-- Takes a complete look at life cycle and behavior. -- Examines the past and prospects for the future.

The odds for a hunter bagging North America's premier game animal just became much greater, thanks to this book. Hunters view elk hunting as the pinnacle of the big-game hunting experience in North America. The average elk hunter is successful once in every eight years. Most of them are not happy with these odds and are continually seeking ways to shift the odds in their favor. This "how-to" book provides all the essential information that is critical to becoming successful at elk hunting. Chapters include: Understanding Elk Behavior Equipment & Gear What Makes a Great Elk Camp? Learning the Habitat Where & How to Find Big Bulls Calling & Other Strategies

Elk County, located in the scenic Allegheny Mountains of north-central Pennsylvania, is named and known for the wild, free-roaming elk herd that has become a valuable source of tourism. Sportsmen are attracted to this hunting and fishing paradise, which includes the Allegheny National Forest and the headwaters of the Susquehanna River system. Camping and canoeing entice visitors to the natural beauty of this wilderness setting. Elk County is a world leader in the fields of carbon and powdered metallurgy. A modern paper mill enriches the local economy, and thousands of people each year visit the Chainsaw Carvers Rendezvous, which is part of the Lumber Heritage Region of Pennsylvania. The historic photographs featured in Elk County illustrate the industry, character, and faith of the county's residents from pioneer spirit to present progress through the wealth of its vibrant and enduring communities.

In the middle of the Allegheny Plateau of the Appalachian Mountains, Fox Township, Pennsylvania, in Elk County, was one of the last settled areas in the eastern United States. Known as part of the Great Buffalo Swamp, it was a community that was nearly impossible to reach because of geographical limitations. Settlers started to arrive in this wilderness around 1800, although the township was not officially established until 1814. Settled by Englishmen, Germans, Irish, Swedes, and Italians, Fox Township is an area with great ethnic diversity. At first an agricultural community, the township became a center of the coal mining industry with the arrival of the railroads after the Civil War. Nearly all of the coal mines closed after World War II, and today the township is home to powdered metal industry leaders such as Rebco, GKN, SinterFire, and Kersey Tool & Die.

A Legacy of Conservation Every year thousands flock to the Pennsylvania Wilds to be among nature and its famous elk herd. In the past, dangerous levels of hunting and industrial development forever altered Pennsylvania's natural landscape and drove its native elk to near extinction. In response, concerned sportsmen and conservationists pushed the state legislature to create a game commission in the late 1800s to enforce game laws and protect the herd. The Pennsylvania Game Commission then sought to reintroduce the once mighty elk herd in the early twentieth century, shipping fifty elk via train from Jackson Hole and Yellowstone. Conservation movements continued to enhance the state's environmental landscape that faced new threats from logging and mining industries and by the 1980s, the Wilds was on a path to full restoration. Author Mario Chiappelli reveals the history of how the Pennsylvania Wilds and its elk herd remain as vibrant as ever today.