Letschde Woch sin mir darrich unser Weltdeel gfaahre. Wu sin mir gange? Nadd un Wescht in die Bariye! Do in Pennsylvaania hemmer viel Gediere in dem Busch wie: Hasch, Baere, Bassam, Fix, Koyote, un…Elk. Es gebt Elk in Pennsylvaania? Ya, ich weess sell klingt net recht. Elk sin Gediere die yuscht drauss Wescht sin wie in Colorado odder Wyoming. Well, sell is recht awwer es gebt Elk aa in Pennsylvaania.
Frieher hot es viel Elk do in Pennsylvaania gewwe. In de Mitte vun de 1800s hen die Leit do in Pennsylvaania all die Elk gschosse. Der letschde Elk in Pennsylvaania waar im 1867 gschosse. Gschwischich 1913 un 1926 hen die Pennsylvaania Game Commission browiert die Elk zerickzubringe. Mir hen 170 Elk vun Yellowstone National Park gkaaft un dohergebrocht. Heitzudaage gebt es meh as 1,400 Elk in Pennsylvaania. Die Elk wuhne yuscht in ee paar Kaunties: Elk, Cameron, Clinton, McKean, Potter, Centre un Clearfield. Mer kann sie net yaage wie en Haasch, alle Yaahr gebt es en Lottery fer Elk Tags, un yuscht ee paar sin rausgewwe.
So, nau sin sie wunnerfitzig…sie wolle die Elk sehne, awwer wie un wu? Well, zum Glick gebt es en Elk Country Bsucher Blatz. Sell findt mer in die gleene Schteddel vun Benezette in Elk Kaunty. Es Bsucher Blatz is arrig schee un modern. Es gebt en gleene Museum un en echde guder Movie iwwer die Elk in Pennsylvaania. Datt hen sie aa vier Aablickbletz all mit Binoculars un Schpeckdiefe. Mir waare datt uff em Mundaag awwer mir hen ken Elk gsehne. Ich glaab es waar zu heess fer sie un sie waare im Busch unnich en Baam wu es kiehler waar. Schpotyaahr is en gudi Zeit fer die Elk zu seh. Dann hen die Bulle die Fuchsgichdere un sie sin meh munder.
Es Bsucher Blatz is net so leicht zu finne. Benezette is in de Mitte vun nariyets. Awwer ‘sis arrig schee datt in die Bariye zu faahre. Es Blatz koschdet nix reizugeh awwer mer muss $3.00 bezaahle fer es Movie zu seh. Nooch eier Bsuch kennt eich en guder Iems bei em Benezette Hotel kaafe. Sie hen gude Humbarriger un annere Sandwiches un gudes kaldes Bier!
Wann dihr datt geht un dihr seht en Elk, gebt ach! Sie sin gross un wild. Bleibt weit weg genung fer eier Sicherheit. En gewaxne Bull Elk kann meh as 1,000 Pund wiege un sei Haschharn sin scharf!
Do iss en Audio Klip:
Last week we went driving through my area of the world. Where did we go? North and west in the mountains! Here in Pennsylvania we have many animals in the woods like: deer, bear, opposum, foxes, coyotes, and….elk. There are elk in Pennsylvania? Yes, I know that doesn’t sound right. Elk are animals just out west in Colorado or Wyoming. Well, that is right but there are elk in Pennsylvania too.
Earlier there were many elk here in Pennsylvania. In the middle of the 1800s, the people here in Pennsylvania shot all of the elk. The last elk in Pennsylvania was shot in 1867. Between 1913 and 1926 the Pennsylvania Game Commission tried to bring the elk bck. We bought 170 elk from Yellowstone National Park and brought them here. Today there are more than 1,400 elk in Pennsylvania. The elk live in just a few counties: Elk, Cameron, Clinton, McKean, Potter, Centre, and Clearfield. One can not hunt them like deer, every year there is a lottery for elk tags, and just a few are given out.
So, now you are curious…you want to see elk, but how and where? Well, luckily there is the Elk Country Visitor’s Center. That is located in the small town of Benezette in Elk County. The visitor’s center is really nice and modern. There is a small museum and an really good movie about the elk in Pennsylvania. There they have four viewing areas with binoculars and telescopes. We were there on a Monday but we didn’t see any elk. I believe it was too hot for them and they were in the woods under a tree where it was cooler. Fall is a good time to see the elk. Then the bulls are in the rut and they are more active.
The visitor’s center is not so easy to find. Benezette is in the middle of nowhere. But it is really pretty to drive there in the mountains. The center doesn’t cost anything to visit but the movie costs $3.00. After your visit, you can buy a good meal at the Benezette Hotel. They have good hamburgers and other sandwiches and good cold beer!
When you go there and see and elk, watch out! They are large and wild. Stay back fare enough for your safety. A full grown bull elk can weigh more than 1,000 pounds and their antlers are sharp!