Pennsylvania’s elk population is about enter the rut, and state game commission officials are getting ready to switch the “Elk Cam” back on.
Located in the heart of Pennsylvania’s elk range, forested land covering more than 220,000 acres of state game lands and the Elk State Forest, video and sound from the camera will be livestreamed at PA.gov/pgc.
In the coming weeks, bull elks will become more vocal, using their uniquely designed nasal cavities to “bugle” as they attract and compete over females.
“Whether it’s experiencing these remarkable animals in person or online, the elk herd in Pennsylvania continues to connect people across the Commonwealth and beyond,” said Jason Beale, Pennsylvania Game Commission Division Chief for Conservation Education and Social Science. “Their growing presence is a testament to the dedication of the Game Commission’s biologists, habitat managers, Game Wardens and the strong partnerships we have built with other agencies and private organizations that help conserve elk habitats.”
Native elk, along with moose and buffalo, once roamed Pennsylvania’s mountainsides before the state was colonized. The last remaining native eastern elk was killed in the late 1860s, according to the game commission.
Commission officials released nearly 200 elk between 1913 and 1926, in an ultimately-successful effort to reestablish their range in Pennsylvania. Today, more than 1,000 elk are present in the state.
The elk cam will run until the first elk firearm season, which begins Oct. 3. The best time to try and see elk on-camera is mornings and evenings.
View the camera feed at PA.gov/agencies/pgc/wildlife/wildlife-viewing/wildlife-cams.