed 544 conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects in Pennsylvania with a combined value of more than $27.6 million. These projects conserved or enhanced 28,160 acres of habitat and opened or improved public access to 10,189 acres.
“I want to give a solid appreciation for sportsmen clubs around the state. These organizations do a lot for wildlife in terms of fundraising and habitat work that a lot of them do personally on the ground. Everyone here is conservation-minded and passionate about that,” added Banfield.
(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)