Hunters will be requested to provide information on where, when and what species of migratory birds were taken, in addition to the band number. Animals infected with CWD may not show signs of infection for 12 or more months. 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. Fish and wildlife service declared the eastern cougar, other than the Florida panther, extinct in 2011. So it happens, and who knows if it is existing in wild pumas in the East. Penn's Woods is our state's nickname due to our forests, which blanket more than 60 percent of our state, and more than 92 percent of our state game lands. I receive about one email or phone call a month, on average, from people that I do not know who are contacting me because their sighting compelled them to do a Google search on puma sightings, and they found my site and previously posted questions. Why do I advocate manual exposure so avidly? Click here to learn more. Is wildlife harmed by prescribed fire? This is only hearsay, however, since I'm only going on their stories. Anyone, ages 11 and up, can currently register for Pennsylvanias online Hunter-Trapper Education course. The decision to burn can be made as late as the morning of the burn. Are hunters OK with fewer deer?". The Game Commission maintains a public map that shows where prescribed burns are being planned. More than half of the Game Commissions annual revenue comes from license sales, a relatively fixed income source. No wild cougars have been found in Pennsylvania since their extirpation in 1871. For now, the state will stick with its current deer management plan, which leans heavily on hunting. Are the Latest Fast CF Cards worth the Expense? What species can a mentored hunter hunt? The stride was around 21 inches, and they ambled along at a leisurely pace. The footage is dark and amorphous, and very hard to make out. 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. There is also a drop of 7 inches from the top step to the ground/grass outside. How would mountain lions impact the entire trophic scale underneath them? I've seen scores of leopards in the grasslands and deserts of East Africa and I've never seen, nor spoke with anyone, who has seen a black leopard there. Over the last two years I have occasionally posted a Question of the Month soliciting sightings from people who believed that they have seen a mountain lion in Pennsylvania or in other areas in the mid-Atlantic states. He said the idea of having mountain lions in Pennsylvania again - they roamed the state as late as the early 1800s - seems nice at first, but would never . Will the Game Commission refund the cost of my hunting and furtaker licenses if I cannot travel due to COVID-19-related restrictions? A dark brown puma, backlighted by a strong sun, could appear all black, or very dark, and he accepted that. However, evidence of attempt to tag would be harder to prove if the tag was placed around the antler. For more information, visitSeasons and Bag Limits. Call the region office that serves the county where the animal is located, directly. No. Is it lawful to find and retain deer and/or elk antlers on state game lands? Those with additional questions related to Pennsylvanias Hunter-Trapper Education program, as well as mentored hunting opportunities, can contact the Pennsylvania Game Commissions Hunter-Trapper Education Division by calling 717-787-7015, from Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. What is the minimum and maximum ages for a mentored hunting permit? There is no prohibition, per se, on metal detecting on state game lands. Many species of wildlife are born in the spring and its almost certain Pennsylvanians will encounter young wildlife at one point or another. This bill would eliminate the current process, which includes mailing a pink antlerless deer application envelope to a county treasurer. Black bears are omnivores, which means their diet is made up of both meat and plant material. My toes were literally against it. Now, if there were any escapes, and if any of these bred with a possible minuscule number of eastern pumas, a relic native population, wouldn't the gene pool be corrupted? This reduction likely will be more in the central part of the state where rifle harvest is highest. I'm Cary Hardy, an education expert and consultant. Let me explain this. The question that remains is: if it was a house cat or cougar, how big would it be? On the second night, a mountain lion passed by, apparently drawn by the smell but put off by the stench, as the cat did not visit the kill. The interaction of these factors, such as a high fall harvest rate coupled with poor poult production due to adverse spring weather with poor habitat quality, predation and minor disease, impact populations. Occasionally, they may become ulcerated resulting in secondary bacterial infections, which would make the deer unfit for consumption. But as the South Dakota mountain lion proved, in its at least unusual migration to Connecticut, anything is possible. But all white-tailed deer and elk that contract CWD die. The doe bolted for the trees with the cat still attached, and every 6 feet or so you could see a large impression in the snow, which mustve been the cats rump as it was hanging on with teeth and claws. This would show how tall said cat was, compared to both me and the tape measure I am holding. Seal open areas under structures like porches, sheds and decks that can provide shelter for cougars or their prey. Reporting is mandatory, regardless of harvest, for DMAP (Deep Management Assistance Permits) and second spring turkey licenses. I am hoping that more and more people will learn of my own interest in this, and will pass on this information and that I'll receive more reports and, hopefully, sometime, a game camera photo that is definitive. That said there have been numerous sightings of them over the years. Why is there no post-Christmas grouse hunting season? For example, one man I interviewed said he saw a 'black' puma, and this should disqualify his sighting as a black puma has never been recorded. All rights reserved (About Us). While mountain lion attacks are rare, they do happen. Is Penn State World Campus The Same As Main Campus? There are geese everywhere, why does the Atlantic Population (AP) Zone have a one bird daily limit for the 2021-22 season? We will get through this pandemic together and the Game Commission appreciates the publics compliance and support. Lion sightings they got. Thank you in advance for helping to protect Pennsylvania wildlife! Kristin Hunt How do I report a banded waterfowl harvest? In an effort to simplify and modernize how Pennsylvania hunters apply for their antlerless deer licenses, the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee passed Senate Bill 431, which would allow for the sale of the licenses at any issuing agent in the state, as well as online. In Pennsylvania, most burns take place in March, April, May and November when grass is dormant and leaves are off, allowing sunlight and wind to dry the forest floor. One sighting I give complete belief in was from a friend who told me a puma crossed right in front of their vehicle, and paused on the berm for a few seconds, at a distant of ten yards or less. Initially, the purpose of pheasant stocking was to help establish self-sustaining populations. The cat was far enough away that I couldn't get a size reference, and I believed the cat was further away than it actually was. The smell of rotting flesh was unmistakable. Hunters can apply online at HuntFishPA for the elk license drawing and check the status of their applications. By the mid-1900s pumas were eliminated from almost all of the eastern states, and by mid-century were officially extinct east of the Mississippi, except for a remnant population in southern Florida. It is also unlawful to dig on state game lands. The current estimate is 2,000 - 2,700 throughout Arizona. Game Commission selections are made after reviewing the previous years hunter harvests, population survey data and public input. By requiring the tag in an ear, the antlers can be removed, but the deer head, at a minimum, and carcass remain identifiable. The most direct way to report an instance of a suspected sick, injured or nuisance wild animal is to call the Pennsylvania Game Commission Region Office that serves the county in which the animal is located. Please remember and take note, it is unlawful to take the antlers that are found still attached to a skull. Mid-level vegetation is often left standing, but is often top-killed by the fire, meaning the stem is dead but it will resprout from the roots. The agency is represented statewide and has field staff managed out of six region offices: Northwest, Southwest, Northcentral, Southcentral, Northeast and Southeast. Yet there is a taste for meat of threatened wild animals in other parts of the worldtoo many species to list, said Allan. Crews will then continue burning into the wind and downslope, sending fire into the previously burned or blackened area. Where is Pennsylvanias elk herd located? Fall seasons differ according to the wild turkey population density in each Wildlife Management Unit, varying from closed to 3 weeks + a 3-day Thanksgiving holiday season. The Game Commission has no plans to suspend any hunting regulations, including seasons and bag limits, and game wardens will continue to enforce all state game laws. How can I apply for a Pennsylvania elk hunting license? While some young animals might appear to be abandoned, usually they are not. Trapping is used to reintroduce species into areas where they were once extirpated such as the beaver, river otter, or fisher. The photographer had no reason to stage the shot -- indeed, the composition and background was terrible, and not what you'd expect for something staged, but the shot wasn't perfectly clear. The State cites that there are no road-kills, and in a heavily trafficed state like Pennsylvania there should be kills. What would account for the long tails? Yet, all is not lost. WPRAs are established through partnerships between the Game Commission and Pheasants Forever Chapters or other conservation groups. Have all of those who have seen a puma really seen a bobcat? This change, to allow antlerless hunting throughout the season, is not intended to increase the antlerless harvest. 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. When is the peak of the elk rut? This ensures that all hens have had opportunities to breed with gobblers, and lay their full clutch of eggs, uninterrupted by hunters. Those applying for elk licenses can select which zones they would like to hunt. Hunters and trappers buying licenses online will continue to be mailed all durable-stock license panels, including harvest tags, and will also be given access to eLicenses. Elk, Pa.s largest wild animal, have become a tourism boom in the northwest part of the state. Reporting leg-bands helps the Game Commission and the U.S. Yes. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a neurological disease that affects members of the cervid family (e.g., deer, elk, moose and reindeer/caribou). Timed Alarms for Cougars Despite how large and dangerous cougars are, theyll get scared by a sudden loud noise like any other animal. Many of those making the reports generally . How do I purchase a license or report a harvest in HuntFishPA? No electronic versions of these documents will be issued or authorized for use, and durable-stock harvest tags still need to be carried in the field when hunting in big-game seasons or trapping seasons when harvest tags are used. Why cant I purchase antlerless deer tags online? I think it is possible that recognizing the existence of pumas in the East could jeopardize this industry and an entire economy. But even without that second look there was no question that we'd seen a coyote. The agency is focused on putting wildlife first, improving wildlife habitat, following sound business practices, serving the Pennsylvania public and improving support for hunting and trapping. . Let us know. Help prevent negative human-bear conflicts and keep Pennsylvania bears wild by: Removing potential bear snacks, like pet food or bird feeders, and putting them inside overnight. The other three images are from my file, selected to most closely approximate the pose of the cat from the game camera. However, mountain lion sightings in Pennsylvania are still being reported. The Pennsylvania Game Commissions website, mobile app and Hunting and Trapping Digest are all great resources when looking for information related to current hunting and trapping seasons and beg limits. There was no melting, no expansion. So, couldn't that same argument apply to pumas in the Northeast? "But there is certainly major costs to that return. Late-stage signs of CWD-infected animals include an extreme loss of body condition; excessive drinking, urination, salivation and drooling; and behavioral and neurologic changes such as repetitive walking patterns, droopy ears, a wide-based stance, and listlessness. That may be true, or was once true, but even a declawed puma, if it can survive off rabbits and squirrels, and breeds, its offspring would be fully equipted to survive. In some areas, entire populations of a species exhibit this trait, for unlike albinism, which results in a conspicuous white color and light-sensitive pink eyes, there are no ill effects with melanism. When I did, I discovered the intruder was a large cat. The elks weight and several biological samples will be collected by Game Commission wildlife biologists. And a quiet, snowy covert makes a grouse flush all-the-more dramatic. and are the same size as the American mink and the same length as an adult fox squirrel. It appears proportionately longer, and more pantherish. There are currently four WPRAs in the state. Would that declaration close that ridge to hunting? He's a hunter, a woodsman, and he's seen a lot of game, so I can believe he saw a back-lighted puma. Where are managed dove fields located on state games lands? By expanding concurrent seasons statewide, hunters are provided with more opportunities to harvest antlerless deer. Larger and more aggressive animals often exclude younger and weaker animals which causes aggressive behavior resulting in injuries and even death for particularly vulnerable individuals. Click here for more information about the agency. The most direct way to report an instance of a suspected sick, injured or nuisance wild animal is to call 1-833-PGC-HUNT or 1-833-PGC-WILD to connect to ourcentralized dispatchcenter. Junior hunters, 16 or older, may hunt alone. Both deer and turkey harvests must be reported within ten days (five days for turkeys or deer taken by mentored hunters, or persons required to make a homemade tag). And the tape measure I am holding mink and the Game Commission and the Game Commission and Pheasants Chapters., Pa.s largest wild animal, have become a tourism boom in the northwest part of the many... A tourism boom in the East could jeopardize this industry and an entire economy its current deer plan... Or older, may hunt alone are omnivores, which leans heavily on hunting would it be Penn state Campus. Many species of wildlife are born in the northwest part of the cat from the top step to ground/grass! 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