Pennsylvania Elk Hunting Success & Guide History

A Pennsylvania elk tag can represent years of applying and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The guides at PA Backcountry Outfitters bring years of individual experience helping hunters pursue some of Pennsylvania's most impressive bull elk.

Experience Built in Pennsylvania Elk Country

Successful elk guiding begins long before opening morning. It requires scouting, understanding elk movement, knowing the country, evaluating bulls and being prepared when an opportunity finally comes together.

Owners and guides Matt Lutz and Dean Carper bring extensive Pennsylvania elk hunting experience to PA Backcountry Outfitters, a Pennsylvania elk outfitter and guide service. Their individual guiding histories include involvement in numerous successful Pennsylvania elk hunts, along with several exceptional Pennsylvania bulls.

PA Backcountry Outfitters can guide hunters throughout Pennsylvania elk country based on the zone awarded to the hunter. Each hunt is planned around the specific tag, season, hunt zone and conditions involved.

The hunts featured below are part of Matt and Dean's individual guide histories. Several have also been documented by major hunting publications, the Pennsylvania Game Commission and national record-keeping organizations.

More than trophy photos.

These hunts demonstrate years of scouting, local knowledge, elk evaluation, patience and field experience. Every Pennsylvania elk hunt is different, and every hunter arrives with different goals. Our job is to put that experience to work when a tag finally becomes reality.

Featured Pennsylvania Elk Hunts

Four of these hunts have substantial independent documentation and illustrate the Pennsylvania elk guiding experience that Matt Lutz and Dean Carper bring to PA Backcountry Outfitters.

David Kammerdiener with Pennsylvania Dagger Bull elk
Matt Lutz - Pennsylvania Elk Guide

David Kammerdiener - The Dagger Bull

Pennsylvania No. 1 Nontypical Archery Elk

After applying for a Pennsylvania bull elk tag for 21 years, David Kammerdiener finally drew his opportunity in 2022. His guide, Matt Lutz, had been watching and scouting an extraordinary bull for approximately two years. Matt called him the Dagger Bull.

The hunt came together on September 15, 2022 - Kammerdiener's 66th birthday. Matt recognized the bull's bugle, helped work the elk into position and gave Kammerdiener the distance as the bull approached. Kammerdiener made the shot with a crossbow and the bull was successfully recovered. Rumor has it that Madyson Carper cow called the bull right into Dave's lap, but nobody tells that part of the story!

Hunter: David Kammerdiener

Guide: Matt Lutz

Year: 2022

Weapon: Crossbow

Final Boone and Crockett Score: 445 2/8

Gross Score: 462

Recognition: Pennsylvania No. 1 nontypical archery elk and the second largest bull recorded in Pennsylvania at the time of the Pennsylvania Game Commission announcement.

The Dagger Bull is one of the strongest examples of the scouting and preparation Matt brings to a Pennsylvania elk hunt. The Pennsylvania Game Commission later recognized the bull as the state's No. 1 nontypical archery elk.

Outdoor Life Hunt Story Pennsylvania Game Commission Boone and Crockett
Dean Carper - Senior Pennsylvania Elk Guide

Bob Cook - 2017 Pennsylvania Bull

431 6/8 Green Score - 832 Pounds

Bob Cook entered the Pennsylvania elk woods in 2017 after becoming a rare two-time winner of a Pennsylvania elk tag. On his second successful Pennsylvania elk hunt, his guide was Dean Carper.

Cook harvested a massive 8x9 bull on November 1. Published coverage reported that the bull green scored 431 6/8 and weighed 832 pounds.

Hunter: Bob Cook

Guide: Dean Carper

Year: 2017

Rack: 8x9

Green Score: 431 6/8

Weight: 832 pounds

The Cook hunt is another part of Dean's long Pennsylvania elk guiding history and demonstrates his experience working with hunters pursuing exceptional bulls.

Read Published Hunt Story
Bob Cook with Pennsylvania bull elk
David Peck with Pennsylvania bull elk
Dean Carper - Senior Pennsylvania Elk Guide

David Peck - Pennsylvania Elk Hunt Zone 11

394 4/8 Bull Elk

David Peck drew one of Pennsylvania's limited rifle bull elk tags in 2019 and was assigned Elk Hunt Zone 11. Peck later described Dean Carper as his guide and a Zone 11 aficionado who knew local landowners and the road system.

The hunt required several days of scouting, glassing and evaluating bulls. On the fourth morning, Dean anticipated where a group of bulls would move and helped position the hunting party for an opportunity.

Hunter: David Peck

Guide: Dean Carper

Year: 2019

Elk Hunt Zone: Unit 11

Rack: 8x8

Final Score: 394 4/8

Peck ultimately harvested the biggest bull of his hunting career. His firsthand account specifically credits Dean's knowledge of the area, preseason scouting and work throughout the hunt.

David Peck's Hunt Story
2025 KECA Bull Elk Tag

Doug Willis - 2025 KECA Bull

427 3/8 Gross - 412 4/8 Net

Doug Willis won the coveted Keystone Elk Country Alliance bull elk tag in 2025. The special tag created an opportunity to pursue an exceptional Pennsylvania bull, and Larry Guenot and Dean Carper were part of the guiding effort.

After the bull was located and Willis made his initial shot, the elk disappeared into the woods. Published coverage specifically credits Dean Carper with locating a good blood trail. The hunting party repositioned with the wind in their favor, and Willis was able to complete the hunt.

Hunter: Doug Willis

Guiding Effort: Larry Guenot and Dean Carper

Year: 2025

Tag: KECA Bull Elk Tag

Rack: 8x7 nontypical

Gross Score: 427 3/8

Net Score: 412 4/8

The Willis hunt adds another exceptional bull to Dean's individual Pennsylvania elk guiding history and demonstrates the importance of experience after the shot as well as before it. Tracking and recovery can be every bit as important as locating the elk.

Read Published Hunt Story
Doug Willis with Pennsylvania KECA bull elk

A History of Serious Pennsylvania Bull Elk

The bulls above include a Pennsylvania No. 1 nontypical archery elk, a 431 6/8 green-scored 8x9, a 394 4/8 Zone 11 bull and a 412 4/8 net KECA bull. Behind those numbers are years of scouting, local knowledge and time spent in Pennsylvania elk country.

More Pennsylvania Elk Guiding Success

Not every successful hunt appears in a magazine or record book. These additional hunts include successful PA Backcountry Outfitters hunts as well as notable hunts from the individual Pennsylvania elk guiding histories of Matt Lutz and Dean Carper.

Eugene Dellar with Pennsylvania bull elk in the snow

Eugene Dellar

Guided by Matt Lutz

Eugene Dellar's Pennsylvania bull elk hunt is another part of Matt Lutz's individual elk guiding history. The memorable hunt produced this impressive bull in Pennsylvania's snowy elk country.

Jay Graybill with Pennsylvania bull elk

Jay Graybill

Guided by Matt Lutz

Jay Graybill's bull represents another successful Pennsylvania elk hunt guided by Matt Lutz. It is one of several bull and cow elk harvests that make up Matt's years of guiding experience.

Alton Darling with Pennsylvania bull elk

Alton Darling

Guided by Dean Carper

Alton Darling's Pennsylvania bull elk hunt is part of Senior Guide Dean Carper's extensive history guiding Pennsylvania elk hunters.

2026 PA Backcountry Outfitters Elk Hunting Success

Follow the 2026 season with successful Pennsylvania elk hunts guided by the PA Backcountry Outfitters team.

Donald Saum with guide Alan Gruver after a successful 2026 Pennsylvania archery cow elk hunt in Zone 308

Donald Saum - 2026 Pennsylvania Archery Cow Elk

Guided by Alan Gruver - Hunt supported by Matthew Lutz

September 17, 2026 - Pennsylvania Elk Hunt Zone 308

After applying for a Pennsylvania elk tag for nearly 20 years, Donald Saum of York Springs, PA finally drew a 2026 Pennsylvania archery cow elk tag for Zone 308. Don chose PA Backcountry Outfitters for an authentic Pennsylvania elk hunting experience.

At nearly 75 years old and hunting with a compound bow, Don put in the miles through Pennsylvania elk country alongside guide Alan Gruver and owner/guide Matthew Lutz. The week brought fog, difficult shot opportunities, multiple cow elk encounters and close encounters with bugling Pennsylvania bulls.

On the morning of September 17, Don and Alan settled into an early-morning setup and waited for the cows to approach. At 35 yards, Alan gave Don the green light. Don made the shot and successfully harvested his Pennsylvania cow elk.

The hunt marked the first official elk harvest for PA Backcountry Outfitters.

It was also a milestone for Alan Gruver during his first year guiding with the PBO team. Alan's preparation, commitment and hard work helped turn Don's nearly 20-year wait for a Pennsylvania elk tag into a successful archery elk hunt.

Congratulations, Don, on a hard-earned and memorable Pennsylvania elk hunt!

The Experience Behind PA Backcountry Outfitters

PA Backcountry Outfitters may be a newer operation, but the experience of the people behind it was built over many years of Pennsylvania elk hunting and guiding.

Matt Lutz

Matt Lutz has approximately 10 years of Pennsylvania elk guiding experience and has been involved in approximately 30 successful bull and cow elk harvests. His guiding history includes David Kammerdiener's 2022 Dagger Bull, which became Pennsylvania's No. 1 nontypical archery elk.

Matt brings extensive experience in preseason scouting, elk behavior, bull evaluation and helping hunters prepare for the challenges of a Pennsylvania elk hunt.

Dean Carper

Senior Guide Dean Carper has professionally guided Pennsylvania elk hunters since 2010 and has been involved in approximately 45 successful Pennsylvania elk hunts. Dean guided with Trophy Rack Lodge from 2010 through 2025 before bringing that experience to the PA Backcountry Outfitters guide team.

His history includes guiding hunters such as Bob Cook, David Peck and Alton Darling, along with his documented role in the recovery of Doug Willis' 2025 KECA bull. Dean has particularly strong familiarity with Pennsylvania elk zones 306, 307 and 308, with experience involving scouting, elk movement, local roads, private property access, landowner relationships and bull evaluation.

Through his years guiding Pennsylvania elk hunters, Dean has developed strong working relationships with landowners and Pennsylvania Game Commission personnel throughout Pennsylvania elk country. PA Backcountry Outfitters also supports the Keystone Elk Country Alliance and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

A Note About Our Guide History

Some hunts shown on this page occurred before the formation of PA Backcountry Outfitters and while our guides were working in other guiding arrangements. They are presented here as part of the individual professional guiding histories of Matt Lutz and Dean Carper. They are not represented as hunts conducted by PA Backcountry Outfitters itself.

You Drew a Pennsylvania Elk Tag. Now What?

A Pennsylvania elk tag is too valuable to leave preparation to chance. PA Backcountry Outfitters can guide hunters throughout Pennsylvania elk country based on the zone awarded. Our guide team can help with preseason scouting, hunt planning, elk evaluation, local knowledge, tracking and recovery.

Learn About Our Pennsylvania Elk Hunts