Pennsylvania Elk

[Woody Meristem]

Pennsylvania has over 1000 wild elk, several times a year I spend some time photographing a few of them. This has been a virtually snowless winter so we went to find a few, here's a portrait of the most impressive bull we found on a recent trip --

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[NorthernFocus]

That's an impressive animal. Were they reintroduced from Rocky Mountain stock or Roosevelt? The thickness of the beams looks like the latter.

 

[PhD69]

Well done Woody

 

[Woody Meristem]

Were they reintroduced from Rocky Mountain stock or Roosevelt?

Almost all were from Yellowstone National Park, although a few were said to originate from a private preserve in Pennsylvania -- those may have been descendents of animals captured from within the state in the 1850s, before the last wild elk was killed. Reintroductions began just before World War I and continued for about ten years. In the 1950s there may have been as few as 20-30 left, but the population now is well over 1,000 and there's a limited hunting season.

 

[Rookie Roy]

Very nice Woody! I’m originally from Pennsylvania and glad to see the elk herd is doing well!

 

[ssheipel]

Nice!