BENEZETTE
Filling a Pennsylvania elk tag begins with having a tremendous amount of luck.
After all, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, there are approximately 20,000 applicants each year for the 86 elk tags awarded by a random drawing. This year the lucky applicants who were successful were selected in the drawing that took place at PGC headquarters in Harrisburg on Friday, Sept. 13.
This year, one of those lucky applicants was Pottsville dentist Scott Fellows. In fact, he had no idea how lucky he was because, like the majority of the applicants, he never took the time to see if his name was drawn.
"Actually, it wasn't until several days later that I learned, and that was because a friend called and asked me why I hadn't told him I had been picked for a cow tag," Fellows said. "Sure enough, a few days later I got my official notice from the Game Commission."
Well, that took care of the luck element for Fellows, who realized it was going to take plenty of work to fill his tag. Some of that extra work was of his own doing, since he was flying home from a dental conference in New Orleans the day before the Monday, Nov. 4, opening of the six-day season.
Then, right in the middle of the season, he was committed to attend a two-day conference in Hershey. Fellows' guide from the Elk County Guide Service told him not to worry because the hillside he would be hunting opening morning was a favorite bedding area for elk and he could fill his tag in "10 minutes."
As every veteran big-game hunter knows, that is the last thing they want to hear because sure things have a way of unraveling when the hunt begins. Sure enough, come Wednesday morning, Fellows found himself in Hershey with his cow tag still unfilled.
"When I got back Friday I was confident because I was the only one of the 12 hunters who hadn't filled their tag with my guide service," Fellows said. "Everyone was out scouting for me in Zone 6 and looking for a cow.
"We saw some that morning, but had been told that it was illegal to take a shot within 150 yards of a road, only to learn later that the Game Commission wasn't enforcing that. At least it didn't cost me because that afternoon the guides found some cows along a river bottom and we walked in along a railroad bed to get into position.
"After walking for about an hour and a half, I got in position for a shot with my 7mm, but wanted to wait for the elk to stand and give me a chest shot. I got off three shots and was confident I hit it, but then it disappeared and I was relieved when one of the guides called to me and said it was down."
At the PGC check station the live weight of the cow was estimated at 500 pounds and had been collared for study two years ago. After the season ended the next day, Saturday, Nov. 9, Fellows learned just how lucky he was because while all 25 hunters who drew a bull tag were successful, just 47-of-61 hunters who drew a cow tag were successful.
"All I can say is that it was like hitting the lottery," Fellows said.
Of the 25 bulls taken this year, the heaviest weighed an estimated 847 pounds, had a 6x7 rack with a green score of 340 1/8 Boone & Crockett points. An 8x8 taken by Jeff Trought of Muncy had the most points, scoring 389 7/8, and an estimated live weight of 676 pounds.
A 7x7 bull taken by Tom Schneider of Conshohocken had the highest green score of 403 inches and had an estimated live weight of 724 pounds. A 6x7 bull taken by Bill Gifford of Catawissa had an estimated live weight of 785 pounds.
Tim Mazol of Danville took the heaviest cow with an estimated live weight of 621 pounds. It was 1-of-10 cows with an estimated live weight of 500 pounds or more.
All in all, it was a lucky year for elk hunters in Pennsylvania.
(Dietz is outdoors editor)