Eight elk harvested during opening day of hunt

November 2, 2010

Domenic Aversa of Woolwich, N.J. is shown with the 7x7 bull elk that he harvested on Monday during the opening day of this year's elk hunt. Photo submitted by Donna Wehler.

The 2010 elk hunt got underway Monday, with hunters harvesting a total of eight elk on the week-long hunt's opening day. Throughout the day, a sizable crowd of spectators gathered at the Game Commission's maintenance shed, located in the Black Moshannon State Forest along the Quehanna Highway in Karthaus, to view the elk as they were brought to the official check station.
The annual Pennsylvania elk hunt was reinstated in 2001 after a 70-year hiatus, much to the delight of avid sportsmen both across the state and country. Nine years later, the elk hunt remains popular, with the Pennsylvania Game Commission estimating that about 20,000 applications are submitted for licenses each year.
There were a total of 17 antlered and 33 antlerless elk licenses available for this year's hunt. The licenses were awarded in a drawing held at the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Harrisburg headquarters on Friday, Sept. 10.
Eight elk, five bulls and three cows, were harvested on Monday, and all but one of the bulls were taken by Pennsylvania hunters.
For more on this story, see the Nov. 2 edition of The Daily Press.