Potter County, March 2025: Elk and Successful Restorations

A drive to Toronto and the promise of warmer weather led me back to Potter County at the end of March. It became my first brook trout trip of 2025 after a long and cold winter in Western New York. I decided to explore a familiar watershed along with a few tributaries I had never fished.

Pennsylvania Elk

As I approached the state game land road that leads to the stream, I noticed a strange animal grazing in a field beside the main river. At first, I thought it was the biggest deer I had ever seen. When I got closer, I quickly realized it was my first Pennsylvania elk. I pulled over, grabbed my camera, and began taking pictures. A second elk stepped into the field, this time a bull. I was completely blown away, having never seen a wild elk before.

Elk are a foreign concept to many Pennsylvania natives. Even so, a solid population has existed in north central Pennsylvania since the early 1900s. Their story follows a familiar pattern that begins with extinction and continues with successful reintroduction in the early twentieth century. Elk remain uncommon in the Eastern United States, yet on the right day and in the right spot, you can find them in Potter County.

When I arrived at the stream, I was surprised to see a Trout Unlimited sign. A restoration project had recently been completed to improve brook trout habitat. The stream had the familiar look of a TU effort. Logs had been placed to create natural cover and deeper pools, and several were angled to help prevent erosion. It was an impressive project and only noticeable due to the signage along the stream.

The water was full of brook trout. Most were only six to eight inches long, but every pool held fish. I caught a handful before continuing my drive to Toronto.

Potter County Brook Trout

The day highlighted the importance of conservation efforts. Protected and undeveloped lands played a vital role in the successful return of elk to Pennsylvania. Those same conditions make the state one of the strongest brook trout fisheries in the country. I left with a renewed appreciation for the work of organizations such as Trout Unlimited.