Home › Pennsylvania › Elk hunting
2026-27 elk license drawing
Elk Hunting in Pennsylvania
155 elk licenses (80 bull, 75 cow) in nine open Elk Hunt Zones, four seasons including a new October firearms hunt, and the elk-range public land.
Photo: Nicholas A. Tonelli (CC BY 2.0)
How the elk drawing works
New early October elk firearms season (Oct. 3-11), late season moved to Jan. 9-17, Elk Hunt Zones redrawn as 300-310, single elk application, PA hunting license required to apply, antlered elk once in a lifetime, nonresidents capped at 10%.
Single $11.97 application (PA hunting license required), up to five options (season, Elk Hunt Zone, antlered/antlerless); deadline 11:59 p.m. July 12, 2026; drawing July 25, 2026 at the Elk Country Visitor Center. Bonus point per unsuccessful application (max 37 for 2026-27). Antlered elk licenses are once in a lifetime. Nonresidents max 10% of licenses. 155 licenses allocated: 80 bull, 75 cow.
Elk Hunt Zones reconfigured and renumbered 300-310 for 2026-27 (adopted by the Board July 10, 2026); licenses allocated in nine zones (301-309).
Single application, up to five season/zone/sex options; deadline 11:59 p.m. July 12, 2026; drawing July 25, 2026.
digest elk, license types, elk report. Checked October 12, 2026.
Elk seasons and licenses, 2026-27
Each license names its season, zone and sex. The early October firearms season is new, and the late season moved to January 9 to 17.
| Season | Opens | Closes | Days | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery (antlered or antlerless) | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 16 | |
| First regular firearms (new) | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | 9 | |
| Second regular firearms | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 9 | |
| Third regular firearms | Jan 9, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | 9 | |
| RMEF auction and KECA raffle tags | Jul 1, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 131 |
| Season | Bull licenses | Cow licenses |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 15 | 7 |
| First firearms | 15 | 15 |
| Second firearms | 26 | 25 |
| Third firearms | 24 | 28 |
season table, digest allocations. Checked October 12, 2026.
Elk Hunt Zones 300 to 310
Licenses are allocated in zones 301 to 309. Zone 306, the Quehanna Plateau, is 91% public land; zone 304 is the largest at 724 square miles.
| Zone | Description | Archery bull | Archery cow | 1st bull | 1st cow | 2nd bull | 2nd cow | 3rd bull | 3rd cow | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | Closed to elk hunting; area immediately surrounding the Elk Country Visitor Center and Benezette. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 301 | 448 sq mi, 38% public land; low elk population, high human/elk conflicts around Weedville. | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 15 |
| 302 | 231 sq mi, 38% public land; large portion of SGL 14 and Elk State Forest; healthy elk population. | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 17 |
| 303 | 251 sq mi, 40% public land; includes Lyme Conservation Easement open to public hunting. | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 17 |
| 304 | 724 sq mi, 76% public land; First Fork and Main Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek and Kettle Creek Valley. | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 18 |
| 305 | 152 sq mi, 50% public land; SGL 311, Elk State Forest and Bennett Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek; surrounds Benezette. | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 12 |
| 306 | 193 sq mi, 91% public land; Quehanna Plateau. | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 20 |
| 307 | 143 sq mi, 29% public land; low, nomadic elk population. | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| 308 | 197 sq mi, 35% public land; SGL 321, SGL 100 and Moshannon State Forest; high elk population. | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 24 |
| 309 | 367 sq mi, 46% public land; SGL 100 and Sproul State Forest. | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 22 |
| 310 | Closed to elk hunting; habitat improvement area. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
digest Elk Hunt Zones, zone allocations. Checked October 12, 2026.
Public land in elk range
34 public tracts list elk, led by Sproul State Forest and Susquehannock State Forest. Orange pins are State Game Lands.
Elk-range counties
- Cameron County
- Centre County
- Clearfield County
- Clinton County
- Elk County
- Lycoming County
- McKean County
- Potter County
Public tracts whose manager lists elk, from PGC and DCNR land data retrieved 2026-10-12.
Elk harvest history
1,940 elk taken from 2001 to 2025. In 2025, bull hunters succeeded 86% of the time and cow hunters 69%.
| Year | Licenses | Bulls taken | Cows taken | Bull success | Cow success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 140 | 56 | 52 | 86% | 69% |
| 2024 | 140 | 59 | 47 | 91% | 63% |
| 2023 | 144 | 59 | 59 | 91% | 75% |
| 2022 | 178 | 55 | 76 | 92% | 64% |
| 2021 | 187 | 53 | 91 | 95% | 69% |
| 2020 | 164 | 36 | 97 | 100% | 76% |
| 2019 | 142 | 32 | 95 | 100% | 86% |
| 2018 | 125 | 25 | 74 | 96% | 75% |
| 2017 | 118 | 25 | 79 | 100% | 86% |
| 2016 | 124 | 25 | 79 | 100% | 80% |
| 2015 | 116 | 20 | 65 | 95% | 68% |
| 2014 | 108 | 25 | 63 | 93% | 78% |
| 2013 | 86 | 25 | 47 | 96% | 78% |
| 2012 | 65 | 19 | 33 | 100% | 72% |
| 2011 | 56 | 18 | 34 | 100% | 89% |
| 2010 | 50 | 17 | 23 | 100% | 70% |
| 2009 | 59 | 20 | 24 | 100% | 62% |
| 2008 | 45 | 17 | 23 | 100% | 82% |
| 2007 | 40 | 14 | 19 | 93% | 76% |
| 2006 | 40 | 14 | 19 | 93% | 76% |
| 2005 | 40 | 10 | 25 | 100% | 83% |
| 2004 | 40 | 12 | 22 | 100% | 79% |
| 2003 | 100 | 19 | 49 | 95% | 61% |
| 2002 | 70 | 32 | 29 | 89% | 85% |
| 2001 | 30 | 14 | 13 | 93% | 87% |
2023 harvest by former zone
| Former zone | Bulls | Cows | Total | Archery | General | Late |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Zone 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Zone 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Zone 4 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Zone 5 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| Zone 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Zone 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zone 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Zone 9 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Zone 10 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Zone 11 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Zone 12 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 5 | 10 | 6 |
| Zone 13 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| Zone 14 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
elk report, PGC harvest dashboard. Checked October 12, 2026.
Elk rules in the field
Legal arms for elk
Manually operated centerfire rifles and handguns .26 caliber or larger with expanding bullets of at least 120 grains; 12-gauge or larger shotguns with single projectiles; muzzleloaders .50+ with 210 grain projectiles; bows 45 lb; crossbows 125 lb; broadheads at least 1 in wide, max 3.25 in long. Not legal: Semiautomatic rifles.
Orange
Elk regular-season hunters, and those accompanying them, wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange; archery elk hunters do not.
Check station
Tag to the ear immediately; take elk with hunting and elk licenses to the PGC elk check station (Elk Country Visitor Center, Benezette) within 24 hours.
Feeding and herding
Unlawful to feed elk at any time or to drive or herd elk.
Records
Big Game Records minimums: typical elk firearm 300, typical elk archery 200, nontypical elk firearm 325, nontypical elk archery 275.
Auction and raffle tags
Season for conservation auction/raffle tag holders as shown in the digest. Dates: Jul 1 to Nov 8, 2026.
digest sporting arms, orange, tagging. Checked October 12, 2026.
Elk hunting questions
How many elk licenses does Pennsylvania issue?
155 for 2026-27: 80 bull and 75 cow, across four seasons and nine zones.
When is the elk application deadline?
Single application, up to five season/zone/sex options; deadline 11:59 p.m. July 12, 2026; drawing July 25, 2026.
Do I need a Pennsylvania hunting license to apply for elk?
Yes. A Pennsylvania hunting license is now required to apply.
Is a bull elk license once in a lifetime?
Yes, antlered elk licenses are once in a lifetime starting this license year.
Can nonresidents apply for Pennsylvania elk?
Yes; nonresidents are capped at 10% of licenses and pay $250 if drawn.
What are the elk seasons?
Archery (antlered or antlerless) Sep 12 to Sep 27, 2026; First regular firearms (new) Oct 3 to Oct 11, 2026; Second regular firearms Oct 31 to Nov 8, 2026; Third regular firearms Jan 9 to Jan 17, 2027.
Where do I check an elk?
Tag to the ear immediately; take elk with hunting and elk licenses to the PGC elk check station (Elk Country Visitor Center, Benezette) within 24 hours.
How many elk are in Pennsylvania?
The latest PGC survey estimate is 1,563 (95% interval 1,362 to 1,863).
Which zones are closed to elk hunting?
300 (Closed to elk hunting; area immediately surrounding the Elk Country Visitor Center and Benezette.) and 310 (Closed to elk hunting; habitat improvement area.)