TL;DR
Two guides who assisted Mike Skvarla on a September elk hunt in Pennsylvania have pleaded not guilty to trespassing citations, according to their lodge. The Game Commission says Skvarla was not cited and was told he could keep the elk, but the agency has not decided how to handle the animal’s potential record-book entry.
Two guides who accompanied Mike Skvarla on a September elk hunt in Centre County face trespassing citations after a property owner said the party lacked permission to be on his land, putting the status of Skvarla’s potentially record-setting Pennsylvania archery elk under review. The Pennsylvania Game Commission says Skvarla was not cited and was told he could keep the animal; the agency has not yet decided how to handle its record-book submission.
The citations were issued on October 7, following the hunt on September 15, according to Outdoor Life’s report. The two guides, Mike Conaway and caller Abner Druckenmiller, work with Trophy Rack Lodge. The lodge said both men pleaded not guilty to trespass charges. Their court date is scheduled for November 19.
Pennsylvania Game Commission northcentral region law enforcement supervisor Harold Malehorn told Go Erie that, at this point, charges would be filed only against the guides. He said the hunter was not aware they allegedly lacked permission to be on the property. A game warden spoke with Skvarla on October 16 and photographed the antlers, according to the report.
Skvarla killed the estimated 900-pound bull with a crossbow on his 40th birthday, after drawing one of 15 tags awarded from about 50,000 applicants. He hired a guide and caller for the once-in-a-lifetime hunt. The antlers remain in a 60-day drying period before formal scoring; Skvarla estimates a 428-inch green score and a 395-inch net score.
Trespass Case Could Affect Record Entry
The case raises a distinction between the hunter’s legal status and the review of the elk’s record-book eligibility. The Game Commission’s statement, as reported by Outdoor Life, is that Skvarla was not charged and could keep the animal. That does not settle whether the hunt will qualify for recognition as a state record.
The potential score would put the bull above Pennsylvania’s current typical archery record, a 381 1/8-inch elk taken in 2021. The state’s largest typical elk recorded by any method is listed at 415 2/8 inches, from 2022. If accepted, Skvarla’s elk could change those rankings; the agency has yet to say what criteria it will apply while the trespass case is pending.
The dispute also matters to hunters who rely on guides to identify lawful places to hunt. Malehorn said hunters expect guides to take them where they have permission. The allegations remain allegations, and the guides have pleaded not guilty.
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How the Elk’s Score Will Be Decided
Skvarla’s hunt took place in Centre County, part of northcentral Pennsylvania’s elk range. The state’s elk population is estimated at about 1,400 animals across roughly 3,000 square miles. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation began working with Pennsylvania on elk restoration in 1991.
Record measurements are not final while the antlers are drying. The Pennsylvania Big Game Record System lists Christopher Sebulsky’s 2021 bull as the current typical archery record at 381 1/8 inches. Separately, Boone and Crockett records list a 415 2/8-inch typical elk taken in Clinton County in 2022 as the largest typical elk taken in Pennsylvania by any method.
Game Commission scorer Bob D’Angelo told Outdoor Life the bureau had not decided how to handle Skvarla’s potential entry. The reported estimates are not an official score, and the agency’s eventual decision could depend on the record review and the outcome or status of the legal proceedings.
“At this point, charges are only going to be filed on the guides.”
— Harold Malehorn, Pennsylvania Game Commission northcentral region law enforcement supervisor, speaking to Go Erie
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Record Review Still Pending
The guides’ trespass case has not been resolved. Conaway and Druckenmiller have pleaded not guilty, and the property owner’s allegation that the party lacked permission has not been established in court.
The Game Commission has not announced whether it will accept, delay or reject the elk’s record submission, or whether the citations will affect that decision. Skvarla’s score estimates are preliminary; the antlers must complete the 60-day drying period and undergo official measurement. The available report also does not specify the property owner’s account beyond the allegation that permission was absent.
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Court Date and Scoring Milestones
The guides are scheduled to appear in court on November 19. The case’s outcome may clarify whether the party had permission to hunt on the property, though the Commission has not said how it will weigh the proceedings in its record review.
After the antlers complete the 60-day drying period, they can be formally scored. Pennsylvania Game Commission officials will then need to determine how to handle the entry. Until that decision is announced, the bull should be described as a potential state record rather than a confirmed one.
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Key Questions
Who was charged with trespassing?
Guides Mike Conaway and Abner Druckenmiller face trespass citations. Their lodge said both pleaded not guilty.
Was Mike Skvarla charged?
No. Game Commission supervisor Harold Malehorn said charges would be filed only against the guides at that point. Skvarla said a warden told him he could keep the elk.
When will the guides go to court?
Their court appearance is scheduled for November 19, 2026, according to the lodge statement reported by Outdoor Life.
Is Skvarla’s elk officially a Pennsylvania record?
Not yet. Its antlers are still in the 60-day drying period, and the Game Commission has not decided how to handle the potential record entry. Skvarla’s score figures are estimates, not an official measurement.
Source: rss
