Some biologists thinks it's time to bring them back to help manage deer populations. Some biologists have an unusual solution: cougars. Luckily, the camera is static, and there are plenty of objects in the frame that can be used to compare scale and positioning. They are wart-like, hairless tumors caused by a virus. Are the Latest Fast CF Cards worth the Expense? More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania Those buying licenses from an issuing agent will be issued harvest tags at the time of purchase and will have the opportunity to have digital licenses provided through email. If you see a deer or elk displaying symptoms of CWD, report it to the appropriate Game Commission region office. With less deer roaming forests, she said, plant and bird biodiversity might improve, too. Yes. For many decades, cougars confined themselves to prowling the wooded and mountainous areas of the western U.S. Most of the people I've spoken with live in this belt, but biologists friends I've spoken with have told me of their own reports, first-hand, from hunters in the Poconos who saw pumas, too. Based on the image below, wherein I have used red dots to outline the cats body, I am a bit hard pressed to say that it is a bobcat. New hotline info. At no time is a hunter able to possess more than six unfilled antlerless licenses. In Yellowstone, definite puma country (perhaps not ideal habitat, but pumas are found in every section of Yellowstone), I've spoken to guys on road crews and with rangers, each with 20 years of field or road experience in Yellowstone, and the ranger had only seen 2 (both road kills and together) and the road crew guys two or three in all their years. How is the Pennsylvania Game Commission organized? Taking hunting out of the equation, the nature of mature birds in spring (gobbling and displaying) makes them more susceptible to natural predation. There are geese everywhere, why does the Atlantic Population (AP) Zone have a one bird daily limit for the 2021-22 season? In 2011, the U.S. As part of the American Marten Reintroduction Feasibility Assessment the Game Commission conducted extensive diet research from across the marten's range and found that marten eat primarily rodents, followed by a high percentage of insects and plants. Through rigorous scientific process, biologists manage and track population trends and harvest very closely each year to inform management decisions while game wardens work tirelessly to enforce the laws and regulations on trapping. Unfortunately, just like any tool, they can be used inappropriately and result with negative impact. They have adapted to live in the suburbs in woods, fields or even backyards without being seen by people.. The post-Christmas grouse season, (hereafter late season), is well-loved by many grouse hunters. Wildfires on the other hand, are unplanned fires that occur during extreme conditions, which can pose threats to public safety and cause damage to natural resources. The Mentored Hunting Program has expanded in recent years to offer opportunities to unlicensed hunters of ALL ages. Follow Kristin & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @kristin_hunt Although it is beneficial to provide contact information in case game wardens have follow-up questions, callers may remain confidential. Where can I find Depth of Field reference charts? While the dead cougar had been roaming free in the forests of northwestern. Be safe and stay healthy! Fish and Wildlife Service formally declared the eastern cougar extinct, but said the subspecies had probably been stamped out in the 1930s. Learn more about Pennsylvania elk. The agency worked hard to restore many of these species back to the Commonwealth, and that continues today with success stories for beaver, river otter, bobcat and fisher. In addition, hens are less prone to abandon their nests if disturbed after incubation is underway. However, jakes have high probability of natural survival to the next year. I can't dismiss the eye-witnesses I've interviewed. So glad to post. Only once has anyone later determined that they had misidentified the cat, seeing a bobcat and not a mountain lion. All of the above images are of bobcats. However, many of my reports were at distances that people knew, and as you look at the images of the puma there really is a big difference in color and shape between a puma and a house cat. They know what they saw, regardless of what the facts say, and they know they saw a puma. If you ask me, the answer is yes. How do I report suspected wildlife crimes? Eastern mountain lions lived in central Pennsylvania until the late 1800s, according to Foster. Check out the Elk Viewing Guide and Elk Scenic Drive Map from the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau. For example, rabies prevention and roadway flooding from beavers. Bowhunters accounted for over a third of Pennsylvanias 2020-21 overall deer harvest taking 160,480 deer (80,130 antlered and 80,350 antlerless deer) with either bows or crossbows. All rights reserved (About Us). The Game Commissions CWD Response Plan was adopted by the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners in July 2020 and was developed in collaboration with Pennsylvania stakeholders, CWD experts from state and federal wildlife agencies and non-government organizations from across the country. Our investigations have determined the overwhelming number of sightings of mountain lions in our state are actually bobcats. (PennLive has investigated many reports of mountain lions, and other mystery creatures, and has found no confirming evidence. If mountain lions are here, or are to come here, they'll have to do it on their own. Something to consider, even though we all trust the government. Is there a way for Pennsylvania hunters to donate extra venison? Supplemental feeding is not necessary to sustain wildlife populations. Large numbers of hens in the woods can mean lots of hung-up gobblers in the spring, but an abundance of female turkeys only helps gobbler populations. The license year begins July 1 and ends June 30. With proper management, trapping allows for sustainable use of this valuable wildlife resource. Given the cougar's effectiveness as a deer population control, some biologists think this eastern push is a good thing one that should even be encouraged or helped along. How old must I be to mentor a mentored hunter? Mountain lions are large, tan cats. This can lead to property damage, or worse, dangerous human-bear interactions. pgccomments@pa.gov. When I did, I discovered the intruder was a large cat. Crews will remain on site until they are sure the fire is contained to the burn unit and is out cold along the firebreaks. It is legal to use trail cameras on state game lands. If we say it ain't so, it ain't so! Effective July 1, 2013; a $16 fee is charged for issuing a hunter education replacement certificate. Periodically, via Google searches, I receive reports from people who believe they had seen a mountain lion in Pennsylvania, or in other mid-Atlantic states. Many of those claiming to have encountered a cougar in Pennsylvania take that non-confirmation by the commission as an attack on their veracity and character. Possibly, but it seems unlikely that enough would have been released or had escaped to make for a viable population. "Deer pose relatively less risk to them compared to larger animals. Because the neck bothered me, I decided to do some Photoshop on the puma in the lower left, moving his head higher up and changing the image to a contrasty black and white - to give a silhouette for comparision. If the test fire achieves expected results, and weather conditions remain within the prescription, crews will begin burning along the firebreak on the downwind or uphill side of the unit to widen the control line, which helps to ensure that the remainder of the burn will stay contained. The Hunting and Trapping Digest serves as a great resource when it comes to questions about hunting seasons, bag limits and regulations. A permitted person taking a bobcat or fisher must report the harvest within 48 hours online at HuntFishPA or by phone at 1-800-838-4431. He saw a big cat. What Did Megalodon Eat? This allows many hens to be bred, even when a much lower number of gobblers than hens exists, ensuring an adequate hatch to sustain the population. Regularly cleaning and removing grease, fat, and food particles from outside grills. I was able to match the images perfectly in terms of scale, size and position. These factors include: habitat, weather, predation, disease and hunting mortality. People still report cougar sightings in Pennsylvania all the time. Plus, you can set alarms on timers to make sure they go off at certain times of the day when youve spotted cougars coming onto your property. Rarely seen but surprisingly numerous, the bobcat (Lynx rufus) prowls most of Pennsylvania's woods throughout much of the state. http://bit.ly/PGCOGT. Hunter-Trapper Education course records dating back to 1987 are maintained on a computer database. Where can I learn more about Pennsylvanias state game lands? The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners adopted a measure in April 2021 that removed the three-license limit for antlerless deer hunters. How do I report my deer or turkey harvest(s)? There is no known cure. I used to archery hunt for deer, and I spent a lot of time (way too much time) sitting silently in a tree stand waiting for deer. Which is the better camera, the Mark IV or the 7D? Turkeys aren't like deer, which can overpopulate a given area and strip it of available food. Their digestive systems and metabolism are adapted to survive harsh winter weather, including deep snow, cold temperatures and high winds. Please remember to be respectful of private property while visiting. But this one was black, and he knows mountain lions are some variant of brown. About six months ago I posted the question, Are there Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? Where they always here as a relic population? Once a bear finds easy access to those kids of food, they are likely to come back for more. Our visitor is also far too tall to be a house cat, so thats out. If so, what would happen to the hunting industry in all of these states? I usually follow-up on these reports and, via email or phone conversations, I receive more details. Im 61 tall and it comes up to my knee. The increased light provided from knocking back small saplings and brush coupled with reduction in leaf litter or grass thatch will greatly enhance opportunities for new species to grow, particularly native grasses and forbs. I'm passionate about helping people achieve their dreams, and I believe that education is the key to unlocking everyone's potential. Now, forty years ago coyotes were rare or almost nonexistent in Pennsylvania, and had had that same sighting back then, when coyotes were thought not to exist within the state we would have had the 'facts' to doubt what we saw. Where can I find a local hunting license vendor? Thank you in advance for helping to protect Pennsylvania wildlife. The agency is primarily funded by hunting and furtaker license sales, as well as State Game Lands timber, mineral, oil/gas revenues, a federal excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition, and assets that have been procured with license dollars. Are hunters OK with fewer deer?". Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? It probably wasnt; it was more likely 1-3 feet away, in which case my estimates will need to be scaled up a bit. Consider that the endangered Florida puma has mixed genes. We raise pheasants because people like to hunt them. If its further back, it could be a far larger specimen and could conceivably weigh twice that. This change, to allow antlerless hunting throughout the season, is not intended to increase the antlerless harvest. Yet, again, were assuming that our mystery cat is right up against the steps. States have tried all kinds of strategies to bring down the number of crashes, from capturing and sterilizing deer to encouraging hunters to go open season. In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. Hunters I've spoken with said they've been told you can't kill a puma, which they felt was ironic since the same official told them pumas don't exist in Pa. CWD is transmitted both directly through animal-to-animal contact and indirectly through food and soil contaminated with bodily excretions including feces, urine and saliva. Keystone State. The proposal to remove the three-license limit for antlerless deer hunters statewide is intended to ensure that licenses allocated within a WMU are issued to the fullest extent possible. This framework represents an effort to proactively revise Pennsylvanias season-setting process to respond to declines, while we still have a functional statewide population. And a quiet, snowy covert makes a grouse flush all-the-more dramatic. The population declined significantly and experienced a near total reproductive failure in 2018. Future season-setting will be guided by a consistent and transparent process based on grouse abundance, summer sightings and disease risk. Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (Mit), Missouri University Of Science And Technology, State University Of New York Health Science Center At Brooklyn, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry, The University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At San Antonio, The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences, University At Buffalo Suny School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, University Of California, Los Angeles (Ucla), University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, University Of Maryland Baltimore County (Umbc), University Of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, University Of Tennessee Health Science Center, University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. How do I report suspected sick, injured or nuisance wildlife? Cougars had long been targeted by early American settlers paranoid over livestock losses, the agency found, with some states going so far as to offer bounties for dead cougars. How can I tell if an animal has CWD? The story behind our new web site. My friend was a former hunter and fisherman, and spent a lot of time in the woods, as did I, but neither of us had ever seen a coyote. The Nittany Lion at State College wasn't just created out of thin air. the result of eating undercooked pork, said Dr. How can I help to prevent negative human-bear interactions on my property? Learn more about elk history in Pennsylvania. Additional That a hunter holds no more than six unfilled licenses at a time. How many state game lands are in Pennsylvania and how many acres do they span? Because turkeys eat a variety of foods, large populations won't damage their habitat. 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. A Hunting &Trapping Digest will be included with your license/permit purchase at no additional cost. Those wishing to complete the course, who are 11 years and older, have the option to complete it online. Click here to learn more about CWD in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania State law specifies that license fees are non-refundable and therefore the Pennsylvania Game Commission does not have the authority to issue a refund. Please remember and take note, it is unlawful to take the antlers that are found still attached to a skull. Currently, due to the lesser effectiveness of the flintlock rifle and the relatively few deer harvested by flintlock hunters, allowing them to use their unused buck tag has not been an issue in meeting the agencys deer management goals. Michelle LaRue, executive director of the Cougar Network and a research ecologist at the University of Minnesota, will discuss the eastern expansion of cougars from their core range in the western U.S. at 7 p.m. in Moravian College's Haupert Union Building, Bethlehem. More than half of the Game Commissions annual revenue comes from license sales, a relatively fixed income source. Wildlife crimes affect everyone. Cougars also called mountain lions or pumas are uniquely suited to hunt and kill deer, who not only cause traffic accidents but overgraze to the point of endangering native species and eliminating habitats for smaller animals. Is it lawful to use an inline during the late flintlock season? Let me explain this. There have been no confirmed reports of mountain lions, AKA Puma concolor, in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s. This was fortunate, of course, as I was able to use items in the frame for comparison, to match the size of said images and the steps in additional photos. The State argues that there is no physical evidence, and no credible photographs. Who should I call with a wildlife-related question in my local area? Onthese three Sundays, hunters on private land are required to carry written permission from the landowner. We will get through this pandemic together and the Game Commission appreciates the publics compliance and support. WPRAs are selected based on potential pheasant habitat available. Many of the reports I receive are extremely credible. [SECRET REVEALED]. Im not a trapper, so whether trapping is allowed or not, why does it matter to me? Is there a Puma conspiracy? Those licenses remain available and 2. I love the big cats and devote a huge amount of my field time photographing African lions, leopards, cheetahs, and in 2011, tigers. The application period for elk hunting licenses opens when general hunting licenses go on sale on Monday, June 16, 2021, and closes July 31. Some biologists thinks it's time to bring them back to help manage deer populations. A few additional ways to help prevent bears getting into garbage: Keep garbage cans clean by washing them out a few times a year with bleach or ammonia; keep bears from easily getting inside cans by attaching ratchet straps (not bungee cords) across the lid in an X pattern; and do not strap cans to a tree or post, as doing so actually gives a bear leverage to more easily access a can if someone is using an actual bear-proof container or using the ratchet straps. Bowhunter Education course records dating back to 2000 and Cable Restraint/Furtaker Education records dating back to 2005 are also maintained. Click here to find a class in your area. If it were, it would be listed. Why do I advocate manual exposure so avidly? Although no tail is visible, in terms of proportions, it appears more like a mountain lion than it does a bobcat, which tend to have shorter, more compact bodies and comparatively longer legs. Wet springs are associated with greater potential for predation of nests and hens may be more prone to abandon nests in wet weather. I'm a photographer, yet I've never had a chance to snap a photograph of one of these bears. The most popular time of year to view elk is during the rut, which typically begins in September and carries through October. How do I register for a Hunter-Trapper Education Course? Mountain lions, also commonly known as cougars, are officially extinct in both Pennsylvania and the United States east of the Mississippi. Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? Continuing with that thought, if that were so, then it'd be possible, if not very likely, that the Eastern puma would be an Endangered Species. Viewing Guide and elk Scenic Drive Map from the landowner access to those kids of food, they wart-like! Unfortunately, just like any tool, they can be used inappropriately and result with negative.... 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