Habitat Elk are attracted to forest clearcuts, revegetated strip mines, grassy meadows, open stream bottoms, and agricultural lands. Shy animals, they tend to avoid contact with humans, although they will venture into settled areas to reach favored food sources. Pennsylvania's elk live in Cameron, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk and Potter counties, in the state's northcentral region. The elk range covers about 835 square miles. The agencies create and maintain high-quality foraging areas and limit disturbance by humans.
Elk habitat enhancement projects also benefit deer, wild turkeys, grouse and other wildlife.
Population From 1913 to 1926 the Game Commission released a total of 177 elk in Blair, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Monroe and Potter counties. Since then, elk have been protected. By 1940, the released elk and their offspring died or were killed everywhere in the state except for those in Elk and Cameron counties, which was, interestingly, the area where last native elk was killed. By 1980, the number of elk counted rose to 114. In 1992, the ground spotters were eliminated from the survey and the herd was estimated to number 183.