More than 89 percent of the hunters participating in Pennsylvania’s 2017 elk hunt have taken home a trophy.
The Game Commission reports 104 elk were taken by hunters during the regular one-week elk season that ended Nov. 4. For those licensed to hunt antlered elk, also known as bulls, the success rate was 100 percent.
The 2017 harvest included some large elk. Ten bulls each were estimated to weigh 700 pounds or more, with three of them going more than 800 pounds.
The heaviest bull taken in this year’s hunt was estimated at 833 pounds. That bull, which sported an 8-by-7 rack, was taken Oct. 30 by Shawn Latshaw, of Franklin, Penn.
Meanwhile, an 832-pounder with an 8-by-9 rack was taken by Robert Cook, of Earlville, N.Y., and an 803-pounder with a 6-by-7 rack was taken by Alfred Hake, of Manchester, Penn.
Not all of the bull elk taken in the hunt were measured and green-scored by rack size, but Cook’s bull had the highest green score at 431 6/8 inches, according to Boone & Crockett big-game scoring standards.
There also were some large antlerless elk taken in the harvest. Nine of the 79 cows taken by hunters during the one-week season weighed over 500 pounds.
On the opening day of the elk season Oct. 30, 12 bulls and 47 cows were taken.
To participate in the elk hunt, hunters must submit an application, then must be selected through a random drawing and purchase a license. The drawing annually attracts more than 30,000 applicants.
To see a summary of the 2017 elk harvest, click here.