Can’t wait for the September peak of Pennsylvania’s elk rut? Get a jumpstart now with the Game Commission’s Elk Cam.
The Game Commission again has installed a camera on State Game Lands 311 in Elk County, in a field that typically is a hub of elk activity as the bugling season heats up.
Video and sound from the camera are being livestreamed at www.pgc.pa.gov, and viewers can expect not only to see elk, but turkeys, deer and other wildlife, as well.
Elk, which in the coming weeks will ramp up activity – with bulls becoming more vocal and competing with one another for available cows – always seem to take center stage, however. And enjoying the show is just a few clicks away.
“Elk are fascinating animals and the spectacle of their bugling season draws plenty of onlookers, sometimes from hundreds of miles away,” said Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans.
“That same dynamic is what makes the Elk Cam so popular with viewers. And the Game Commission is proud to bring it back for yet another run.”
The livestream, which is provided by HDOnTap and made possible with the help of the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission, is the latest in a string of real-time wildlife-watching opportunities offered by the Game Commission.
“HDOnTap is excited to partner with the Pennsylvania Game Commission for another year of the live cam in elk country,” said Kate Alexander, director of Marketing with HDOnTap.
“Last year, over a million viewers tuned in for the many sights and sounds of activity on the field. It’s a thrill to see the wide range of Pennsylvania wildlife roaming in the field live 24/7.
“Elk activity is consistent, though unexpected appearances from black bears and coyotes add to the joy for viewers of this cam, it’s no wonder why the live elk cam is so popular year after year!”
The stream can be accessed at the home page at www.pgc.pa.gov by clicking on the Elk Cameras link provided in the “Popular Now” category.
The agency’s elk webpage also contains information on Pennsylvania’s elk, where to view them, and contains a link to the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors website, which provides all sorts of handy information for anyone visiting elk country.
Each September, thousands of visitors make their way to Pennsylvania’s elk country to experience for themselves the wonder of the bugling season.
The Game Commission reminds visitors to the elk range to always be “Elk Smart.” Give elk space, never feed elk, don’t name elk and do your part to ensure the welfare of the herd. Enjoy your time in elk country and help keep Pennsylvania elk wild.
The PA Game Elk Cam is slated to run until the end of the bugling season, likely sometime in mid-October. The top time to see elk on camera is late in the afternoon.