Pennsylvania Game News - September 2019 - 23

THIS YEAR & NEXT

Since the start of Pennsylvania's
modern elk hunt in 2001, 1,312 elk - 364
antlered bulls - have been taken. The
exclusive archery hunt will offer a marked
departure in action from one large general
hunt spread over six days.
Even if the action in a bowhunt is
slower, May said he believes participants
ought to count their blessings.
"If you receive one of these licenses
you will be in possession of one of the
greatest elk-hunting opportunities this
country has to offer."
The two-week season - twice as long
as the firearms season - has three SaturSEPTEMBER 2019

days, which were included so participating hunters would feel less pressure and
avoid making hasty decisions to take
risky shots.
"Every hunter has plenty of time," said
Banfield. "We're hoping they take it."
Chief among concerns is the potential
for wounding. Elk, after all, are huge animals, but their vitals area isn't much larger
- 15 to 20 percent - than a whitetail's.
Proficiency matters in a sport where
an arrow's broadhead kills by causing
profuse bleeding, instead of the tissue
destruction caused by a rifle's bullet.
Distance also is a factor. Although
some expert bowhunters might be accurate out to 40 yards or more, taking such
a lengthy shot invites trouble: the elk
might move while the arrow's in flight;
an unseen branch might be struck; or
fatigue might cause the shooter to commit
a significant shooting error. Banfield also
expressed concern about hunters who
have no archery experience being drawn.
"You cannot just buy a crossbow
and go kill an elk," cautioned Banfield.
"There's more to elk bowhunting than
that. Every hunter must know his or her
maximum effective range, which can be
established only through considerable
practice shooting and ideally some experience shooting at live deer or elk."
The success of the inaugural archery
hunt relies on the effectiveness of the
hunters drawn, and the results could have
bearing on future seasons, Banfield said.
Hunters will need to be patient and meticulous in their decision-making, he said.
"If you're pulled for the inaugural elk
bowhunt, I hope you'll be hunting every
day," he said. "Use stealth and patience to
get in range, and then show your practice
mattered by making an accurate and clean
shot. It's your one chance in a lifetime.
Make it count!"
23

Jacob Dingel

vering over the course of a day to
intercept elk, which could include
hunting midday over an elk wallow,
a hunter and guide might cover 10
miles.
"There isn't a ton of up-anddown hiking, but some of the
food plots can be 3 to 4 miles
from the gate," Manack said.
"That, along with the need to keep pace
with a group of elk, means hunters should
be able to hike several miles."
Hunting in September's warmer
weather also requires hunters to develop a
plan to bring out any elk they take. Quartering the elk is one way, if you can't drive
within a short distance of your harvest.
If quartering isn't an option, Banfield
recommends packing ice into the body
cavity. Removing the hide also will help
cool the carcass, if it's been removed from
the field, or if the hunter is quartering the
carcass.
Successful archers also are required
to report their elk harvests to the Northcentral Region Office as soon as possible.
Additional instructions were sent to each
hunter prior to the season.
Pennsylvania Game News - September 2019

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