How to Hunt Elk in Pennsylvania — 2026 PA Elk Hunting Application Strategy
Beau Martonik
Article by: Beau Martonik
If you're from the East and haven't heard about the giant bull elk living in the Appalachian region of Pennsylvania, you might be living under a rock. Pennsylvania has had one of the most successful elk reintroduction efforts in the country, with an estimated 1,300–1,700 elk living in the Keystone State as of 2026. That said, drawing one of the few tags given out is extremely difficult, and 2026 brings the most significant changes to the PA elk season in years.
I sat down with Pennsylvania Game Commission elk biologist Jeremy Banfield on the East Meets West Hunt podcast to break down all of the changes, the current state of the herd, and everything you need to know before you apply. This article covers all of it.
The Pennsylvania Elk Herd — 2026 Status
The point estimate from the most recent aerial survey puts the herd at approximately 1,563 elk, with confidence intervals ranging from 1,300 to 1,700. The survey is conducted using an infrared camera mounted on a fixed-wing aircraft, and the results are run through an equation using radio-collar data to account for animals that were missed during the flight. So while 1,563 is the point estimate, it's not an exact count — somewhere in that 1,300–1,700 range is the honest answer.
The herd is growing slowly and that's intentional. The Game Commission wants gradual expansion rather than rapid growth, both for the health of the herd and to give surrounding communities time to acclimate to increased elk presence.
Bull to cow ratio: The current ratio is slightly over 50 branched bulls per 100 cows, which is actually higher than ideal. The management plan targets around 25 per hundred. Because of this, the PGC has been intentionally increasing bull tag allocations to drive that number down over time. More bull tags means more opportunity — which leads into the biggest change for 2026.
CWD: Chronic wasting disease is creeping in from the southwestern corner of the elk range. There are CWD-positive deer in the Dubois area and on the western edge of the elk management area. Jeremy's honest take is that it's going to reach the elk herd during his career — it's a matter of when, not if. Pennsylvania has a CWD response plan in place. The model to look at is Colorado and Wyoming, which have dealt with it for 40-plus years and still have healthy elk populations. It won't wipe out the herd, but it will change some management strategies when it arrives.
2026 Pennsylvania Elk Hunting Seasons
This is the big one. 2026 introduces a brand new October season, bringing the total to four seasons for the first time. The purpose is to spread bull tag allocations across more seasons to reduce pressure and improve hunt quality for everyone who draws.
Archery Season: Sept. 12–27, 2026 27 total tags (archery)
First Regular Firearms Season (NEW — October): Oct. 3–11, 2026 Covers the latter portion of the rut — an exciting time to be in the woods. You can still hunt with a bow if you prefer.
Second Regular Firearms Season: Oct. 31–Nov. 8, 2026
Third Regular Firearms Season (Late Season): Jan. 9–17, 2027 Moved slightly to avoid the New Year's holiday
Total tags for 2026: 155 (80 antlered, 75 antlerless) — up from 140 last year.
The new October season overlaps the tail end of the rut. If you've never experienced the PA elk rut — the bugling, the bulls sparring, the activity at dawn and dusk — this is one of the most electric hunting experiences in the eastern United States, whether you have a tag in your pocket or not.
Application Period and Drawing
Applications opened May 1, 2026. You must hold a valid Pennsylvania general hunting license to apply.
Application deadline: July 12, 2026 (midnight Eastern)
Drawing date: July 25, 2026 at the Elk Expo in Benezette, PA — drawing happens at 3 PM on Saturday
You'll know whether you drew a PA elk tag on July 25th.
What's New for 2026 — Major Changes
Four seasons, one application
The old system had three separate applications with separate bonus point pools. That's gone. You now submit one application and list up to five choices in order of preference — season, sex, and hunt zone. The computer pulls your number and checks your choices in order. If any of your choices are available, you get one. If none are available, you didn't draw. Much cleaner system.
Bonus points are now combined
Each of the old three seasons had its own separate bonus point pool. All of those points are now summed into one total. If you've been applying since 2003 for the general season, you could have up to 23 points from that pool alone. Add in archery and late season points and the maximum going into 2026 is 37. With this year's application, your name goes in the hat up to 38 times. More years of applying equals more chances — all of it is now working for you in a single draw.
Bull elk tags are now once in a lifetime
If you draw a bull tag in 2026 or any year going forward, you're done applying for bulls. You can still apply for cows and antlerless tags. This is not retroactive — anyone who drew a bull tag before 2026 starts fresh and can still apply. But from here on out, if you draw a bull, that's your bull.
Non-resident cap and higher application cost
No more than 10% of tags per season will go to non-residents. Non-residents must now also purchase a Pennsylvania general hunting license ($102) before they can apply, on top of the $12 application fee. That brings the barrier to entry from $12 to $114 for non-residents. This is in line with how most western states handle non-resident applications and was a direct response to years of feedback from Pennsylvania sportsmen.
You must have a valid PA hunting license to apply
This applies to everyone. For residents, this changes almost nothing since most hunters already have one. For non-residents, see above. If you have a license from last year that is still valid, you can apply now. Otherwise wait until new licenses go on sale in mid-June.
Point-only option still exists
If you can't hunt this year, you can still pay the $12 application fee and receive your bonus point without entering the draw. Your points don't expire as long as you keep applying.
New Hunt Zones — 301 Through 309
The old 14-zone system has been replaced with 10 new zones numbered 301–309 (plus zones 300 and 310, which are not available for hunting applications). The numbering change was intentional — the Game Commission didn't want anyone confusing old Zone 2 with a new Zone 2.
The new zones were built around actual elk movement data. Jeremy used seven years of GPS collar locations and drew boundaries using named roads and rivers that are easy to identify in the field. The zones capture about 85% of all collar location data — as accurate as you can reasonably get with animals that don't follow maps.
Zone 300 covers the area around the Elk Country Visitor Center and is closed to protect the ecotourism and wildlife viewing component. Zone 310 covers the eastern expansion area where elk numbers are still building — that tag allocation will open up as the herd continues to expand east over the next several years.
When you apply, you'll see zones 301 through 309 as your available choices.
How to choose a zone: Jeremy's honest answer is that all zones with available tags have elk and have produced good bulls. Personal knowledge of an area, access, and public versus private land ratios are better reasons to choose a zone than trying to outsmart the system. The hunting digest includes a breakdown of public versus private land by zone. Updated zone boundaries are available in the OnX Hunt app and Spartan Forge.
My Application Strategy
I'm applying for all four seasons with bull as my first choice in each. The odds are not great — roughly 50,000 people applying for 155 tags — but at $12 for residents it's one of the cheapest ways to be in the game. Every year you apply, your name goes in one more time.
If you truly only want a bull, only put bull choices in your five selections. If you want to maximize your odds of drawing anything, fill all five with whatever you'd be willing to hunt. Don't put a cow in your fifth choice if you'd be upset drawing a cow tag — you'll burn your points and lose your shot at the bull you were really after.
I use the Spartan Forge app to look at these zones — you can see Game Commission food plots from the aerial view, identify public and private land boundaries, and get a feel for road access before you ever set foot in an area. Use code eastmeetswest to save 20% off Spartan Forge.
Photo: Jimmy Shirey
When to See Elk (Even if You Don't Draw)
If you're in the Benezette area and want to see elk, go early or go late. The Game Commission's GPS collar activity data shows two clear peaks — right at sunrise and right at sunset. The middle of the day is a dead zone. Don't drive around at noon wondering where all the elk are — they're bedded down in the shade.
The rut activity in late September and into October is some of the most electric wildlife viewing in the eastern United States. Bulls bugling, cows moving, bulls fighting. If you haven't experienced it, it's worth a trip even without a tag.
Give the elk their space. They're wild animals, not zoo animals. Stay at least 50 yards back, don't push into bedding areas, and don't follow them on foot.
Apply Here
Applications are open now through midnight on July 12, 2026. You need a valid Pennsylvania hunting license to apply.
Apply through HuntFishPA: huntfish.pa.gov
Drawing is July 25, 2026 at the Elk Expo in Benezette at 3 PM.
Want to go deeper on all of these changes? Listen to the full conversation with Pennsylvania Game Commission elk biologist Jeremy Banfield on the East Meets West Hunt podcast.
Didn't draw but want to experience PA elk country? Check out the Elk Crossing Getaway in the PA Wilds and stay right in the heart of elk country. This is my personal short-term rental property that you can stay at throughout the year or during hunting season.