Benezette, Pa.

Elk Revival: They outnumber people around Benezette, Pa.

The first clue that you’ve reached elk country is the yellow road sign. The silhouette of a leaping whitetail buck has been replaced by a bulkier creature that seems to be standing still. Another sign a little farther up the road confirms visitors are “Entering Benezette in the Heart of the Pennsylvania Elk Range.”

Eastern elk were indigenous to the area, but by the 1870s, hunting and logging wiped out the great herds that once roamed the Northeast. In the early 20th century, second-growth forests began to rebound (elk need both woodland and grazing land), so the state game commission decided to reintroduce elk to north-central Pennsylvania. By 1926, more than 200 Rocky Mountain elk had been released in and around the village of Benezette.

The elk, though magnificent, weren’t always the best neighbors, and damage to crops and property prompted the commission to create a hunting season. That ended in 1932, but many elk continued to be hunted illegally or killed for causing crop damage. Motor vehicles accounted for other deaths, and some succumbed to disease. Again, the population declined.

“When I saw my first elk as a trainee in 1965, the herd wasn’t much bigger than 35 or so,” recalls Harold Harshbarger, a wildlife conservation officer in Elk County from 1966 to 1997. He watched the herd grow considerably over the years, thanks to the creation of an elk-friendly habitat, which helped keep the stately animals out of trouble with farmers and others. By last spring, more than 560 elk roamed an 835-square-mile range, with the herd’s greatest density in the Winslow Hills area just outside the village of Benezette (pop. 250).

A reclaimed strip mine provided ideal habitat, and the town has taken full advantage of the herd’s presence. Among other things, it encouraged the state game commission to create an elk viewing area on state land in town. A pavilion, information booths, parking, and restrooms were provided by the commission, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and other public and private groups. The viewing area quickly became a tourist destination, and a boon for Benezette.

The town has a general store, gas station, restaurant, post office, and hotel. Until the viewing area was built, most who drove up Winslow Hill to see elk were local residents—but as word spread, up to 1,500 visitors per weekend crowded the winding road up the hill. Someone, however, forgot to tell the elk where to be.

As the herd grew, more animals began wandering toward town, often stopping in fields and back yards along the road. Visitors heading to the viewing area often found a more intimate encounter with the animals in someone’s driveway or under a child’s swing set.

“People seeing their first elk stop in the middle of the road, leave their cars running and doors open as they get out to get a closer look,” which not only disrupts traffic, but can be dangerous, says Benezette township supervisor Ronald Rishel.

Unlike deer, the elk don’t run off. They go about their business, oblivious to the commotion. Local businesses see these as minor inconveniences, residents are proud of their elk, and elk tourism has given the town a welcome boost.

With the herd now at roughly 700, the elk population is reaching its ideal density. With a larger herd, other species and vegetation in the range will suffer. So next November the commission plans to institute the first hunt—well away from the viewing area—since 1931. The hunt alone is unlikely to stabilize the population, and relocation is part of the solution.

Next fall’s hunt is scheduled in conjunction with an “Elk Festival” near Benezette. The commission—and the town—hopes this will appeal to a broader demographic than just hunters. Plans are still being made, but Rishel has heard estimates of 40,000 to 50,000 people who might attend—a definite bonanza for business. But he also wonders if “Benezette is ever going to be the same quiet little town it used to be.”

The precarious act of juggling the needs of elk, tourists, townspeople, local government, state agencies, and conservation groups is a work in progress—one Benezette residents are watching with interest. For now, a trip to Benezette rewards the traveler with an up-close and personal encounter with one of nature’s most magnificent creatures.

Dan Bogey writes from his home in central Pennsylvania.

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