They're some of the region's biggest tourism draws, but this week elk in the northern Alleghenies are in the spotlight

People from across the state and country have traveled to Elk and Clearfield counties for the annual elk hunt which kicked off Monday.

"This is the tradition big woods country of Pennsylvania. I grew up as a kid wanting to come to the big woods and I think people still want to come," said Doty McDowell,  Pennsylvania game commission.

Elk season runs through Nov. 12 and is a specialized season. There are only 56 licenses for the animal through the state. Game officials decide in September who will be able to bag an elk.

"If you want to talk about hunting in elk season you'll come here and you might see some hunting activity, but most of the places throughout the elk range you won't even know it's elk season," said McDowell.

But thanks to the Elk Tourism Center, the more popular event is coming out to view the elk.

"There's not a day goes by you can't drive up on Winslow Hill and find somebody trying to find an elk. It's 365 days a year," said McDowell

While visitors can get rather close to the animals because of their familiarity with tourists, McDowell stressed the beasts' danger, especially in the wild.

"As you get away from this area and you get into the big woods the Elk State Forest, the Moshannon State Forest, elk are a lot more wild they see less people and they tend to have a lot more fear of humans," said McDowell.