What Are the Odds of Drawing a PA Elk Tag? The Inside Scoop for Aspiring Elk Hunters

As an passionate elk hunter, you likely dream of getting your hands on one of Pennsylvania’s limited elk tags. With only a few hundred tags issued each year and tens of thousands of eager applicants, drawing a PA elk tag can feel like winning the lottery!

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll break down everything you need to know as an elk hunter to understand your real odds and maximize your chances of successfully drawing a Pennsylvania elk tag. Let’s dive in!

A Brief History of Elk in Pennsylvania

To start, some background on how elk disappeared from Pennsylvania and their triumphant return helps put the scarce hunting opportunities in context.

• Elk originally roamed forests across Pennsylvania until overhunting wiped them out by the late 1800s

• After disappearing for over 60 years, Pennsylvania imported 50 elk from Yellowstone in 1913 to restart the population

• Thanks to ongoing conservation efforts by the Game Commission, the herd grew to today’s approximate population of 1,400 elk.

So while elk are native to Pennsylvania, the current population descends from those 50 elk brought from out west just over 100 years ago. Their reintroduction and population rebound is an incredible conservation achievement!

Why Limited Hunting is Allowed

You may wonder, if elk were completely eliminated from Pennsylvania before, why does the state now permit limited elk hunting?

The Game Commission authorizes responsible controlled elk hunting for several important reasons:

• To maintain elk numbers at sustainable levels
• To prevent overgrazing of habitats
• To minimize elk conflicts like property damage and vehicle collisions
• To provide recreational opportunities for hunters

Most importantly, hunting ensures the health and longevity of Pennsylvania’s elk herd. Responsible management prevents previous mistakes that could endanger their future.

Pennsylvania’s Current Elk Herd

To understand elk hunting opportunities, you need background on the current elk population and habitat. Here are the key facts:

• Approximately 1,400 elk as of 2022
• 2 main herds located in Elk and Cameron counties
• About 80% of elk range is publicly owned forests and game lands
• Population goal of 900-1,000 elk for social and environmental balance
• Elk population is below cultural carrying capacity

Cultural carrying capacity is the maximum number of elk that can coexist acceptably with humans, considering impacts like crop damage, vehicle collisions, and habitat degradation.

The table below shows how Pennsylvania’s elk population has grown over the past decade thanks to scientific management.

As you can see, elk numbers are rebounding impressively thanks to restoration efforts!

Pennsylvania’s Elk Hunting Management Strategy

Now that we’ve covered the background, let’s get into the hunting details you really want to know!

The Pennsylvania Game Commission utilizes a science-based strategy to manage elk hunting. Here are the key elements:

• Annual aerial surveys monitor elk numbers and demographics
• Conservative tag numbers issued based on population modeling
• Tags allocated between multiple zones
• Separate buck and antlerless tag allotments
• Combination of lottery drawings and over-the-counter sales
• Strict hunting rules and quotas enforced

This approach ensures limited, sustainable hunting opportunities while meeting elk management objectives. The result? A healthy, stable elk population and premier controlled trophy elk hunting.

Elk Hunt Zones in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s elk herd primarily resides in two distinct zones or areas:

Elk Zone

• Located across 6 counties in northcentral PA
• Holds approximately 800 elk
• Encompasses 586,000 acres of mostly public land
• ELK, CAMERON, CLEARFIELD, CLINTON, McKEAN, POTTER counties

Elk Extended Range Zone

• Located across 9 counties in northcentral PA
• Holds approximately 600 elk
• Encompasses 2,050,000 acres of public and private land
• CLEARFIELD, CLINTON, ELK, plus parts of BEDFORD, BLAIR, CAMBRIA, CENTRE, HUNTINGDON, MIFFLIN, and SOMERSET counties

These zones designate the areas open to elk hunting each season. It’s critical that hunters only harvest elk within the zone their specific tag is allocated for.

Types of Elk Hunting Licenses in Pennsylvania

When applying for your elk tag in Pennsylvania, you’ll need to know the different license types available.

General Licenses

• Allow the harvest of either antlered or antlerless elk
• Most abundant license type

Antlered Licenses

• Restrict harvest to only bull elk with at least one antler visible above the hairline
• Limited number available

Antlerless Licenses

• Restrict harvest to only antlerless elk (cows or calves)
• Limited number available

Bull License Auction

• Chance at one premium bull license through an auction
• Limited to Pennsylvania residents

Cow/Calf License Drawing

• Chance at an antlerless license through a lottery drawing
• Open to both residents and nonresidents

So depending on what type of elk you want to target, you’ll need to strategically pick which licenses to apply for.

Availability of Elk Tags in Pennsylvania

The number of elk licenses available in Pennsylvania fluctuates annually based on Game Commission management objectives. However, they remain very limited in number.

To give you an idea, here are the tags made available over the past 5 years:

As you can see, even at its peak only 178 total tags were available in 2018. To put that into perspective, the Game Commission typically receives 40,000 to 50,000 applications each year!

This huge ratio of hunters to tags is what makes drawing a Pennsylvania elk license such a covetous opportunity. But it shouldn’t deter you from trying to realize your hunting dream!

Your Odds of Drawing an Elk License

Now for the moment of truth. What are your actual odds of having your name drawn for an elk tag in Pennsylvania?

Your chances primarily depend on two factors:

• The number of total tags made available that year
• The number of hunters applying for tags

The more tags available and less competition, the better your odds. Let’s break down the numbers.

Odds for General Elk Licenses

General licenses allowing the harvest of either sex elk are the most abundant tag type. However, with tens of thousands of hunters applying, the odds are still long.

As you can see, draw odds for general elk tags have ranged from 1 in 52 to 1 in 350 over the past decade.

Odds for Antlered and Antlerless Licenses

Because antlered and antlerless licenses are more limited, your odds of drawing one are even lower.

While the odds fluctuate, you can expect to face 1 in 50 to 1 in 100 odds or worse when applying.

Premium License Drawings

To obtain one of Pennsylvania’s most coveted bull elk tags, you’ll need to enter a special drawing.

As you can see, the odds here are super long at several hundred to one. But someone has to win, and it might as well be you!

Tips for Improving Your Draw Odds

While the odds are indeed long, here are 7 strategies you can use to boost your chances of success:

• Apply every year – Accumulate preference points to improve future odds
• Apply early – Submit your application as soon as possible
• Avoid errors – Double and triple check your application
• Be flexible – Don’t only apply for one specific zone or license
• Apply as a mentor/mentee – Higher chances for youth tags
• Consider less popular zones – Competition varies across zones
• Donate to eligible funds – Earns extra chances in drawings

It’s easy to get discouraged by the long odds. But giving yourself multiple chances and accumulating preference points each year will eventually pay off down the road.

The Cost of Securing Your Elk License

If you’re lucky enough to have your name drawn, be ready to pay the applicable elk license fees:

Pennsylvania Residents:

• General Elk License: $25
• Elk Tag: $20
• Combination License with Tag: $36

Non-Residents of Pennsylvania:

• General Elk License: $250
• Elk Tag: $20
• Combination License with Tag: $261

Bull and Cow/Calf lottery winners must purchase a general elk license plus $20 elk tag.

While certainly not cheap, the cost pales in comparison to what you’ll pay just in application fees out west over years of denied tags. Think of securing a PA elk tag as skipping ahead!

Special Elk Hunting Opportunities for Youth

Pennsylvania offers some exciting special elk hunting opportunities for youth interested in the sport:

Mentored Hunt

• Up to 15 qualified young hunters chosen annually
• Must be accompanied by licensed adult mentor

Mentored License

• Higher likelihood of being drawn with adult mentor

Calf Hunt

• Chance for young hunters to harvest antlerless elk calves

Any youth interested in elk hunting should look into applying for these special tags. The odds are much more favorable compared to the regular license drawings.

How PA Compares to Western States

To put Pennsylvania’s elk tag odds into perspective, let’s compare them against some western states.

• Idaho – Approx. 20-30% draw odds for general elk tags
• Utah – 10-20% draw odds for general elk tags
• Colorado – Average 3-13% draw odds for bull elk tags

As you can see, Pennsylvania’s odds are far lower than the top elk hunting states. However, PA provides an extremely rare elk hunting opportunity in the eastern half of the country.

Even if the odds seem dismal, remember many hunters are applying in multiple states. Having avenues like Pennsylvania in your broader hunting strategy is wise.

Hopefully this guide has helped explain exactly what sort of odds you’re up against to draw one of Pennsylvania’s coveted elk tags. While the lottery-style system certainly makes it challenging, hunters who apply religiously and use smart application strategies will eventually find success.

Remember to be patient, take advantage of preference points, and consider mentor and youth opportunities. Use the statistics and tips provided above to make the most informed application decisions.

And once you finally receive that