Pennsylvania awards every elk license by a bonus-point lottery in which residents and nonresidents are drawn together - on equal footing through 2025, and with nonresidents capped at 10% of licenses starting in 2026. An application costs $11.97 (through 2025 you bought a separate application for each of the three season drawings; from 2026 it is one application with up to five season/zone/sex choices), your entry goes in once plus once per bonus point, and every unsuccessful year adds a point that never expires. You pay nothing up front beyond the application fee: the elk license ($25 resident / $250 nonresident) is bought only if drawn, though from 2026 everyone must hold a Pennsylvania general hunting license ($20.97 / $101.97) before applying. Applications run to mid-July (May 1 - July 12 in 2026) with winners announced in late July at the Elk Expo in Benezette; from 2026 an antlered (bull) license is once in a lifetime.
Every figure below cites the agency document it came from. Last verified September 1, 2026.
Worked example. Every applicant gets points + 1 entries in a random draw, so more points mean more chances — but never a guarantee.
58 Pa. Code § 143.203(b)-(d); 2026-27 Digest pp. 52-53 · verified Sep 1, 2026 · in effect since Jan 2026
Worked example. Every applicant gets points + 1 entries in a random draw, so more points mean more chances — but never a guarantee.
58 Pa. Code § 143.203(b)-(c); 2026-27 Digest pp. 52-53 · verified Sep 1, 2026 · in effect since Jan 2026
Showing nonresident fees. Switch to resident
| Fee | Amount | Paid at application | Refundable | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk license application (single application, up to 5 season/zone/sex choices) (Elk) | $11.97 | Yes | No | 2026-27 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest (elk section pp. 52-55, fees p. 65) |
| Nonresident adult general hunting license (required BEFORE applying, from 2026) | $101.97 | Yes | No | 2026-27 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest (elk section pp. 52-55, fees p. 65) |
| Nonresident elk license (paid only if drawn) (Elk) | $250 | If drawn | No | 2026-27 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest (elk section pp. 52-55, fees p. 65) |
Drew a tag? Check which cartridges are legal for your species and weapon on the Pennsylvania hunting laws page.
Every percentage on this page is a prior-draw probability: the chance an applicant with that many points would have drawn in the draw year shown, computed from the agency's published results. It is not a forecast — quotas, applicant numbers, and point creep change every year. Every figure links to the agency document it came from. Where a state does not publish a number, we show a dash, never a zero. Hunts with fewer than five tags show counts instead of percentages. Fees show the fee year used. Read the methodology for the engine details.
This page is informational only. Draw rules, quotas, fees, and deadlines are set by the state agency and change by commission action — confirm everything on the agency's own site before you apply, and apply through the agency, not here. We disclaim all liability for reliance on this page.
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