By Joseph Luxbacher, Member, Allegheny Group
Take a walk through the wooded hills and open meadows of north-central Pennsylvania, and there is a good chance you may catch a glimpse of three iconic wildlife species that in the past were nearly extirpated from the state. First and foremost are elk, the 2nd largest members of the deer family. Native Americans called them “wapiti”, or white deer, a reference to their beige coat and creme-colored rump patches. Adult bulls are stunning creatures that stand 4 to 5 feet at the shoulder, sport massive antlers, and weigh as much as 1,000 pounds. Females are somewhat smaller, averaging about 500 pounds or so. Eastern elk (Cervus canadensis canadensis), a subspecies that inhabited the northern and eastern United States, had completely disappeared from Penn’s Woods by the late 1800’s. Elk numbers dwindled significantly after the arrival of white settlers and by 1850 overhunting and habitat destruction had reduced eastern elk to only a few scattered herds east of the Mississippi River. One of those remaining groups took residence in the thickly forested Allegheny Mountains of central Pennsylvania. Legend has it that the last native elk in Pennsylvania was killed near the headwaters of the Clarion River in 1867 or thereabouts. By 1880, the eastern subspecies was declared extinct by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Fortunately for elk, and for us, the story does not end there. In 1912, Joseph Kalbfus, executive secretary of the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), proposed reintroducing elk in Pennsylvania. Between 1913 and 1926, the PGC released 177 elk throughout several counties in the north-central area of the state, elk that had been relocated from the area in and around Yellowstone National Park. The rest is history! Today, thriving within a 3,000 square mile area that encompasses 9 counties, are the descendants of that group of elk reintroduced over 100 years ago. Pennsylvania’s present day elk herd, an estimated 1,400+ strong, is the largest free-roaming elk herd in the northeastern United States. The elk narrative is only part of a more expansive conservation success story that chronicles the restoration of 3 notable wildlife species - elk, black bear, and bald eagle – all of whom presently enjoy healthy populations within the state.
When Columbus arrived on our shores in 1492, it is estimated that more than 100,000 bald eagles inhabited the area that today encompasses the lower 48 states. By the mid 1900’s, the situation had changed dramatically. At that point our national bird was threatened with extinction due to the irresponsible use of pesticides, particularly DDT, which had worked its way into the aquatic food chain. Fish are a primary staple of the bald eagle’s diet. In their position atop the avian food chain, bald eagles consumed fish from lakes and streams that had been contaminated by runoff. Consuming concentrated levels of DDT prevented the eagles from reproducing successfully by weakening their eggshells. The weakened shells could not support their contents and cracked before the offspring could hatch. Eagle populations experienced dramatic declines, and the species became critically endangered throughout its original range. A 1983 census found only three pairs of nesting bald eagles in Pennsylvania. Today the state has more than 300 active bald eagle nests, a number that is increasing every year.
Ursus americanus, the American black bear, has a similar history in the state. At the time of European settlement large numbers of black bears resided in Pennsylvania. Black bears prefer forest-covered habitat, and at that time mature forests covered more than 90 percent of the state. Bears had no natural enemies in the wild and mortality from humans was minimal. However, as forest lands were gradually cleared and converted to farming, suitable bear habitat within the state decreased significantly. To compound the situation, there were no laws that prevented year-round bear hunting. Bears were hunted for their hides, for their meat, and for sport. By 1920, bear numbers were down significantly across the state, and their distribution was restricted to only a handful of northcentral and northeast counties. By the early 1980’s, only about 4,000 black bears remained in Pennsylvania. Around the same time, the Pennsylvania Game Commission instituted measures to promote black bear recovery—measures that have proven to be extremely successful. Today the black bear population is estimated to be between 18,000 and 19,000 animals, the result of sound, science-based wildlife management overseen by the Pennsylvania Game Commission and several supporting wildlife groups.
Several factors are responsible for the dramatic increase in bear numbers since the early 1980s. The initial step in the repopulation process, and a crucial one, was designating two years of no bear hunting in 1977 and 1978, enabling a recovery to begin. This was the only time in the state’s history when there were two consecutive years without bear hunting. Shortly thereafter, to further alleviate hunting pressure, a bear license was created, which reduced the number of hunters by about 50 percent. In addition, hunting seasons were established and scheduled with the intention of protecting females and their cubs. Restocking efforts were instituted in peripheral areas of the original bear range, and hunting was temporarily closed in some of those areas to allow populations to reestablish. During that same period, suitable bear habitat in the state expanded as forests matured. Natural food supplies were plentiful and reliable, enabling females to produce larger litters with a better chance of cub survival. All the essential elements were in place for a bear recovery, and it has worked extremely well.
You can improve the likelihood of seeing a bear, elk, or eagle by planning your excursions into the wild at the most opportune viewing times. Best time to see bears? Black bears are most active at dusk and dawn, with slightly lower activity levels during the day. They tend to avoid open areas when possible. Most individuals are solitary except during the mating season or when with cubs. You don’t want to mess with a mother bear and her cubs. Elk can be seen more frequently as they tend to travel in groups and are such large animals. The most opportune time of the year to view elk is during their mating season, commonly referred to as the “rut.” This season begins in September and winds down by October. The best time of day is an hour or two after sunup or before dusk, as elk are most active during these times. Bald eagles can be found year-round. Their nests are immense, as large as five or six feet wide, and are almost always located near a water source.
This blog was included as part of the November 2025 Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!