Woodring Farm

One of the easiest places to see some of Pennsylvania’s elk is on Winslow Hill in the appropriately named Elk County, and one of the easiest places to see them on Winslow Hill is the Woodring Farm. The farm is owned and managed for elk by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

From Google Earth

The old farm is bisected by a township road where there are several parking areas, one of which provides easy access to a short hiking trail. The only problems with visiting the Woodring Farm during the elks’ early fall rutting season are the traffic on the road and the hordes of rubbernecking tourists. 

Nevertheless, the old farm is still a good place to see elk. Just before sunset on one pleasant evening I pulled into the parking area intending to walk the trail to a high field out of sight of the road. Across the road in full view of the tourists was a bull with a small band of cows. The bull suddenly trotted up to the edge of the woods and began thrashing small trees, rubbing his antlers and suborbital glands on the trees. 

Apparently he had detected another bull that was out of sight; here’s a short video – 

Leaving the tourists behind, I headed up the hill on the trail. There in the higher field was another bull and his band of cows –

Unfortunately, by then the sun was down behind the hills and the camera was pushing its ability to capture an image.