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16
Black Bear / PENNSYLVANIA BEAR HARVEST IMPRESSIVE AGAIN IN 2014
« on: February 14, 2015, 03:53:38 PM »
PENNSYLVANIA BEAR HARVEST IMPRESSIVE AGAIN IN 2014

With the totals now official, the top seven harvests in state history all have occurred in the past decade.

 

It’s official: The trend of recent bear seasons taking their place in the Pennsylvania record books continues.

Pennsylvania hunters harvested a total of 3,366 bears in 2014, the seventh-highest tally in state history, the Pennsylvania Game Commission reported today.

With 2014 totals now official, the seven largest bear harvests all have occurred in the past decade.

The all-time high was recorded in 2011, when 4,350 bears were harvested. Hunters harvested 3,510 bears in 2013 – the third-largest harvest on record.

Hunters in 2014 harvested bears in 56 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, an increase compared to 2013, when bears were taken in 53 counties. Likewise, bears were taken in 21 of the state’s 23 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs), which also is an increase compared to 2013, when bears were taken in 20 WMUs.

Forty-one bears harvested by hunters in 2014 weighed 500 pounds or more.

The heaviest bear in the harvest, taken in Pittsfield Township, Warren County, by James M. Hultberg, of Pittsfield, weighed an estimated 677 pounds.

Two other bears topped the 600-pound mark.

Leon J. Graham, of Morris, harvested a 630-pounder in Pine Township, Lycoming County during the bear archery season, and Fred F. Stoltzfus, of Lewisburg, took a 623-pound bear in West Buffalo Township, Union County, while hunting in the general season.

The remaining bears on the list of the 10 heaviest from 2014 include: a 598-pounder harvested in Muddy Creek Township , Butler County, by Jeffrey McClymonds, of Slippery Rock, during the general season; a 597-pounder taken in Delmar Township, Tioga County by John L. Thrush, of Boiling Springs, during the general season; a 596-pounder harvested in Forks Township, Sullivan County, by Gary L. Heinsey, of Denver, during the extended season; a 584-pounder taken in Washington Township, Jefferson County, by Daniel J. Whaling, of Falls Creek, during the bear archery season; a 579-pounder taken in Armstrong Township, Indiana County by Gabriel J. Heckman, of Shelocta, during the general season; a 574-pounder harvested in Tyrone Township, Blair County, by Ray E. Golden Jr., of Tyrone, during the general season; and a 561-pounder taken in Sugarcreek Township, Venango County, by Heath M. Bromley, of Oil City, during the bear archery season.

Lycoming County, perennially among the top counties for bear harvests again led the way with 286 harvests in 2014, up from 234 the previous year. Among other top counties for bear harvests in 2014 were: Tioga, 274 (286 in 2013); Clinton, 179 (133); Potter 157 (196); and Centre, 117 (96).

The four-day general season again set the pace for the overall harvest, with 2,447 bears being taken during that season. But the extended seasons and the archery bear season also contributed to the totals.

Statewide, 740 bears were harvested in extended seasons while 170 were taken during the archery bear season.

Tioga County claimed the highest harvest in extended seasons, with 71 bears taken after the close of the general statewide bear season. Other top counties, and their harvest totals during the extended seasons, were: Lycoming, 59; Wayne, 52; Bradford, 49; and Potter, 46.

Final county harvests by region (with 2013 figures in parentheses) are:

Northwest – 394: Warren, 100 (148); Venango, 71 (70); Jefferson, 56 (70); Clarion, 54 (59);  Forest, 41 (50); Butler, 28 (24); Crawford, 26 (36); Erie, 13 (6); and Mercer, 5 (3).

Southwest – 311: Somerset, 108 (106); Fayette, 103 (67); Armstrong, 35 (43); Westmoreland, 29 (41); Indiana, 19 (49); Cambria, 15 (26); and Allegheny, 2 (3).

Northcentral – 1,382: Lycoming, 286 (234); Tioga, 274 (286); Clinton, 179 (133); Potter 157 (196); Centre, 117 (96); McKean, 100 (108); Elk, 79 (103); Cameron, 76 (108); Clearfield, 72 (125); and Union, 42 (41).

Southcentral – 390: Huntingdon, 88 (67); Bedford, 70 (55); Perry, 55 (16); Mifflin, 42 (31); Blair, 41 (29); Fulton, 28 (19); Juniata, 28 (28); Franklin, 19 (9); Snyder, 14 (18); Cumberland, 4 (1); and Adams, 1 (0).

Northeast – 794: Pike, 111 (150); Bradford, 108 (96); Wayne, 87 (127); Monroe, 79 (79); Sullivan, 76 (105); Luzerne, 74 (98); Susquehanna, 74 (56); Wyoming, 55 (66); Lackawanna, 51 (48); Carbon, 47 (57); Columbia, 23 (24); Northumberland, 8 (14); and Montour, 1 (0).

Southeast – 95: Schuylkill, 39 (35); Dauphin, 35 (23); Northampton, 9 (18); Berks, 6 (4); Lehigh 4 (0); and Lebanon, 2 (7).

The final bear harvests by Wildlife Management Unit (with final 2013 figures in parentheses) were: WMU 1A, 12 (16); WMU 1B, 90 (94); WMU 2A, 1 (0) WMU 2B, 3 (4); WMU 2C, 290 (247); WMU 2D, 148 (171); WMU 2E, 48 (93); WMU 2F, 262 (309); WMU 2G, 622 (575); WMU 2H, 68 (87); WMU 3A, 286 (362); WMU 3B, 366 (364); WMU 3C, 168 (196); WMU 3D, 296 (393); WMU 4A, 106 (80); WMU 4B, 141 (67); WMU 4C, 120 (93); WMU 4D, 260 (275); WMU 4E, 63 (68); WMU 5A, 4 (0); WMU 5B, 0 (1); and WMU 5C, 12 (16).

Impressive as the 2014 bear harvest is, it’s worth noting the potential for an even bigger harvest certainly was.

A record number of hunters – 173,523 – bought Pennsylvania bear licenses in 2014. The previous record – 167,438 – was set in 2013. It also was a bumper year for mast crops throughout much of the state’s core bear-hunting area.

When little food is available, bears tend to enter dens early. But in years when food is abundant, they remain more active during hunting seasons.

But the weather was less than ideal through portions of the bear seasons. The archery season was much colder, and wetter, than it had been in years. Still, 170 bears were taken during the statewide archery season, but the total was down slightly from 2013 when 197 were harvested.

The 2014 general season began on a high note, with the opening day harvest up 21 percent compared to 2013. And that increase came despite an ice storm that affected hunters throughout northcentral Pennsylvania during the afternoon of the opening day.

The weather would continue to have an impact on the general season, and the Monday harvest was down 40 percent compared to 2013.

Still, it’s difficult to consider the seventh-largest harvest on record anything but a success.

And the prospects for the trend to continue again next year already are good, said Mark Ternent, the Game Commission’s bear biologist.

The statewide bear population has remained stable over the past seven years now, with the population estimated most recently at 18,100 bears, Ternent said. Interest in bear hunting has remained high, as verified by license sales. And the opportunities to hunt bears are as plentiful as ever.

“It’s always difficult to predict exactly how good bear hunting will be in a given year,” Ternent said. “But it clear we’ve had several banner years in the past decade, and there’s nothing to indicate fantastic bear hunting won’t continue in 2015 and beyond.”

 

# # #

 

What a decade for bear hunting

 

The 2014 Pennsylvania bear harvest, the seventh-largest in state history, joined other recent seasons near the top of the record books. With the totals now official, the seven top harvests all have occurred in the last decade. Here’s a look:

 

Top Pennsylvania bear harvests

 

1.      4,350 – 2011

2.      4,164 – 2005

3.      3,623 – 2012

4.      3,512 – 2009

5.      3,510 – 2013

6.      3,458 – 2008

7.      3,366 – 2014

17
Elk / AUCTION OF PENNSYLVANIA ELK LICENSE RAISES $52K FOR CONSERVATION
« on: February 14, 2015, 03:52:11 PM »
AUCTION OF PENNSYLVANIA ELK LICENSE RAISES $52K FOR CONSERVATION

State’s elk continue to generate excitement, revenue.

 

The quality of Pennsylvania’s elk, and the unique opportunity to hunt them continues to garner national attention, and there are numbers to prove it.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation on Jan. 31 held its Hunters Rendezvous Auction, at which several special elk licenses were auctioned off to raise money for conservation.

Pennsylvania, with its Special Elk Conservation Tag, was among eight states for which licenses were auctioned off.

The tag sold for $52,500 – a new record for Pennsylvania. Only Arizona’s and Nevada’s licenses raised more for conservation.

Dave Ragantesi, senior regional director for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, said the money raised through the auction will stay in Pennsylvania, where it can continue to work to benefit the state’s elk.

“We are pleased to have a strong partnership with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and look forward to utilizing these funds for continued improvement of our public lands in Pennsylvania’s elk country,” Ragantesi said.

Wildlife Conservation Officer Doty McDowell was among Game Commission staff who represented the agency at the Hunters Rendezvous Auction. McDowell helped man a booth that featured a display showcasing Pennsylvania’s elk, and he said he was impressed with the excitement it generated.

The booth was a busy place, as many of the people who would bid on one or more of the licenses auctioned off stopped by.

The response was phenomenal, McDowell said. People were amazed with the pictures they saw of the massive bulls taken in Pennsylvania year-in and year-out.

“One of the bidders was taking photos of our display and texting them to his client,” McDowell said.

The ability of Pennsylvania’s elk to excite isn’t anything new. In 2014, more than 26,000 hunters entered the Game Commission’s lottery drawing for a chance hunt Pennsylvania elk, and the sale of two Special Elk Conservation Tags raised more than $200,000.

All of that money supports elk conservation, Game Commission Executive Director R. Matthew Hough said, making elk a resource with the uncanny ability to attract resources of its own, benefitting not only elk, but other wildlife, as well.

“The opportunity to hunt Pennsylvania’s elk only tells part of the story,” Hough said. “Every year, thousands visit the elk range to learn about elk and to see these majestic animals up close.

“Pennsylvania’s elk certainly are something to get excited about, and tens of thousands of people are showing they understand that,” Hough said.

 

# # #

 

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), which has about 11,000 members who are Pennsylvanians, has been an important partner to the Pennsylvania Game Commission for many years. Since 1991, the foundation and its partners have completed 351 conservation and hunting-heritage outreach projects in Pennsylvania, with a combined value of more than $22.6 million.

RMEF has made 10 land acquisitions that have opened or secured public access to 8,546 acres on Pennsylvania’s elk range, and has been involved with land-enhancement projects on the elk range that total another 7,064 acres.

 

18
Whitetail Deer / RECORD-BOOK BUCK TO BE SCORED DEC. 16 IN HARRISBURG
« on: December 10, 2014, 01:44:09 PM »
RECORD-BOOK BUCK TO BE SCORED DEC. 16 IN HARRISBURG

Viewers can watch live online to see if the whitetail is the largest on record in Pennsylvania.


 By now, you might have heard about an Allegheny County buck taken two months ago during the statewide archery season; a buck so large it might be a new Pennsylvania state record.

Will it measure up as the No. 1 buck on record?

That remains to be seen, but viewers everywhere can watch live online as the buck is measured and its official score recorded.

Allegheny County hunter Jeff Lenzi, who harvested the massive 10-point buck Oct. 10, is scheduled to bring the rack to the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s headquarters on Tuesday, Dec. 16, to have it officially scored.

And the 9 a.m. scoring session will be streamed live on the Game Commission’s website, www.pgc.state.pa.us.

Most big-game animals can be measured officially to see where they rank all-time. Pennsylvania launched its Big Game Records Program in 1965, and today, records are kept of all official measurements recorded for white-tailed deer, black bears and elk that meet minimum qualifications for entry into Pennsylvania’s records book.

Records are split into a number of categories, based on things such as the configuration of a deer’s or elk’s rack, and whether the animal was taken with a firearm or archery gear. A successful hunter must take his or her trophy to an official scorer. 

It appears likely that Lenzi’s buck will be scored in the typical category, meaning its rack does not have many abnormal points. While Lenzi’s buck was an archery harvest, but he has said unofficial measurements taken on the rack might make it bigger than any of the typical record-book bucks in the firearms category, as well.

It could be the top typical deer of all time in Pennsylvania.

To date, the top buck in the typical firearms category was taken way back in 1943 in Bradford County by Fritz Janowsky, of Wellsburg, N.Y. That buck scores 189 inches, based on the Boone & Crockett Club measuring system.

The top typical buck in the archery category also is a product of Allegheny County. It was taken in 2004 by Michael Nicola Sr., of Waterford, and its official score is 178 2/8 inches.

Minimum qualification for the Pennsylvania Big Game Records book is 140 inches for typical bucks taken with firearms, and 115 inches for typical bucks taken with archery equipment.

Official measurements on any deer cannot be taken before the conclusion of a 60-day drying period to allow moisture to evaporate from the antlers and the rack to reach its final size. 

Lenzi’s buck will be scored by Bob D’Angelo, who coordinates Pennsylvania’s Big Game Records Program.

D’Angelo, who said he’d been hearing about the buck long before scheduling the scoring session with Lenzi, said he’s excited to score the rack. The potential new No. 1 has been drawing a lot of interest, too, D’Angelo said.

“We are getting plenty of calls from hunters who have heard about the trophy buck, or have seen photos of it,” D’Angelo said. “It does not surprise me a buck of this caliber was taken in Allegheny County. Allegheny County has the second most entries in the Pennsylvania Big Game Records book, behind only Bradford County.

“This trophy also could meet the minimum score for inclusion in the Boone & Crockett Club’s records book, which is very difficult to do, and a testament to the trophy deer potential we have in the Keystone State,” D’Angelo said.

Pennsylvania entries scored now through the end of July 2015 will be added to the 2015 edition of the Pennsylvania Big Game Records book, if they meet minimum qualifications. The 2014 edition was published in October and can be purchased for $6, plus shipping and handling, through The Outdoor Shop at the Game Commission’s website. Pennsylvania residents must pay sales tax on all purchases.

 

Big-game scoring session scheduled

Successful hunters who are looking to have their trophies officially scored can do so at a public, big-game scoring session to be held on Feb. 14, 2015, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s headquarters in Harrisburg.

Deer, bear and elk that have been harvested in Pennsylvania are eligible for entry into the Pennsylvania Big Game Records book.

Deer and elk racks cannot be measured until after a 60-day drying period from when the skull plate was removed from the animal. For bears, the 60-day drying period begins after the skull is thoroughly cleaned by boiling or from the use of beetles.

Deer racks to be scored should have at least eight measurable points, and hunters need to register by Feb. 9, 2015. To register, call Patty Monk at 717-787-4250, ext. 3312. For more information on the session, contact Bob D’Angelo at 717-787-4250, ext. 3311.

All are welcome to attend.

The Game Commission’s headquarters is located at 2001 Elmerton Ave. in Harrisburg, just off the Progress Avenue exit of Interstate 81.

 

19
Elk / ELK HARVEST RESULTS RELEASED
« on: November 17, 2014, 06:24:10 PM »
ELK HARVEST RESULTS RELEASED
Twenty-seven bulls taken in one-week season; harvest totals 88 elk.
 
More than 82 percent of the hunters participating Pennsylvania’s 2014 elk hunt have taken home a trophy.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission today announced 88 elk were taken by hunters during the regular one-week elk season that ended Nov. 8. And for those licensed to hunt antlered elk, also known as bulls, the success rate was 93 percent.

The 2014 harvest included several large elk.  Sixteen bulls each were estimated to weigh 700 pounds or more, with the heaviest bull taken in this year’s hunt estimated at more than 872 pounds. That bull, which sported a 7-by-7 rack, was taken by Mark Colt, of Ligonier.

The largest bull in terms of rack size was an 11-by-7 harvested Nov. 8 by Robert C. Baker, of Worthington. That bull weighed an estimated 851 pounds and its rack initially was measured at 414 inches, according to Boone & Crockett big-game scoring standards. 

The second-highest-scoring bull, taken by Michael B. Weaver, of Hanover, had a 7-by-7 rack initially measured at 398 inches. That bull weighed 786 pounds.
Other large bulls taken include a 7-by-8 weighing 830 pounds taken by Frederick J. Kass, of Glenside; a 7-by-6 weighing 837 pounds taken by George Oko, of Wilkes-Barre; a 6-by-7 weighing 829 pounds taken by John G. Trout, of Felton;  a 7-by-8 weighing 780 pounds taken by David L. Bailor, of Madera; a 5-by-6 weighing 772 pounds taken by Justin Forsythe, of Imperial; a 7-by-5 weighing 772 pounds taken by Llewellyn Kauffman, of Red Lion; an 8-by-7 weighing 715 pounds, taken by David Condie, of Pittsburgh; an 8-by-6 weighing 715 pounds taken by Dean Erney, of Telford; a 7-by-7 weighing 715 pounds taken by Mark Wickizer, of Dickson City; and a 7-by-8 weighing 702 pounds taken by Christopher Mumber, of Richlandtown.

There also were some large antlerless elk taken in the harvest. Twelve of the 63 cows taken by hunters during the one-week season weighed over 500 pounds.

Twenty-five of the 88 elk harvested were taken on the opening day of the elk season Nov. 3.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission typically doesn’t release information about license holders, but those who are drawn to participate in the annual elk hunt often give their consent to release their names or other information. Information on successful hunters who do not sign and submit a consent form prior to the hunt is not released.



20
WITH FUGITIVE CAPTURED, HUNTING SEASONS TO BE RESTORED

Effective midnight, Game Commission to rescind prohibitions enacted due to manhunt.

                                   

With fugitive murder suspect Eric Frein no longer on the loose, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director R. Matthew Hough, effective midnight, will lift the temporary prohibition on hunting and trapping activity in all areas that had been affected by the manhunt.

That means hunters in the previously closed area will be able to participate in Saturday opener of the fall turkey season, as well as all other hunting and trapping seasons.

Hough on Oct. 1 issued an executive order that temporarily closed all hunting and trapping seasons within seven townships in northeastern Pennsylvania – Price, Barrett and Paradise townships in Monroe County; and Blooming Grove, Porter, Lehman and Greene townships in Pike County. More recently, the order was amended to keep the temporary closure in place only in Monroe County.

With Frein now captured and charged in the ambush-shooting death of a Pennsylvania state trooper, and with Pennsylvania State Police giving the green light to reopen those Monroe County townships to hunting and trapping, Hough is rescinding the order. The decision to lift the order at midnight was made to give state police time to finish processing the search area.

“It is with great relief that the search for Eric Frein has reached its end without further incident, and that the fugitive has been apprehended and charged,” Hough said. “I’m certain justice will be served.

“With the search no longer active, the Pennsylvania State Police has advised there no longer is a need to keep in place any temporary prohibition on hunting and trapping activity in northeastern Pennsylvania,” Hough said. “I personally would like to congratulate state police for bringing this manhunt to a successful conclusion, and I’d also like to thank our hunters and trappers, who cooperated and complied with this executive order, and otherwise did their part to allow police to continue the search that led to the suspect’s apprehension.”

Aside from all previously closed hunting and trapping seasons being restored, all portions of State Game Lands 221 have been reopened to hunters and trappers. While the manhunt was ongoing access to portions of the game lands was closed.

Pennsylvanians are reminded that the primary purposes of state game lands are to provide wildlife habitat, and hunting and trapping opportunities for license buyers, and secondary recreational uses are tightly restricted during hunting and trapping seasons. 

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Ellen Ferretti noted all DCNR lands in Monroe County also are being reopened to hunters and other recreational users.

Frein is charged in the Sept. 12 ambush-shooting death of Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Bryon Dickson II outside the state police barracks in Blooming Grove, Pike County. Trooper Alex Douglass was wounded in the attack.

The temporary closure of the hunting and trapping seasons was made in consultation with state police after explosive devices believed to be left by Frein, one of them set to detonate through a trip wire, were recovered during the search.

The devices posed an obvious safety threat, and Hough exercised authority granted to him by the Pennsylvania Game and Wildlife to temporarily close the seasons because of safety concerns.

Now that the seasons have been reopened, Hough urged hunters and trappers to remain alert and cautious, and report any possible evidence related to Frein to the Pennsylvania State Police TIP Line at 1-866-326-7256.

21
General Discussion / Cars and Christmas exhibit
« on: October 28, 2014, 05:23:42 PM »
Description: It’s that time of year again, and this year the Antique
Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum will be festively prepared for
the holidays during the Cars and Christmas exhibit, starting November 15
and running until January 4, 2015. There will be a variety of special
automobiles on display, including Mr. Beep, the 1959 Pontiac Catalina
Safari, our Hess Mobile Museum celebrating 50 years of Hess, the Model
Trains, and much more! Enjoy the Pontiac Catalina Safari, this unique
rescued and restored answer to the El Camino, the one and only of its
kind. Also come explore our new Tucker Exhibit, the world’s largest
collection of Tucker vehicles and other Tucker automobilia. Really
feeling in the holiday spirit? Help those in need by donating
non-perishable food items and toys to our Food and Toy Drive, all
located here at the AACA Museum.


Event Contact Person: Nancy Gates
Contact Phone Number: 717-566-7100
Event Name: Cars and Christmas
Event Date: 15 November, 2014 through 4 January, 2015
Event Time: 9 AM to 5 PM (Regular operating hours)
Location: AACA Museum
               161 Museum Drive

City: Hershey, PA 17033

22
HUNTING SEASONS RESTORED IN ENTIRETY OF PIKE COUNTY

Three Monroe County townships remain closed to hunting and trapping due to ongoing manhunt.

 

The Pennsylvania Game Commission has lifted within all of Pike County the temporary prohibition on hunting and trapping, but all seasons remain closed within three townships in Monroe County.

Game Commission Executive Director R. Matthew Hough today amended the executive order he issued Oct. 10.

It is the second time the order has been amended in consultation with Pennsylvania State Police, which have determined restrictions that previously prohibited hunting and trapping in all or parts of Blooming Grove, Porter, Greene and Lehman townships, all in Pike County, now can be lifted.

The order amended today also restores public access to all parts of State Game Lands 183, located in Blooming Grove Township, Pike County.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Ellen Ferretti noted all DCNR lands in Pike County now are reopened to hunters and other recreational users.

And, with the amendment, hunters within portions of Pike County, who recently had to abide by special fluorescent-orange requirements, may now return to the statewide fluorescent-orange requirements as outlined on Pages 63 and 64 of the 2014-15 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest. 

The amended order retains the temporary prohibition on hunting and trapping activity on all lands, public and private, within Price, Barrett and Paradise townships, Monroe County. Those townships all are in Wildlife Management Unit 3D.

Public access to the portions of State Game Lands 221 within those townships, as well as the portions of the Delaware State Forest within those townships, remains closed.

In the areas where hunting and trapping seasons have been closed, the seasons will remain closed until the executive order is lifted, which will be announced by the Game Commission in a statewide news release that will be posted on the agency’s website at the time it is issued.

Hough said the Game Commission will continue to work with state police to make further amendments to the order that are deemed appropriate.

Hough issued the initial executive order Oct. 1, after the Pennsylvania State Police advised that troopers who are part of the search for fugitive Eric Frein had uncovered explosive devices that apparently were left behind in wooded areas by the fugitive, and would pose an obvious danger to anyone who would encounter them.

The Pennsylvania Game and Wildlife Code authorizes the Game Commission to close any hunting or trapping season to assure the purposes of the code, including assuring the health and safety of the persons who hunt or trap.

Today’s decision to reopen the seasons in all areas previously closed in Pike County was made in consultation with Pennsylvania State Police.

Hough said the ongoing police investigation and search for Frein has provided no further indication it is unsafe for hunting activity to resume in the previously closed area that was reopened today. Still, he urged hunters in the area to remain cautious and to report any suspicious activity to police.

“Our hunters and trappers need to be aware that, while the active search area is some distance from the areas that now have been reopened, the search for fugitive Eric Frein still continues in the northeast, and any suspicious activity or findings should be reported immediately,” Hough said.

Frein is wanted in the Sept. 12 ambush-shooting death of Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Bryon Dickson II outside the state police barracks in Blooming Grove, Pike County. Trooper Alex Douglass was wounded in the attack. The search for Frein has continued since, with the active search area located in Monroe County.

Anyone who witnesses suspicious activity or discovers possible evidence related to Frein or this investigation is urged to call the Pennsylvania State Police TIP Line at 1-866-326-7256.

 

23
Elk / CHARGES FILED IN POACHING OF RECORD-CLASS BULL ELK
« on: October 07, 2014, 11:44:15 AM »

                 CHARGES FILED IN POACHING OF RECORD-CLASS BULL ELK

Three bull elk illegally killed; one of them among the largest ever recorded in Pennsylvania.

 
One of the largest bull elk ever recorded in Pennsylvania was shot illegally along with two other bulls this month, and three Centre County men have been charged with teaming in a poaching effort, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced.

The largest of the three bulls had a 10- by 9-point non-typical rack that initially was measured at 432 7/8 inches, based on standards set forth by the Boone & Crockett big-game scoring program. At that score, and if the bull had been legally harvested, it would rank as Pennsylvania’s third-largest bull elk ever.

The other two illegally killed bulls included a 5- by 7-point bull measuring 243 1/8 inches and a 4- by 5-point bull measuring 178 3/8 inches.

The bulls all were killed in the same area of Karthaus Township, Clearfield County, over two nights of poaching, the Game Commission said.

Charged in the incident are Frank Gordo Buchanan Jr., 25, and Jeffrey Scott Bickle, 46, both of Bellefonte; and Cody Allen Lyons, 20, of Milesburg.
If the men are convicted in the incident, the Game Commission will seek they contribute toward $11,500 in replacement costs for the illegally killed elk. Additionally, each man faces thousands of dollars in fines, with the maximum potential fine exceeding $13,000 for the men charged with killing all three elk.
Buchanan is accused of shooting all three bulls at night from a vehicle.

The first illegally killed bull – the 4-by-5 – was discovered Sept. 9 by a resident nearby. The antlers had been removed, but most of the carcass was left to lay there.
Wildlife Conservation Officer Mark Gritzer initiated an investigation and extracted a 7 mm bullet from the elk’s shoulder, according to court documents filed with Magisterial District Judge Jerome Nevling, of Kylertown.

On Sept. 15, Gritzer, working night patrol, returned to the area where the bull was killed. At about 9 p.m., he parked in an area overlooking a reclaimed strip mine where multiple elk could be heard bugling. Within 15 minutes, he saw a pickup approach. Its occupants appeared to be spotlighting recreationally, but, suspiciously, the driver would turn off the headlights each time the pickup stopped, the documents indicate.

At about 9:45 p.m., a single gunshot erupted from the area of the pickup.
Gritzer activated the emergency lights on his patrol vehicle, and drove to the location where the pickup was sitting parked with its headlights off.
When Gritzer’s backup, WCO Dave Stewart, arrived at the scene, he found a 7 mm rifle lying on the ground nearby. Not only was the rifle consistent with the caliber used to kill the 4-by-5 bull Sept. 9, a handsaw caked with elk hair and tissue also was found in the pickup, according to court documents.

Buchanan admitted to shooting at a large bull elk, and all three men were placed under arrest, the documents state. Because a fog had moved in, the officers decided to wait to try to find the elk. Instead, they accompanied Buchanan, Lyons and Bickle to the state police barracks in Woodland for fingerprinting, at which time Buchanan admitted to killing 4-by-5 bull on Sept. 9, court documents state.

At 2 a.m., he led Gritzer and Stewart to a trailer home in Milesburg, where he retrieved a sawed-off set of antlers that perfectly matched the skull plate on the poached bull, according to the documents.

At 7:30 a.m., Gritzer and Stewart returned to the arrest scene to search for the larger bull at which Buchanan admitting shooting, the documents state. They quickly found the 10-by-9, which had been shot in the neck with a 7 mm. And within sight, about 350 yards away, the 5-by-7 lay dead.
Further investigation indicated the men had killed the 5-by-7 at about 8:15 that night and left the area to go to the town of Snow Shoe and get a chainsaw to remove the antlers, according to the documents. Gritzer arrived after they had left, and when they returned, they encountered the 10-by-9, the documents state.

Buchanan admitted to killing the third bull, as well, and told the officers he had intended to sell the antlers on eBay, court documents state.
Buchanan and Lyons are charged in the Sept. 8 and Sept. 15 incidents. Bickle is charged only in relation to the two bulls killed on Sept. 15. Each man faces a host of charges, the most severe being misdemeanor counts unlawful killing of big game.

A preliminary hearing for the men is scheduled for Oct. 29 at the Clearfield County Jail.

24
PA Game Commision News / MANHUNT PLACES HUNTING SEASONS ON HOLD
« on: October 02, 2014, 10:20:17 AM »
MANHUNT PLACES HUNTING SEASONS ON HOLD

Game Commission executive order temporarily halts hunting and trapping in seven townships.

                                                   

The Pennsylvania Game Commission has temporarily closed all hunting and trapping seasons within seven townships in northeastern Pennsylvania, where the search continues for a fugitive wanted in the shooting death of a state police trooper.

Game Commission Executive Director R. Matthew Hough today issued an executive order to close temporarily the hunting and trapping seasons within Price, Barrett and Paradise townships in Monroe County; and Blooming Grove, Porter, Lehman and Greene townships in Pike County.

The townships all are within Wildlife Management Unit 3D.

The closure affects all private and public lands, including the portions of State Game Lands 180, 183 and 221 located within those townships. Those portions of game lands are closed to all public access while the executive order is in effect.

Hunting and trapping seasons will remain closed in the identified townships until the executive order is lifted, which will be announced by the Game Commission in a statewide news release that will be posted on the agency’s website at the time it is issued.

The closure was initiated after the Pennsylvania State Police advised on Tuesday that troopers who are part of the search for fugitive Eric Frein had uncovered explosive devices that apparently were left behind in wooded areas by the fugitive, and would pose an obvious danger to anyone who would encounter them.

Hough said the discovery of the devices, and the danger associated with the search effort in general, would pose too great a risk to hunters, trappers and members of the general public.

“While we realize this temporary closure might disappoint some of the hunters and trappers it affects, we’re certain, too, they understand the gravity of the situation, as well as the danger in allowing the seasons to continue as scheduled, given this new information,” Hough said. “Plenty of good hunting and trapping opportunities remain outside of the temporarily closed area, and we need hunters to readily adjust their plans to help bring resolution to this case and see that justice is served.”

Frein is wanted in the Sept. 12 ambush-shooting death of Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Bryon Dickson II outside the state police barracks in Blooming Grove, Pike County. Trooper Alex Douglass was wounded in the attack. The search for Frein has continued since, and police recently discovered explosive devices – at least one of which was attached to a trip wire – in the area they were searching.

The Pennsylvania Game and Wildlife Code authorizes the Game Commission to close any hunting or trapping season, or otherwise take necessary action, to assure the purposes of the code, including assuring the health and safety of the persons who hunt or take game and wildlife.

The Game Commission earlier this week issued an advisory to those who might be planning to hunt in the area of the search, and indicated that the seasons would continue as scheduled, but the recent findings by state police changed the circumstances.

Game Commissioner James J. Delaney Jr. , who represents Pike, Monroe and other northeastern Pennsylvania counties as part of the eight-member board that sets policy for the Game Commission, said the temporary closure is supported in full by the commissioners and is necessary given the totality of circumstances.

By closing the hunting seasons in the area of the search, the Game Commission hopes to remove risks to human safety, and ensure there will be no interference in the effort to apprehend Frein.

“The suspect has demonstrated a disregard for human life,” Delaney said, “The safety of the law-enforcement officers who are part of the search, as well as that of the sporting public, must take precedence here.”

 

25
General Discussion / Antique Automobile Club of America
« on: September 04, 2014, 04:24:57 PM »
The show will take place on Saturday, October 4th 10:00 AM –
3:00 PM here on the grounds of the Antique Automobile Club of America
(AACA) Museum.  This show will benefit “After the Rain”.
Entry Fee to participate with a vehicle:
$15 for Cars and Trucks
$10 for Motorcycles
The day will include Raffle Prizes, 50/50 Drawing, Face Painting and
games for the kids, food and drinks on site.   Bring out the whole
family!
There is no fee for spectators to view the car show, but regular Museum
admission would apply for the Museum galleries.   Admission is $12 for
Adults, $11 for Seniors, $9 for juniors 4-14 years of age.  Children 3 &
under AND AACA Members are admitted FREE. For more information about the
car show and the “After The Rain” non-profit organization please visit
the museum website at wwww.aacamuseum.org or use the contact information
listed.
Contact information for the Car Show:  “JPM Racing/ Pa Rallies”   James
Rice JPMRACING302@gmail.com Jpmracing302.wix.com/jpmracing
Donations/Volunteer: “After the Rain”   Arianne Miner
facebook.com/AftertheRain2014 or HopeAfterTheRain@Gmail.com
hopeaftertherain.wix.com/home   

26
Whitetail Deer / MISS OUT ON A DOE LICENSE? PURCHASE A PERMIT INSTEAD
« on: September 01, 2014, 08:47:07 PM »
MISS OUT ON A DOE LICENSE? PURCHASE A PERMIT INSTEAD

Remainder of DMA 2 Antlerless Deer Permits expected to sell quickly.

 

Antlerless deer licenses are sold out in most of the state’s Wildlife Management Units, and in each unit in southcentral Pennsylvania.

But those who didn’t get a license still have the opportunity to purchase one or more special permits that can be used to take antlerless deer in any deer season within portions of Bedford, Blair, Huntingdon, Cambria and Fulton counties.

About 5,000 such permits, which were allocated in an effort to slow the spread of chronic wasting disease in Pennsylvania, remain.

That’s fewer than half of the 13,000 allocated this year, meaning hunters who are looking to get a permit are encouraged to act fast, said Game Commission Executive Director R. Matthew Hough.

The application schedule for DMA 2 Antlerless Deer Permits resembles that for regular antlerless licenses, Hough explained. There are a number of different rounds, and applications submitted in those rounds aren’t accepted before the designated start date, he said.

“We’ve already entered the round in which hunters can make application for an unlimited number of permits, meaning the remaining permits could sell out very quickly.”

DMA 2 permits may be used only within the area known as Disease Management Area 2 (DMA 2), which encompasses about 1,600 square miles in Bedford, Blair, Huntingdon, Cambria and Fulton counties. Portions of three Wildlife Management Units – WMUs 4A, 4D and 2C – lie within DMA 2, and regular antlerless licenses to be used in those WMUs have been sold out for some time.

For hunters within DMA 2, there’s an advantage to holding a permit as opposed to a regular antlerless license. Unlike antlerless licenses, DMA 2 permits can be used within DMA 2 during any deer season. While a hunter in the firearms deer season to begin Dec. 1 must wait until Dec. 6 to harvest an antlerless deer with a regular antlerless license, a hunter with a permit can use it as soon as the season opens.

The permit can be used in any other deer season, as well.

There are some differences between the application process for a DMA 2 permit and that for an antlerless license.

Only residents and nonresidents ages 12 and older with valid general hunting licenses may apply for permits. Participants in Mentored Youth and Mentored Adult hunting programs are ineligible to make application, and the permits cannot be transferred to participants in those programs.

Each permit costs $6.70, and payments must be made by credit card, or check or money order made payable to the “Pennsylvania Game Commission.”

Applications for DMA 2 permits are accepted in two ways – electronically through the Game Commission’s Outdoor Shop, or by mail.

The Outdoor Shop can be accessed at www.theoutdoorshop.state.pa.us. Once entering the Game Commission’s Outdoor Shop, click on “Permits” and select “DMA 2 Antlerless Deer Permit” at the bottom of the permits page. Those making application electronically must pay by major credit card.

Those making application by mail can pay by check, money order or major credit card. Application forms can be obtained at the Game Commission’s website, the agency’s Harrisburg headquarters or any region office.

Applications that are mailed should be placed in a regular envelope. Multiple applications can be sent in one envelope.

The application schedule is now in the third round, when eligible applicants may submit an unlimited number of applications. The round will continue until all permits have been issued.

DMA 2 is the lone area of the state where CWD has been detected in free-ranging deer.

A total of 13,000 permits were made available with the intention of reducing the deer population by one deer per square mile in DMA 2.

Responding to a need identified by the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners, the permits seek to focus hunting pressure inside the DMA, where deer numbers must be kept in check to slow the potential spread of CWD. At the same time, the permit system enables the Game Commission to avoid a reduction in the deer herd in the area surrounding DMA 2 – where CWD has not been detected.

“Our CWD Management Plan guides us to increase the antlerless deer harvest in areas where CWD has been detected in free-ranging deer,” Hough said. “If we attempted to reach that goal by increasing the allocation of antlerless licenses throughout an entire WMU, or in this case, a number of WMUs, we wouldn’t necessarily achieve the population goal because the license might be used outside the DMA rather than within it.

            “With the permits, we can direct hunting pressure more precisely into the area that most needs additional deer harvests,” Hough said.

Those who are issued DMA 2 permits are required to submit reports, regardless of whether they harvest a deer. Harvests must be reported within 10 days. Nonharvests must be reported by Feb. 5. Those who fail to report as required are subject to criminal prosecution and may be ineligible to apply for permits if the program is continued the following year.

Through their reports, hunters provide valuable data that plays a crucial role in the Game Commission’s management of CWD.

Special rules apply to those hunting or residing within a Disease Management Area. Hunters harvesting deer within a DMA should be aware that the deer parts with the highest risk of transmitting CWD – namely, the head and backbone – may not be transported from within the DMA outside the DMA, unless by special exception. Hunters who live outside a DMA in which they hunt should make plans to use a processor or taxidermist within the DMA, or on the Game Commission’s list of approved processors and taxidermists. Dumpsters also have been set up on game lands within DMAs, and hunters who do their own processing can drop off high-risk parts there before transporting the meat and other low-risk parts outside of the DMA.

The feeding of deer and use of urine-based deer attractants are among the other practices prohibited within DMAs. A complete list is available at the Game Commission’s website, www.pgc.state.pa.us.

CWD affects members of the cervid, or deer family. It is spread from animal to animal by direct and indirect contact.

Pennsylvania is among 22 states and two Canadian provinces in which CWD has been detected.

CWD is always fatal to the cervids it infects, but there is no evidence the disease can be transmitted to humans.

More information on CWD can be found at the Game Commission’s website.

27
Whitetail Deer / CWD IMPACTS PENNSYLVANIANS WHO HUNT OUT-OF-STATE
« on: August 25, 2014, 10:56:07 AM »
CWD IMPACTS PENNSYLVANIANS WHO HUNT OUT-OF-STATE
Certain parts from harvested cervids cannot be brought back into Commonwealth.

 The thousands of Pennsylvania hunters who soon will be heading off to hunt big game in other states can do their share to slow the spread of chronic wasting disease in the Commonwealth.

Those who hunt out-of-state are reminded that Pennsylvania prohibits importing specific carcass parts from members of the deer family – including mule deer, elk and moose – from 21 states and two Canadian provinces.

The parts ban affects hunters who harvest deer, elk or moose in: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland (only from CWD Management Area), Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (only from Madison and Oneida counties), North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia (only from CWD Containment Area), West Virginia (only from CWD Containment Area, which includes parts of three counties), Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Pennsylvania hunters harvesting any deer, elk or moose in those areas, whether the animal was taken from the wild or from a captive, high-fence operation, must comply with rules aimed at slowing the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Pennsylvania.

Those harvesting deer, elk or other cervids in the identified areas out-of-state must leave behind the carcass parts that have the highest risk for transmitting the disease. Those parts are: the head (including brain, tonsils, eyes and any lymph nodes); spinal cord/backbone; spleen; skull plate with attached antlers, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; cape, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if root structure or other soft tissue is present; any object or article containing visible brain or spinal cord tissue; unfinished taxidermy mounts; and brain-tanned hides.

“It’s been almost three years since chronic wasting disease first was detected in Pennsylvania , and as new cases crop up in our state, we expand our efforts to manage the disease here and do what we can to slow its spread,” Game Commission Executive Director R. Matthew Hough said. “The prohibition on importing cervid parts with the highest risk of transmitting CWD is part of that management plan.

“By knowing these rules and following them, Pennsylvanians hunting out of state each can do their part to keep CWD in check in Pennsylvania,” Hough said.

Hunters who are successful in those areas from which the importation of high-risk parts into Pennsylvania is banned are allowed to import meat from any deer, elk, moose, mule deer or caribou, so long as the backbone is not present.

Successful hunters also are allowed to bring back cleaned skull plates with attached antlers, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; tanned hide or raw hide with no visible brain or spinal cord tissue present; capes, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if no root structure or other soft tissue is present; and finished taxidermy mounts.

Hough urged hunters heading to a state with a history of CWD to become familiar with that state’s wildlife regulations and guidelines for the transportation of harvested game animals.

Pennsylvania detected chronic wasting disease in 2012 at a captive deer facility in Adams County. The disease since has been detected in free-ranging deer in Bedford and Blair counties, and in captive deer at a Jefferson County facility.

In response to these CWD cases, the Game Commission has established three Disease Management Areas (DMAs) within which special rules apply. For instance, those who harvest deer within a DMA are not allowed to transport any high-risk deer parts outside the DMA.

However, those who live in a DMA and are successful in out-of-state hunts should know that – like other Pennsylvanians hunting out-of-state – they are permitted to bring low-risk deer parts back home with them.

Hough said hunters who harvest a deer, elk or moose in a state or province where CWD is known to exist should follow instructions from that state’s wildlife agency on how and where to submit the appropriate samples to have their animal tested.  If, after returning to Pennsylvania, a hunter is notified that his or her game tested positive for CWD, the hunter is encouraged to immediately contact the Game Commission region office that serves the county in which they reside for disposal recommendations and assistance.

A list of region offices and contact information appears on page 5 of the 2014-15 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest, which is issued to hunters at the time they buy their Pennsylvania hunting licenses.  The contact information also is available on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by putting your cursor on “About Us” in the menu bar under the banner, then selecting “Regional Information” in the drop-down menu and then clicking on the region of choice in the map.

First identified in 1967, CWD affects members of the cervid family, including all species of deer, elk and moose. There’s no scientific evidence it can be transmitted to humans or traditional livestock, but it is always fatal to the cervids it infects.

There currently is no practical way to test live animals for CWD, nor is there a vaccine. Clinical signs include poor posture, lowered head and ears, uncoordinated movement, rough-hair coat, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive drooling, and, ultimately, death.

Much more information on CWD, as well as a video showing hunters how they can process venison for transport and consumption, is available at the Game Commission’s website.

 

Pennsylvania’s DMAs

 

Within Pennsylvania, there are three separate Disease Management Areas (DMAs) within which special rules apply.

DMA 1 comprises about 600 square miles in Adams and York counties; DMA 2 recently was expanded and now encompasses more than 1,600 square miles in Blair, Bedford, Cambria, Huntingdon and Fulton counties; and DMA 3 covers about 350 square miles in Jefferson and Clearfield counties. 

Those harvesting deer within a DMA are not permitted to transport outside the DMA any deer parts with a high-risk of transmitting CWD. These parts include the head and backbone.

The intentional feeding of deer also is prohibited within any DMA, as is the use of urine-based deer attractants.

Maps of each of the DMAs, and detailed descriptions of DMA borders, can be found at the Game Commission’s website, www.pgc.state.pa.us. The website also contains a complete list of the rules applying within DMAs, as well as a full definition of high-risk parts.

 

CWD precautions

 

Wildlife officials have suggested hunters in areas where chronic wasting disease (CWD) is known to exist follow these usual recommendations to prevent the possible spread of disease:

- Do not shoot, handle or consume any animal that appears sick; contact the state wildlife agency if you see or harvest an animal that appears sick.

- Wear rubber or latex gloves when field-dressing carcasses.

- Bone out the meat from your animal.

- Minimize the handling of brain and spinal tissues.

- Wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field-dressing is completed.

- Request that your animal is processed individually, without meat from other animals being added to meat from your animal, or process your own meat if you have the tools and ability to do so.

- Have your animal processed in the endemic area of the state where it was harvested, so that high-risk body parts can be properly disposed of there.  Only bring permitted materials back to Pennsylvania

-  Don’t consume the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils or lymph nodes of harvested animals. (Normal field-dressing, coupled with boning out a carcass, will remove most, if not all, of these body parts. Cutting away all fatty tissue will help remove remaining lymph nodes.)

- Consider not consuming the meat from any animal that tests positive for the disease.

28
Waterfowl / 2014 PENNSYLVANIA WATERFOWL SEASONS ANNOUNCED
« on: August 21, 2014, 12:30:03 PM »
PENNSYLVANIA WATERFOWL SEASONS ANNOUNCED
Annual brochure available at Game Commission’s website.
 

The Pennsylvania Game Commission has made its selections for the 2014-15 migratory game bird hunting seasons and bag limits.

Annual waterfowl seasons are selected by states from a framework established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Game Commission selections were made after reviewing last year’s season results, waterfowl survey data, and input gathered from waterfowl hunters and the public. Final approval from the USFWS is expected by late September.

The agency has posted the annual waterfowl and migratory bird season brochure and zone maps on its website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), making it convenient for hunters to access the information they need.

            Game Commission waterfowl biologist Kevin Jacobs said the outlook is mixed for waterfowl populations important to Pennsylvania.

“While continental duck populations were estimated at a record high in spring, Game Commission  banding studies show most of Pennsylvania’s mallard, wood duck, and Canada goose harvests are derived from birds breeding in Pennsylvania and surrounding states,” Jacobs said. “These populations are monitored through the Atlantic Flyway Breeding Waterfowl Survey, which gives managers an annual waterfowl population snapshot to help them in the conservation of these species.

At the state level, the estimated number of mallard breeding pairs (72,014) was 20 percent below the 1993-2013 long-term average (LTA) of 90,153 pairs. The 61,153 wood duck breeding pairs estimated in 2014 was 16 percent above the LTA of 52,824 pairs. Trends in wood duck abundance have indicated stable to slightly increasing populations across all years of the survey at both the state and flyway levels.

Jacobs noted that Pennsylvania’s spring 2014 resident Canada goose population estimate of 241,000 was similar to the recent 10-year average of 266,000. “This population accounts for 90 percent of the annual Pennsylvania Canada goose harvest, and close to 100 percent in the Resident Population Zone. Spring densities of Canada Geese were highest in the state’s southeast, southwest and northwest counties.

“The state’s resident Canada goose population remains well above the Atlantic Flyway management plan goal of 150,000 spring birds. Observations during June 2014 banding indicates near average juvenile recruitment statewide. Hunters can expect a fall flight similar to recent years. We continue efforts to reach our management plan goal of 150,000 resident Canada geese primarily through reducing densities in southeastern and southwestern Pennsylvania.”

Jacobs noted that spring population estimates and fall flight forecasts are obtained at large geographic scales, and therefore are not reliable predictors of waterfowl numbers that can be expected during hunting seasons.

“While managers and hunters should be encouraged by the population status and fall flight forecasts for most waterfowl species, hunting pressure, habitat and weather variables most often dictate waterfowl movements, staging and wintering numbers through the hunting seasons.”

            Pennsylvania junior license holders will have one statewide day of waterfowl hunting on Saturday, Sept. 20. There also will be a second one-day youth waterfowl hunt in the following zones: North and Northwest zones, Sept. 27; Lake Erie Zone, Oct. 18; and South Zone, Nov. 8.  Junior waterfowl days will be open to those 12 to 15 years old who hold a junior hunting license. To participate, a youngster must be accompanied by an adult, who may assist the juniors in calling, duck identification and other aspects of the hunt.  During these special hunts, juniors can harvest Canada geese, ducks, mergansers, coots and gallinules. The daily bag limit for juniors participating in the junior waterfowl days is the same as for the regular season daily limit in the area being hunted. The only exception is when September Canada goose daily bag limits exceed the regular season limit for the area being hunted; juniors then can take the September daily limit.

Waterfowl hunters are reminded that because Sept. 20 is a junior waterfowl hunting day, hunting hours for all waterfowl species close at sunset. For the remainder of the September 1 to 25 Canada goose season, hunting hours close at one-half hour after sunset.

“Federal frameworks specify that for most migratory game bird seasons, hunting hours must close at sunset,” Jacobs said. “Exceptions currently are in place to allow states to extend hunting hours to one-half hour after sunset for the September Canada goose season and the light goose conservation season to increase harvest of these overabundant waterfowl populations. Extended hunting hours can only be in effect when no other waterfowl seasons are open. When youth days occur during the September Canada goose season, hunting hours for Canada geese must close at sunset on those days to comply with federal regulations.”

 The Game Commission again will hold a special junior-only waterfowl hunting day at the controlled hunting blinds at both Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area and Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area. The junior day for Middle Creek is Nov. 15; and for Pymatuning it’s, Nov. 29.  A special drawing of applications submitted by junior license holders will be held immediately before the regular drawing for goose blinds. Interested juniors should use the same application on page 26 of the 2014-15 Digest. Only one application will be accepted per junior hunter.

In addition to a regular Pennsylvania hunting license, persons 16 and older must have a Federal Migratory Bird and Conservation Stamp, commonly referred to as a “Duck Stamp,” signed in ink across its face. All waterfowl hunters, regardless of age, must have a Pennsylvania Migratory Game Bird License to hunt waterfowl and other migratory birds, including doves, woodcock, coots, gallinules, rails and snipe. All migratory game bird hunters in the United States are required to complete a Harvest Information Program survey when they purchase a state migratory game bird license. The survey information is then forwarded to the USFWS.

“By answering questions when you purchase a new hunting license, hunters help improve survey efficiency and the quality of information used to track the harvest of migratory birds for management purposes,” Jacobs said.

In the Atlantic Population Goose Zone, the regular light goose season will be Oct. 1 to Jan. 26, with a light goose conservation season to run from Jan. 27 to April 24.  In the Southern James Bay Population Goose Zone, the regular light goose season will be Oct. 1 to Jan. 23, with a light goose conservation season to run from Jan. 24 to April 24. The Resident Population Goose Zone regular light goose season will run Oct. 28 to Feb. 28, and the light goose conservation season will run March 2 to April 24.

To participate in the light goose conservation hunts, hunters will need to obtain a free goose conservation season permit, in addition to their other required licenses, and file a mandatory report of harvest/participation.  In late 2014, the Light Goose Conservation Hunt website will be available on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) so that hunters can apply for and print out the free conservation permit.

Hunters must use non-toxic shot while hunting ducks, geese or coots in Pennsylvania. The use of decoys powered or operated by batteries or any other source of electricity is unlawful in Pennsylvania, except during the light goose conservation seasons. Also, the use of any sort of artificial substance or product as bait or an attractant is prohibited.

For complete early Canada goose season information, as well as webless migratory game bird seasons, please see News Release #066-14, which the agency issued on Aug. 6.

 

FEDERAL REGULATIONS POSTED ON GAME COMMISSION WEBSITE

            In addition to posting the annual waterfowl and migratory game bird brochure on its website, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has posted a synopsis of federal regulations that govern migratory game bird and waterfowl seasons to assist hunters in finding answers to questions.

To review the information, go to the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), put your cursor on “Hunt/Trap” in the menu bar at the top of the page, click on “Hunting,” scroll down and click on “Waterfowl Hunting and Conservation,” and then scroll down and click on “Federal Waterfowl Hunting Regulations Synopsis” in the “Waterfowl Hunting Regulations” section.

Additional information can be found on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website (www.fws.gov/hunting/whatres.html), where a complete version of the federal regulations (50 CFR Part 20) is posted. When state law differs from the federal law, hunters must comply with the more restrictive law.

 

HUNTERS ENCOURAGED TO REPORT BANDED BIRDS

Migratory game bird hunters are encouraged to report banded ducks, geese, doves and woodcock they harvest online at www.reportband.gov, or by using the toll-free number (1-800-327-BAND). Hunters will be requested to provide information on where, when and what species of migratory birds were taken, in addition to the band number. This information is crucial to the successful management of migratory birds.

Kevin Jacobs, Game Commission waterfowl biologist, also stressed that reporting leg-bands helps the Game Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service learn more about migratory bird movements, and survival and harvest rates, which are critical to population management and setting of hunting regulations. Each year, nearly 380,000 ducks and geese and 30,000 mourning doves are banded across the United States and Canada. Last year, nearly 8,000 migratory game birds were banded in Pennsylvania.

“Pennsylvania continues to monitor migratory game bird populations in cooperation with other wildlife management agencies across North America,” Jacobs explained. “Information provided by hunters is essential to manage migratory game bird populations and hunting opportunities,” Jacobs said. “By reporting the recovery of a leg-band, hunters not only assist in managing the resource, but also have an opportunity to learn interesting facts about the bird they harvested.”

Jacobs noted that online and toll-free reporting systems have produced big dividends. Under the old reporting system, utilized until the mid 1990s, only about one-third of recovered banded birds were reported by hunters. Now, with the option of using online or toll-free methods, band reporting rates have improved to more than 70 percent. This has improved greatly migratory bird management while reducing monitoring costs.

 

UPDATED WATERFOWL CONSUMPTION ADVISORY

The Game Commission recently completed a research project to obtain information on contaminant levels in Lake Erie waterfowl.

“With the assistance of waterfowl hunters and in cooperation with the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, 41 samples were collected from eight species of waterfowl harvested on Lake Erie during the 2011 and 2012 hunting seasons and tested for various contaminants,” said Dr. Justin Brown, Game Commission wildlife veterinarian. “Contaminants such as PCBs, DDE, and mercury were found in all mergansers tested, as well as in some buffleheads. These contaminants may also be present in other Pennsylvania waters, and contaminated waterfowl could migrate to other areas of the Commonwealth. As a result, the Game Commission has updated its waterfowl consumption advisory.”

The updated guidelines, applicable statewide, are as follows: 1.) Mergansers should not be eaten; 2.) Other diving ducks if properly prepared should be eaten only occasionally; and 3.) Dabbling ducks and geese can be eaten safely if properly prepared.

Proper preparation includes skinning and removing the fat before cooking; cooking to an internal temperature of 165 F as determined by a meat thermometer; and discarding the stuffing (if prepared in this manner) after cook­ing.

Brown noted that the updated consumption advisory groups waterfowl species by the prevalence of fish and invertebrates in their diets.

“The likelihood of contaminants in body tissue is high for species that feed exclusively on fish, moderate for species that occasionally consume fish and invertebrates, and low for species that primarily feed on vegetation. By following the consumption advisory, hunters will minimize potential health impacts.”

 

GOOSE BLIND DEADLINES FOR CONTROLLED HUNTING AREAS

Application deadlines are fast approaching for waterfowl hunters interested in being selected for the limited number of goose blinds at the controlled hunting areas at the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Pymatuning or Middle Creek wildlife management areas during the regular Canada goose season. A goose blind application must be submitted using the form found on page 26 of the 2014-15 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest.

Hunters may apply to only one area per year and may submit only one application, which must include the individual’s nine-digit Customer Identification (CID) Number.

The Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area will accept applications through the mail until Sept. 9, at: PGC Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, P.O. Box 110, Kleinfeltersville, PA 17039-0110. A public drawing will be held at 10 a.m., Sept. 10.

Applications for the Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area will be accepted through the mail until Sept. 13, at: PGC Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area, 9552 Hartstown Road, Hartstown, PA 16131. A public drawing will be held at 10 a.m., Sept. 20.

Blinds at Middle Creek and Pymatuning will not be operational during the September season. During the regular season, shooting days at Middle Creek are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, one-half hour before sunrise to 1:30 p.m. Shooting days at Pymatuning are Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, one-half hour before sunrise to 12:30 p.m.

A separate drawing is held for blinds that accommodate hunters with disabilities. Applicants must submit a current copy of their Disabled Person Permit (to hunt from a vehicle) issued by the Game Commission.

Also, the Game Commission again will hold special junior-only waterfowl hunting days at the controlled goose hunting areas at both Middle Creek (Nov. 15) and Pymatuning (Nov. 29) wildlife management areas. The junior-only restriction applies to the controlled goose hunting areas only; public hunting areas at Middle Creek and Pymatuning, and the Controlled Duck Hunting Areas at Pymatuning, remain open to everyone, including adults, on these dates.

Juniors must hold a junior license and be accompanied by an adult, who may participate in the hunt by calling only. A special drawing of applications submitted by junior license holders will be held immediately before the regular drawing for goose blinds. Interested juniors should use the same application on page 26 of the 2014-15 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest. Only one application will be accepted per junior hunter. Junior license holders not selected in the special drawing will then be entered into the general drawing.

Successful applicants will be mailed a hunting reservation entitling them to be accompanied by up to three guests. On hunting days, hunters also may apply, in person, for a chance at any blinds unclaimed by a reservation holder.

Persons who have previously hunted a controlled goose hunting area at the Game Commission’s Pymatuning or Middle Creek wildlife management areas may apply for unclaimed blinds on the morning of the designated shooting day, but only when there exists an absence of applications for the unclaimed blinds from persons who have not previously hunted a controlled goose hunting area.

 

SPECIAL WATERFOWL HUNTING SAFETY REMINDERS

 

Waterfowl hunters – whether hunting from shore or from a boat – are urged to keep safety first and foremost in mind, said Keith Snyder, Pennsylvania Game Commission Hunter-Trapper Education Division chief.

“Basic firearm and hunting safety are critical,” Snyder said. “Treat every firearm as if it is loaded and make sure that the muzzle is always pointed in a safe direction. Never place your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire. Be aware of any companions’ locations at all times and maintain a safe zone-of-fire. Waterfowl action can be exciting, but never swing your barrel toward another hunter.

“Make sure firearms are unloaded prior to reaching your hunting location and immediately after you are done hunting. Also, if you are using a boat, remember state law requires all firearms be unloaded while in any boat propelled by motor or sail, and should be cased with actions open.”

Snyder also noted that, in Pennsylvania, all those using a boat are required to have a properly fitted personal flotation device (PFD) readily accessible and, regulations require a PFD to be worn during the cold weather months from Nov. 1 through April 30 while underway or at anchor on boats shorter than 16 feet in length, or in any canoe or kayak. For more information on boating laws and regulations, as well as safety tips, please visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s website (www.fish.state.pa.us).  Better yet, take an approved boater’s safety course.

Additionally, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, every year several hunters die from drowning and hypothermia.

“When you have a crew of hunters, with decoys and equipment, and dogs, a boat can easily become unbalanced, especially if the wind comes up,” Snyder said, “Not only is it unsafe to overload a boat, exceeding the limits posted on the capacity plate is also illegal.

“Sudden immersion into cold water is one of the leading causes of boating fatalities in the Commonwealth. It places a severe strain on bodily systems that can lead to hypothermia or, worse, cardiac arrest. Survivors of cold-water accidents have reported their breath driven from them on contact with the water.”

Anyone falling into cold water should immediately ensure that their and any companions’ PFDs are intact, and work to find a way to exit the water or right the watercraft. Cover your mouth and nose – if possible – to prevent inhaling water.

If you can’t get out of the water immediately and the shore is too far, raise your knees and wrap your arms across your chest to help reduce heat loss through the body’s core. Don’t leave your watercraft and attempt to swim to shore. It’s probably farther than you think. Experts recommend you stay with your boat until help arrives. If possible, try to climb back into your boat or on top of it.

“Most important,” Snyder suggests, “get into the routine of making the life jacket part of your hunting equipment, and wear it.”

 

2014-15 WATERFOWL SEASONS AND BAG LIMITS

DUCKS:

North Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 11-Nov. 29, and Dec. 23-Jan. 10.

South Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 18-25, and Nov. 15-Jan. 15.

Northwest Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 11-Dec. 13, and Dec. 27-Jan. 1.

Lake Erie Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 27-Jan. 3.

 

Total Duck Bag Limits: 6 daily, 18 in possession of any species, except for the following restrictions: daily limit may not include more than 4 mallards including 2 hen mallards, 2 scaup, 1 black duck, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 1 canvasback, 2 pintails, 1 mottled duck, 1 fulvous whistling duck and 4 scoters.  Possession limits are three times the daily limits.

 

Mergansers: 5 daily, 15 in possession (not more than 2 hooded mergansers daily, 6 hooded in possession).

 

Coots: 15 daily, 45 in possession.

 

REGULAR CANADA GOOSE SEASON & BAG LIMITS (including WHITE-FRONTED GEESE): All of Pennsylvania will have a regular Canada goose season, however, season lengths and bag limits will vary by area as follows:

 

Resident Population Goose Zone (RP)

All of Pennsylvania except for the Southern James Bay Population and the Atlantic Population zone. The season is Oct. 25-Nov. 29, Dec. 18-Jan. 15, and Feb. 2-28, with a five-goose daily bag limit.

 

Southern James Bay Population Zone (SJBP)

The area north of I-80 and west of I-79 including in the city of Erie west of Bay Front Parkway to and including the Lake Erie Duck zone (Lake Erie, Presque Isle and the area within 150 yards of Lake Erie Shoreline). The season is Oct. 11-Nov. 29, Dec. 15-Jan. 23, with a three-goose daily limit.

 

Atlantic Population Zone (AP)

The area east of route SR 97 from Maryland State Line to the intersection of SR 194, east of SR 194 to intersection of US Route 30, south of US Route 30 to SR 441, east of SR 441 to SR 743, east of SR 743 to intersection of I-81, east of I-81 to intersection of I-80, south of I-80 to New Jersey state line. The season is Nov. 15-29 and Dec. 15-Jan. 26, with a three-goose daily limit.

Exception: The controlled hunting areas at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lebanon-Lancaster counties, as well as all of State Game Lands 46 (Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area), has a daily bag limit of one, and possession limit of three during the regular Canada goose season.

 

BRANT (All Zones): Oct. 18-Nov. 21, 2 daily, 6 in possession.

 

LIGHT GEESE (Snow Geese and Ross’ Geese):

            Atlantic Population Zone:

Regular: Oct. 1-Jan. 26, 25 daily, no possession limit.

            Conservation Hunt: Jan. 27 – April 24; 25 daily, no possession limit.

                                               

            Southern James Bay Population Zone:

Regular: Oct. 1-Jan. 23; 25 daily, no possession limit.

Conservation Hunt: Jan. 24 – April 24; 25 daily, no possession limit.

 

Resident Population Zone:

Regular: Oct. 28-Feb. 28; 25 daily, no possession limit.

Conservation Hunt: March 2 – April 24; 25 daily, no possession limit.

 

HARLEQUIN DUCKS, and TUNDRA and TRUMPETER SWANS: No open season.

 

 

Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area: Shooting days at Pymatuning are Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, one-half hour before sunrise to 12:30 p.m. Ducks: Oct. 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29, and 31; Nov. 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 29; and Dec. 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 27, 29, and 31. Geese: Oct. 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29, and 31; Nov. 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 29; Dec. 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29, and 31; and Jan. 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, and 23.

 

Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area: Shooting days at Middle Creek are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to 1:30 p.m. Geese and ducks: Nov. 15, 18, 20, 22, 25, 27, and 29; Dec. 16, 18, 20, 23, 27, and 30; and Jan. 3, 6, 8, 10, 13, and 15. Geese only: Jan. 17, 20, 22, and 24.

 

JUNIOR WATERFOWL HUNTING DAYS (Statewide): Statewide: Sept. 20; also in North and Northwest zones, Sept. 27; in Lake Erie Zone, Oct. 18; and in South Zone, Nov. 8. Open to licensed junior hunters ages 12-15, when properly accompanied, for ducks, mergansers, gallinules and coots, and Canada goose as permitted. Same daily bag limits as regular season. Hunting hours to close at sunset.

 

JUNIOR-ONLY DAY AT CONTROLLED HUNTING AREAS:  Middle Creek is Nov. 15, and Pymatuning is Nov. 29.

29
Whitetail Deer / PUBLIC MEETING TO INFORM ON CWD
« on: August 21, 2014, 12:28:04 PM »
PUBLIC MEETING TO INFORM ON CWD

Game Commission to host Aug. 28 meeting in DuBois.

 Those who want to learn more about chronic wasting disease, and the rules that apply within areas of the state where the disease has been detected, can attend a public meeting to be held next week in DuBois, Clearfield County.

The meeting, to be hosted by the Pennsylvania Game Commission and held Thursday, Aug. 28 in the auditorium at DuBois Area Senior High School, is slated to begin at 6 p.m. The high school is located at 425 Orient Ave. in DuBois. Doors will open at about 5 p.m.

DuBois, as well as portions of Punxsutawney and Brookville, lie within Disease Management Area 3 (DMA 3), established by the Game Commission in May after chronic wasting disease (CWD) was detected at a captive deer facility in Jefferson County.

As its name implies, DMA 3 is Pennsylvania’s third DMA, each of which was established in response to CWD being detected in either captive or free-ranging deer. DMA 3 encompasses about 350 square miles in Jefferson and Clearfield counties. Maps of all DMAs, and detailed descriptions of their borders, are available at the Game Commission’s website, www.pgc.state.pa.us.

Because DMA 3 was established just recently, maps and border descriptions are not included in the 2014-15 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest, which is issued to hunters at the time they purchase their licenses.

Hunters and residents within DMAs need to be aware of special rules aimed at slowing the spread of CWD.

Deer parts with the highest risk of transmitting CWD – namely, the head and backbone – may not be transported outside a DMA, except by special exception. The intentional feeding of deer and the use of urine-based deer attractants are among other activities prohibited within DMAs.

A complete list of DMA rules, and other CWD information including a definition of all high-risk parts, also is available at the Game Commission’s website.

Game Commission staff also will be on hand at the Aug. 28 meeting to answer questions.

Immediately following the public meeting, a meeting will be held for deer processors and taxidermists who operate within or near DMA 3’s borders.

First identified in 1967, CWD affects members of the cervid family, including all species of deer, elk and moose. There’s no scientific evidence CWD can be transmitted to humans or traditional livestock, but it is always fatal to the cervids it infects.

There currently is no practical way to test live animals for CWD, nor is there a vaccine. Clinical signs include poor posture, lowered head and ears, uncoordinated movement, rough-hair coat, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive drooling, and, ultimately, death.

Those encountering deer they suspect are CWD-positive are asked to call their nearest Game Commission region office to report them.

30
Waterfowl / PENNSYLVANIA WATERFOWL SEASONS ANNOUNCED
« on: August 15, 2014, 07:26:51 PM »
PENNSYLVANIA WATERFOWL SEASONS ANNOUNCED
Annual brochure available at Game Commission’s website.
 

The Pennsylvania Game Commission has made its selections for the 2014-15 migratory game bird hunting seasons and bag limits.

Annual waterfowl seasons are selected by states from a framework established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Game Commission selections were made after reviewing last year’s season results, waterfowl survey data, and input gathered from waterfowl hunters and the public. Final approval from the USFWS is expected by late September.

The agency has posted the annual waterfowl and migratory bird season brochure and zone maps on its website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), making it convenient for hunters to access the information they need.

            Game Commission waterfowl biologist Kevin Jacobs said the outlook is mixed for waterfowl populations important to Pennsylvania.

“While continental duck populations were estimated at a record high in spring, Game Commission  banding studies show most of Pennsylvania’s mallard, wood duck, and Canada goose harvests are derived from birds breeding in Pennsylvania and surrounding states,” Jacobs said. “These populations are monitored through the Atlantic Flyway Breeding Waterfowl Survey, which gives managers an annual waterfowl population snapshot to help them in the conservation of these species.

At the state level, the estimated number of mallard breeding pairs (72,014) was 20 percent below the 1993-2013 long-term average (LTA) of 90,153 pairs. The 61,153 wood duck breeding pairs estimated in 2014 was 16 percent above the LTA of 52,824 pairs. Trends in wood duck abundance have indicated stable to slightly increasing populations across all years of the survey at both the state and flyway levels.

Jacobs noted that Pennsylvania’s spring 2014 resident Canada goose population estimate of 241,000 was similar to the recent 10-year average of 266,000. “This population accounts for 90 percent of the annual Pennsylvania Canada goose harvest, and close to 100 percent in the Resident Population Zone. Spring densities of Canada Geese were highest in the state’s southeast, southwest and northwest counties.

“The state’s resident Canada goose population remains well above the Atlantic Flyway management plan goal of 150,000 spring birds. Observations during June 2014 banding indicates near average juvenile recruitment statewide. Hunters can expect a fall flight similar to recent years. We continue efforts to reach our management plan goal of 150,000 resident Canada geese primarily through reducing densities in southeastern and southwestern Pennsylvania.”

Jacobs noted that spring population estimates and fall flight forecasts are obtained at large geographic scales, and therefore are not reliable predictors of waterfowl numbers that can be expected during hunting seasons.

“While managers and hunters should be encouraged by the population status and fall flight forecasts for most waterfowl species, hunting pressure, habitat and weather variables most often dictate waterfowl movements, staging and wintering numbers through the hunting seasons.”

            Pennsylvania junior license holders will have one statewide day of waterfowl hunting on Saturday, Sept. 20. There also will be a second one-day youth waterfowl hunt in the following zones: North and Northwest zones, Sept. 27; Lake Erie Zone, Oct. 18; and South Zone, Nov. 8.  Junior waterfowl days will be open to those 12 to 15 years old who hold a junior hunting license. To participate, a youngster must be accompanied by an adult, who may assist the juniors in calling, duck identification and other aspects of the hunt.  During these special hunts, juniors can harvest Canada geese, ducks, mergansers, coots and gallinules. The daily bag limit for juniors participating in the junior waterfowl days is the same as for the regular season daily limit in the area being hunted. The only exception is when September Canada goose daily bag limits exceed the regular season limit for the area being hunted; juniors then can take the September daily limit.

Waterfowl hunters are reminded that because Sept. 20 is a junior waterfowl hunting day, hunting hours for all waterfowl species close at sunset. For the remainder of the September 1 to 25 Canada goose season, hunting hours close at one-half hour after sunset.

“Federal frameworks specify that for most migratory game bird seasons, hunting hours must close at sunset,” Jacobs said. “Exceptions currently are in place to allow states to extend hunting hours to one-half hour after sunset for the September Canada goose season and the light goose conservation season to increase harvest of these overabundant waterfowl populations. Extended hunting hours can only be in effect when no other waterfowl seasons are open. When youth days occur during the September Canada goose season, hunting hours for Canada geese must close at sunset on those days to comply with federal regulations.”

 The Game Commission again will hold a special junior-only waterfowl hunting day at the controlled hunting blinds at both Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area and Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area. The junior day for Middle Creek is Nov. 15; and for Pymatuning it’s, Nov. 29.  A special drawing of applications submitted by junior license holders will be held immediately before the regular drawing for goose blinds. Interested juniors should use the same application on page 26 of the 2014-15 Digest. Only one application will be accepted per junior hunter.

In addition to a regular Pennsylvania hunting license, persons 16 and older must have a Federal Migratory Bird and Conservation Stamp, commonly referred to as a “Duck Stamp,” signed in ink across its face. All waterfowl hunters, regardless of age, must have a Pennsylvania Migratory Game Bird License to hunt waterfowl and other migratory birds, including doves, woodcock, coots, gallinules, rails and snipe. All migratory game bird hunters in the United States are required to complete a Harvest Information Program survey when they purchase a state migratory game bird license. The survey information is then forwarded to the USFWS.

“By answering questions when you purchase a new hunting license, hunters help improve survey efficiency and the quality of information used to track the harvest of migratory birds for management purposes,” Jacobs said.

In the Atlantic Population Goose Zone, the regular light goose season will be Oct. 1 to Jan. 26, with a light goose conservation season to run from Jan. 27 to April 24.  In the Southern James Bay Population Goose Zone, the regular light goose season will be Oct. 1 to Jan. 23, with a light goose conservation season to run from Jan. 24 to April 24. The Resident Population Goose Zone regular light goose season will run Oct. 28 to Feb. 28, and the light goose conservation season will run March 2 to April 24.

To participate in the light goose conservation hunts, hunters will need to obtain a free goose conservation season permit, in addition to their other required licenses, and file a mandatory report of harvest/participation.  In late 2014, the Light Goose Conservation Hunt website will be available on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) so that hunters can apply for and print out the free conservation permit.

Hunters must use non-toxic shot while hunting ducks, geese or coots in Pennsylvania. The use of decoys powered or operated by batteries or any other source of electricity is unlawful in Pennsylvania, except during the light goose conservation seasons. Also, the use of any sort of artificial substance or product as bait or an attractant is prohibited.

For complete early Canada goose season information, as well as webless migratory game bird seasons, please see News Release #066-14, which the agency issued on Aug. 6.

 

FEDERAL REGULATIONS POSTED ON GAME COMMISSION WEBSITE

            In addition to posting the annual waterfowl and migratory game bird brochure on its website, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has posted a synopsis of federal regulations that govern migratory game bird and waterfowl seasons to assist hunters in finding answers to questions.

To review the information, go to the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), put your cursor on “Hunt/Trap” in the menu bar at the top of the page, click on “Hunting,” scroll down and click on “Waterfowl Hunting and Conservation,” and then scroll down and click on “Federal Waterfowl Hunting Regulations Synopsis” in the “Waterfowl Hunting Regulations” section.

Additional information can be found on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website (www.fws.gov/hunting/whatres.html), where a complete version of the federal regulations (50 CFR Part 20) is posted. When state law differs from the federal law, hunters must comply with the more restrictive law.

 

HUNTERS ENCOURAGED TO REPORT BANDED BIRDS

Migratory game bird hunters are encouraged to report banded ducks, geese, doves and woodcock they harvest online at www.reportband.gov, or by using the toll-free number (1-800-327-BAND). Hunters will be requested to provide information on where, when and what species of migratory birds were taken, in addition to the band number. This information is crucial to the successful management of migratory birds.

Kevin Jacobs, Game Commission waterfowl biologist, also stressed that reporting leg-bands helps the Game Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service learn more about migratory bird movements, and survival and harvest rates, which are critical to population management and setting of hunting regulations. Each year, nearly 380,000 ducks and geese and 30,000 mourning doves are banded across the United States and Canada. Last year, nearly 8,000 migratory game birds were banded in Pennsylvania.

“Pennsylvania continues to monitor migratory game bird populations in cooperation with other wildlife management agencies across North America,” Jacobs explained. “Information provided by hunters is essential to manage migratory game bird populations and hunting opportunities,” Jacobs said. “By reporting the recovery of a leg-band, hunters not only assist in managing the resource, but also have an opportunity to learn interesting facts about the bird they harvested.”

Jacobs noted that online and toll-free reporting systems have produced big dividends. Under the old reporting system, utilized until the mid 1990s, only about one-third of recovered banded birds were reported by hunters. Now, with the option of using online or toll-free methods, band reporting rates have improved to more than 70 percent. This has improved greatly migratory bird management while reducing monitoring costs.

 

UPDATED WATERFOWL CONSUMPTION ADVISORY

The Game Commission recently completed a research project to obtain information on contaminant levels in Lake Erie waterfowl.

“With the assistance of waterfowl hunters and in cooperation with the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, 41 samples were collected from eight species of waterfowl harvested on Lake Erie during the 2011 and 2012 hunting seasons and tested for various contaminants,” said Dr. Justin Brown, Game Commission wildlife veterinarian. “Contaminants such as PCBs, DDE, and mercury were found in all mergansers tested, as well as in some buffleheads. These contaminants may also be present in other Pennsylvania waters, and contaminated waterfowl could migrate to other areas of the Commonwealth. As a result, the Game Commission has updated its waterfowl consumption advisory.”

The updated guidelines, applicable statewide, are as follows: 1.) Mergansers should not be eaten; 2.) Other diving ducks if properly prepared should be eaten only occasionally; and 3.) Dabbling ducks and geese can be eaten safely if properly prepared.

Proper preparation includes skinning and removing the fat before cooking; cooking to an internal temperature of 165 F as determined by a meat thermometer; and discarding the stuffing (if prepared in this manner) after cook­ing.

Brown noted that the updated consumption advisory groups waterfowl species by the prevalence of fish and invertebrates in their diets.

“The likelihood of contaminants in body tissue is high for species that feed exclusively on fish, moderate for species that occasionally consume fish and invertebrates, and low for species that primarily feed on vegetation. By following the consumption advisory, hunters will minimize potential health impacts.”

 

GOOSE BLIND DEADLINES FOR CONTROLLED HUNTING AREAS

Application deadlines are fast approaching for waterfowl hunters interested in being selected for the limited number of goose blinds at the controlled hunting areas at the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Pymatuning or Middle Creek wildlife management areas during the regular Canada goose season. A goose blind application must be submitted using the form found on page 26 of the 2014-15 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest.

Hunters may apply to only one area per year and may submit only one application, which must include the individual’s nine-digit Customer Identification (CID) Number.

The Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area will accept applications through the mail until Sept. 9, at: PGC Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, P.O. Box 110, Kleinfeltersville, PA 17039-0110. A public drawing will be held at 10 a.m., Sept. 10.

Applications for the Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area will be accepted through the mail until Sept. 13, at: PGC Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area, 9552 Hartstown Road, Hartstown, PA 16131. A public drawing will be held at 10 a.m., Sept. 20.

Blinds at Middle Creek and Pymatuning will not be operational during the September season. During the regular season, shooting days at Middle Creek are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, one-half hour before sunrise to 1:30 p.m. Shooting days at Pymatuning are Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, one-half hour before sunrise to 12:30 p.m.

A separate drawing is held for blinds that accommodate hunters with disabilities. Applicants must submit a current copy of their Disabled Person Permit (to hunt from a vehicle) issued by the Game Commission.

Also, the Game Commission again will hold special junior-only waterfowl hunting days at the controlled goose hunting areas at both Middle Creek (Nov. 15) and Pymatuning (Nov. 29) wildlife management areas. The junior-only restriction applies to the controlled goose hunting areas only; public hunting areas at Middle Creek and Pymatuning, and the Controlled Duck Hunting Areas at Pymatuning, remain open to everyone, including adults, on these dates.

Juniors must hold a junior license and be accompanied by an adult, who may participate in the hunt by calling only. A special drawing of applications submitted by junior license holders will be held immediately before the regular drawing for goose blinds. Interested juniors should use the same application on page 26 of the 2014-15 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest. Only one application will be accepted per junior hunter. Junior license holders not selected in the special drawing will then be entered into the general drawing.

Successful applicants will be mailed a hunting reservation entitling them to be accompanied by up to three guests. On hunting days, hunters also may apply, in person, for a chance at any blinds unclaimed by a reservation holder.

Persons who have previously hunted a controlled goose hunting area at the Game Commission’s Pymatuning or Middle Creek wildlife management areas may apply for unclaimed blinds on the morning of the designated shooting day, but only when there exists an absence of applications for the unclaimed blinds from persons who have not previously hunted a controlled goose hunting area.

 

SPECIAL WATERFOWL HUNTING SAFETY REMINDERS

 

Waterfowl hunters – whether hunting from shore or from a boat – are urged to keep safety first and foremost in mind, said Keith Snyder, Pennsylvania Game Commission Hunter-Trapper Education Division chief.

“Basic firearm and hunting safety are critical,” Snyder said. “Treat every firearm as if it is loaded and make sure that the muzzle is always pointed in a safe direction. Never place your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire. Be aware of any companions’ locations at all times and maintain a safe zone-of-fire. Waterfowl action can be exciting, but never swing your barrel toward another hunter.

“Make sure firearms are unloaded prior to reaching your hunting location and immediately after you are done hunting. Also, if you are using a boat, remember state law requires all firearms be unloaded while in any boat propelled by motor or sail, and should be cased with actions open.”

Snyder also noted that, in Pennsylvania, all those using a boat are required to have a properly fitted personal flotation device (PFD) readily accessible and, regulations require a PFD to be worn during the cold weather months from Nov. 1 through April 30 while underway or at anchor on boats shorter than 16 feet in length, or in any canoe or kayak. For more information on boating laws and regulations, as well as safety tips, please visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s website (www.fish.state.pa.us).  Better yet, take an approved boater’s safety course.

Additionally, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, every year several hunters die from drowning and hypothermia.

“When you have a crew of hunters, with decoys and equipment, and dogs, a boat can easily become unbalanced, especially if the wind comes up,” Snyder said, “Not only is it unsafe to overload a boat, exceeding the limits posted on the capacity plate is also illegal.

“Sudden immersion into cold water is one of the leading causes of boating fatalities in the Commonwealth. It places a severe strain on bodily systems that can lead to hypothermia or, worse, cardiac arrest. Survivors of cold-water accidents have reported their breath driven from them on contact with the water.”

Anyone falling into cold water should immediately ensure that their and any companions’ PFDs are intact, and work to find a way to exit the water or right the watercraft. Cover your mouth and nose – if possible – to prevent inhaling water.

If you can’t get out of the water immediately and the shore is too far, raise your knees and wrap your arms across your chest to help reduce heat loss through the body’s core. Don’t leave your watercraft and attempt to swim to shore. It’s probably farther than you think. Experts recommend you stay with your boat until help arrives. If possible, try to climb back into your boat or on top of it.

“Most important,” Snyder suggests, “get into the routine of making the life jacket part of your hunting equipment, and wear it.”

 

2014-15 WATERFOWL SEASONS AND BAG LIMITS

DUCKS:

North Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 11-Nov. 29, and Dec. 23-Jan. 10.

South Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 18-25, and Nov. 15-Jan. 15.

Northwest Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 11-Dec. 13, and Dec. 27-Jan. 1.

Lake Erie Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 27-Jan. 3.

 

Total Duck Bag Limits: 6 daily, 18 in possession of any species, except for the following restrictions: daily limit may not include more than 4 mallards including 2 hen mallards, 2 scaup, 1 black duck, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 1 canvasback, 2 pintails, 1 mottled duck, 1 fulvous whistling duck and 4 scoters.  Possession limits are three times the daily limits.

 

Mergansers: 5 daily, 15 in possession (not more than 2 hooded mergansers daily, 6 hooded in possession).

 

Coots: 15 daily, 45 in possession.

 

REGULAR CANADA GOOSE SEASON & BAG LIMITS (including WHITE-FRONTED GEESE): All of Pennsylvania will have a regular Canada goose season, however, season lengths and bag limits will vary by area as follows:

 

Resident Population Goose Zone (RP)

All of Pennsylvania except for the Southern James Bay Population and the Atlantic Population zone. The season is Oct. 25-Nov. 29, Dec. 18-Jan. 15, and Feb. 2-28, with a five-goose daily bag limit.

 

Southern James Bay Population Zone (SJBP)

The area north of I-80 and west of I-79 including in the city of Erie west of Bay Front Parkway to and including the Lake Erie Duck zone (Lake Erie, Presque Isle and the area within 150 yards of Lake Erie Shoreline). The season is Oct. 11-Nov. 29, Dec. 15-Jan. 23, with a three-goose daily limit.

 

Atlantic Population Zone (AP)

The area east of route SR 97 from Maryland State Line to the intersection of SR 194, east of SR 194 to intersection of US Route 30, south of US Route 30 to SR 441, east of SR 441 to SR 743, east of SR 743 to intersection of I-81, east of I-81 to intersection of I-80, south of I-80 to New Jersey state line. The season is Nov. 15-29 and Dec. 15-Jan. 26, with a three-goose daily limit.

Exception: The controlled hunting areas at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lebanon-Lancaster counties, as well as all of State Game Lands 46 (Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area), has a daily bag limit of one, and possession limit of three during the regular Canada goose season.

 

BRANT (All Zones): Oct. 18-Nov. 21, 2 daily, 6 in possession.

 

LIGHT GEESE (Snow Geese and Ross’ Geese):

            Atlantic Population Zone:

Regular: Oct. 1-Jan. 26, 25 daily, no possession limit.

            Conservation Hunt: Jan. 27 – April 24; 25 daily, no possession limit.

                                               

            Southern James Bay Population Zone:

Regular: Oct. 1-Jan. 23; 25 daily, no possession limit.

Conservation Hunt: Jan. 24 – April 24; 25 daily, no possession limit.

 

Resident Population Zone:

Regular: Oct. 28-Feb. 28; 25 daily, no possession limit.

Conservation Hunt: March 2 – April 24; 25 daily, no possession limit.

 

HARLEQUIN DUCKS, and TUNDRA and TRUMPETER SWANS: No open season.

 

 

Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area: Shooting days at Pymatuning are Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, one-half hour before sunrise to 12:30 p.m. Ducks: Oct. 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29, and 31; Nov. 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 29; and Dec. 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 27, 29, and 31. Geese: Oct. 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29, and 31; Nov. 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 29; Dec. 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29, and 31; and Jan. 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, and 23.

 

Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area: Shooting days at Middle Creek are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to 1:30 p.m. Geese and ducks: Nov. 15, 18, 20, 22, 25, 27, and 29; Dec. 16, 18, 20, 23, 27, and 30; and Jan. 3, 6, 8, 10, 13, and 15. Geese only: Jan. 17, 20, 22, and 24.

 

JUNIOR WATERFOWL HUNTING DAYS (Statewide): Statewide: Sept. 20; also in North and Northwest zones, Sept. 27; in Lake Erie Zone, Oct. 18; and in South Zone, Nov. 8. Open to licensed junior hunters ages 12-15, when properly accompanied, for ducks, mergansers, gallinules and coots, and Canada goose as permitted. Same daily bag limits as regular season. Hunting hours to close at sunset.

 

JUNIOR-ONLY DAY AT CONTROLLED HUNTING AREAS:  Middle Creek is Nov. 15, and Pymatuning is Nov. 29.

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