Results Of 2012 Elk Hunt Announced

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Game Commission officials today announced that 52 elk were harvested by the 65 hunters awarded elk licenses for the recently concluded 2012 elk hunt, which was held Nov. 5-10. Of that total, 19 were antlered and 33 were antlerless.

The heaviest antlered elk was taken by Richard Tratthen, Jr., of Scott Township, Lackawanna County. He took a 840-pound (estimated live weight), 8x8 on Nov. 7, in Jay Township, Elk County.

Other large antlered elk (all estimated live weights) were: Robin Carleton of Mansfield, Tioga County, took a 775-pound 7x7 on Nov. 7 in Covington Township, Clearfield County; Roger Rummel of Nanty Glo, Cambria County, took a 758-pound, 7x7 on Nov. 8, in Covington Township, Clearfield County; Charles Ulrich of Allenwood, Union County, took a 729-pound 7x7 on Nov. 5 in Karthus Township, Clearfield County; and Charles Cahill, Jr., of Upper Darby, Delaware County, took a 720-pound 6x6 on Nov. 7 in Covington Township, Clearfield County.

The heaviest antlerless elk was taken by Sylvester Kronenwetter of Saint Marys, Elk County. He took an antlerless elk that weighed 616 pounds on Nov. 9 in Huston Township in Clearfield County.

Those hunters rounding out the top five heaviest antlerless elk harvested were: Barry Rhoad of Fredericksburg, Lebanon County, 551-pound elk in Gibson Township, Cameron County, on Nov. 7; Terry McLaughlin of Greensburg, Westmoreland County, 549-pound elk on Nov 9, in Benezette Township, Elk County; Ed Roupe of East Fairfield, Vermont, 538-pound elk in West Keating Township, Clinton County, on Nov. 7; and Frank Webster of Greencastle, Franklin County, 520-pound elk in Benezette Township, Elk County on Nov. 7.

“Since 2001, when the first modern-day elk season was instituted, 523 elk have been harvested,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “In 2013, the Game Commission will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the elk restoration project. Watch future issues of Game News and the agency website for more highlights on this major conservation milestone.”

As has been the case every year, agency biologists extracted samples needed for chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing, and results are expected early next year.

For more information on elk in Pennsylvania, visit the Game Commission’s website, put your cursor over “HUNT/TRAP” in the menu bar in the banner, choose “Hunting,” and then click on “Elk” in the listing under “Big Game.”