Apply for an Elk License

2026 Elk Application Period: May 1, 2026 to July 12, 2026

Apply Online: Visit HuntFishPA to apply for the elk license drawing and check the status of your application.

Pennsylvania Hunting License Required: All elk license applicants, including non-residents, must possess a valid Pennsylvania general hunting license before applying.

Applicant Options: Applicants will now submit one elk license application at a cost of $11.97 and may select up to five choices on that application.

Each choice includes:

• Season
• Management zone
• License type (antlered or antlerless)

No Fallback Option: There is no longer a fallback option. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use all five selections to maximize their chances of being selected for a season and zone in which they wish to participate.

*Pending Approval - New elk hunt zones will take effect for the 2026 elk hunting season.

Review the elk hunt zone descriptions to learn more about each area and help decide where to apply.

• Elk Hunt Zone Descriptions

View the zone map below to see the updated hunt zone boundaries. 

• View Map

Bonus points are now combined into one single pool for all elk seasons.

• Applicants who are not drawn for a license will receive 1 bonus point.
• Bonus points continue to accumulate each year an applicant is not drawn.
• Applicants who are drawn for a license will have their bonus points reset to 0.

Any bonus points earned previously will remain on the applicant’s account and will carry over into the new system.

• . Consolidated bonus point totals will be available in HuntFishPA by April 22, 2026.

 The conclusion of the drawing where the selected applicants are announced will take place Saturday, July 25, 2026 during the Elk Expo at the Elk Country Visitor Center in Benezette. Successful applicants who provide a phone number or email will be notified promptly by those methods, others will receive notification by postal mail.

The 2026 Elk Check Station will be located at the Elk Country Visitor Center, 134 Homestead Dr., PA 15821, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Opening dates will be announced soon)  GPS coordinates are 41.3233 N and 78.3684 W.  Cell coverage on the elk range is sparse.

Results from the Elk Check Station (near real-time map)

All elk harvested during the general season must be brought to the check station within 24 hours of harvest.  Weight and several biological samples will be collect by Game Commission biologists.

The check station is open to the public.  A variety of vendors and educational displays and programs will be available.  The Elk County Visitor Center will be open every day from 8 a.m. until the close of the check station and a presentation on the history of elk in the commonwealth will run every 30 minutes in the theater.

Note: The check station for the late and archery seasons will be held at the Game Commission Maintenance Building at 3508 Winslow Hill Rd. Benezette, PA 15821. Hours are 1000-1200 everyday of the season. Hunters will be notified of additional details via mail.

Check Station: Harvested elk need to be taken to the elk check station within 24 hours. The Elk Check Station is located at the Elk Country Visitor Center, 134 Homestead Dr., Benezette, PA 15821. GPS Coordinates are 41.3233 N and 78.3684 W. Cell coverage on the elk range is sparse. Elk Check Station (map) (PDF) Results from the Elk Check Station

Regulations: Please consult the current Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest for details about this year's elk hunt.

Elk are Large Animals: An adult bull may weigh 600-1,000 pounds and an adult cow may weigh 400-600 pounds. Part of your hunt plan should include how to field-dress and move the animal from the kill site to your vehicle and on to the check station. Regulations prohibit the use of motorized vehicles, including ATVs on state-owned property, with few exceptions. The animal may be skinned and quartered and packed out by horses or mules or on pack boards. Hunters should bring plenty of help. Any number of unlicensed persons may accompany hunters as long as they wear the required fluorescent orange and do not participate in the hunt itself or carry a firearm. Persons just accompanying an elk hunter are not required to have an elk guide permit.

Where can I get detailed information about individual elk hunt zone boundaries? 

Hunters have successfully harvested elk in every hunt zone. Carefully examine each zone considering road access and the amount of available public and private land.

Archery Elk Shot Placement(video 2:44)

To check the status of an Elk License Application: Go to huntfish.pa.gov. Log into your account and scroll to the bottom left-hand corner under "Applications and Points", your Bonus Points awarded to date will be displayed. Click "Submitted Applications" to check the status of an application for the current license year.

Persons interested in becoming a guide for Pennsylvania elk hunters should contact the Special Permits Enforcement Division at 717-783-8164.