Other crew members are assigned to monitor the weather and smoke conditions throughout the day to ensure the fire stays within its prescription and is achieving the desired ecological effects. How do I deal with shaving weight for carrying my gear? How do I register for a Hunter-Trapper Education Course? Most of my original Questions of the Month for the last several I have three observations here: 1. I am bothered by the constricted neck of the cat on the game camera; 2. the tail is curved down, rather than up, but it may have been in mid-swing; 3. the goldenrod-appearing flower, and the background of cars, gives a sense of scale and location. *It is illegal to feed elk and bear and deer with Chronic Wasting Disease Management Areas. It is lawful for individuals to find and retain deer and elk antlers on public land, so long as they were shed through natural causes. Secondary recreational uses are also permitted in accordance with the Game Commission's regulations. Possibly, but it seems unlikely that enough would have been released or had escaped to make for a viable population. I'm wondering, then, if the complete dismissal of sightings of Eastern pumas (other than the acknowledgement of released or escaped pets) isn't motivated by economics. Melanism is the reverse, where there is an abundance of dark or black pigmentation. It is illegal to intentionally lay or place food, fruit, hay, grain, chemical, salt or other minerals that may cause bears to congregate or habituate an area. Are there Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? Brown apparently still has beef with Chiefs' JuJu Smith-Schuster. Smoke will generally dissipate once ignition is complete but may linger in the immediate vicinity for several hours after the burn while downed logs smolder and burn out. By requiring the tag in an ear, the antlers can be removed, but the deer head, at a minimum, and carcass remain identifiable. It is not impossible for a mountain lion to be living in the Commonwealth. If you are already an OutdoorNews.com subscriber, you can log in here. My house is in a heavily-wooded area. Its a wonderful defense against mountain lions (also known as cougars, pumas, or panthers). Refer to the Pennsylvania Department of Healths precautionary recommendations for outdoor recreation. On a recent stifling morning in Adams County, the 290-pound mountain lion with perfect bone structure is ignoring the raw chicken breast and pork chops a handler tossed into his pen. Specific information is available by emailing pgccomments@pa.gov or contacting the Game Commission office that serves your county. In order to successfully manage furbearers in the Commonwealth, and ensure healthy populations into the future, trapping matters to all of us. Yet even with these precautions, there are rare instances when animals and/or their nests may get burned. These color morphs are most common in rain forests and jungles. At headquarters, there is an executive staff and seven bureaus: Wildlife Habitat Management, Wildlife Management, Wildlife Protection, Administrative Services, Marketing and Strategic Communications, Information and Education and Automated Technology Services. Unfortunately, at times, our wardens are not able to respond to every incident and they must use their best judgement on which calls to respond to first. Callers anywhere in the state can now dial 1-833-PGC-HUNT or 1-833-PGC-WILD to contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Centralized Dispatch Center and be directed appropriately. Their bodies are mainly covered in tawny-beige fur, except for the whitish-gray belly and chest. The Pennsylvania Game Commission has been trying to establish a wild population of pheasants for years through its Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas (WPRAs). What does a Mountain Lion look like on a game camera? You can also call the Game Commission's replacement card fulfillment center at 1-800-830-2268 for assistance in obtaining a replacement certificate. The agency employs more than 200 habitat management staff, which includes foresters and land managers, many of whom participate on burn crews as one of their many duties. 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. 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. WPRAs are selected based on potential pheasant habitat available. What are the 2022-23 Hunting Season and Bag Limits? Those wishing to follow the agency online can do so on the following social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If so, what would happen to the hunting industry in all of these states? How old must I be to mentor a mentored hunter? Is there a Puma conspiracy? Pennsylvanias 1.6 million acres of state game lands are open for public access, at this time. How would mountain lions impact the entire trophic scale underneath them? Who knows? 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. I don't know if a Game Commission authority has actually said this or not, but people I've spoken to have reported this. Deer aging crews visit processors to examine deer heads to collect age, sex, harvest location and hunter information. How can I become a Hunter-Trapper Education instructor? Based on the available imagery, its impossible for me to say with confidence whether were looking at a huge bobcat or a small cougar/mountain lion. 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. Conversely, an outdoor writer I know told me that when Pa. enacted a menagerie permit law years ago, 'a lot of mountain lions suddenly died,' as the owners of these cats, rather than going through the paperwork, simply released their pumas and claimed that they had died. The footage is dark and amorphous, and very hard to make out. It was decided that this shouldn't influence the decision and, in fact, an infusion of new genes produces a hybrid vigor, lessening the chance of in-breeding. Alhough Canada lynx have a bigger range than bobcats, they're the only known wildcat species in Pennsylvania, even though people have mistakenly reported sightings of pumas or mountain lions in the region. It has been illegal to hunt and kill mountain lions in California since 1971, but hunting the cats is permitted in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, Utah and Nevada. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Once a hunter obtains six licenses, the hunter cant purchase additional licenses without first harvesting deer and reporting them. While there have been no confirmed occurrences of mountain lions in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s, dozens of sincere reports of sightings and tracks and even more hoaxed reports emerge across the state each year. Mountain lions weigh 90-160 pounds . If you encounter a dead or injured animal that you suspect is a victim of a wildlife crime, please report the instance to the Operation Game Thiefs toll-free hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year at 1-888-PGC-8001 or fill out an online form at When I first discovered this fresh carcass I examined it for throat punctures, thinking that it may have been killed by a puma. What is the Game Commission doing to manage CWD? I'd love to hear of any reports you have. Thank you in advance for helping to protect Pennsylvania wildlife! It is unlawful for individuals to possess a shed antler to sell, barter or trade OR to offer to sell, barter or trade any shed antler. The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners voted to allow hunting and furtaking eLicenses to be carried afield as an alternative to carrying certain paper licenses. While ignition is taking place, additional crews patrol the firebreak perimeter to ensure the fire stays where it's supposed to. Good luck, and let me know! Would a puma then qualify as a native species? Calls to the Operation Game Thief hotline are always answered by a secure recording device. Contact your Game Commission region office for additional information on how to create, preserve, or enhance wildlife habitat. There are three ways hunters can report their deer or turkey harvests: Online at HuntFishPA, by phone at the NEW toll-free number 1-800-838-4431 or by mail (using the postcard in the Hunting & Trapping Digest). Pennsylvanias elk herd is located in the states northcentral region. Unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product. The last wild mountain lion (Puma concolor) known to live in Pennsylvania was killed in 1871. Store clean grills and smokers in a secure area that keeps bears out. No. Why stock pheasant that cant survive? That said there have been numerous sightings of them over the years. On a recent stifling morning in Adams County, the 290-pound mountain lion with perfect bone structure is ignoring the raw chicken breast and pork chops a . If you purchase a snow goose conservation permit, you must submit a snow goose harvest online at HuntFishPA, even if you were not successful. So is the second largest extant cat in North America still managing to eke out a living in the Keystone state? After all, skeptics often suggest that puma sightings are just deer sightings, so it would be logical to worry that a hunter might shoot an endangered puma, mistaking it for a brown deer. So, theyll respond swiftly to a dose of pepper spray, meaning theyll almost always beat a hasty retreat. For more information, call 866-474-2141 or visit www.sharedeer.org. 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. Most general and add-on licenses are available in-store. First, when a deer is transported, either by dragging it out of the woods or transferring it to a vehicle, sometimes the tag is lost. Although I suspect that the cat filmed is not a bobcat (its certainly not a house cat), I cant say for sure that this proves there are mountain lions in Pennsylvania. The Game Commission has a carefully timed season that intentionally finds middle ground between peak gobbling and a safe nesting period. It is illegal to take or possess wildlife from the wild. However, that said, this past winter we did have a very large bobcat attempt to take a deer behind the house. With less deer roaming forests, she said, plant and bird biodiversity might improve, too. Hes fairly lean and well-muscled, as hes a dainty eater and play-brawls constantly with his larger brother, so hes hardly obese. Click here for a brief synopsis of the zones. 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. And a quiet, snowy covert makes a grouse flush all-the-more dramatic. Recently, on our Arizona Hummingbird and Bat Photo Shoot, I found a deer that had been hit by a car and had moved off to die beside a stream just 200 yards upstream from our lodge. First, inline muzzleloaders are far more efficient, compared to a flintlock rifle. The board approved staffs recommendation to shorten the fall seasons in 15 WMUs as its standard method of targeting hen harvest reductions in specific units. There have been no "confirmed" reports of mountain lions, AKA Puma concolor, in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s. Anyone, ages 11 and up, can currently register for Pennsylvanias online Hunter-Trapper Education course. During the 1990s turkeys exhibited rapid population expansion facilitated by a combination of: restoration (trap & transfer), suppressed predator populations (much more trapping than today and rabies was more evident), more controlled hunting seasons, and habitat availability. They are there to help us. One spotted in the Delaware Water Gap 25 years ago this week was believed to be the first in over a century. Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? Cougars in Pennsylvania may still be a pipe dream in 2023, but who knows? Absolutely, not. Hunters with bears to be checked after check stations close should contact the appropriate region office. Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. Certainly it is a romantic notion, but I've always held out the hope that pumas still roamed the east. For more information, visitSeasons and Bag Limits. Using our cat Mace, again, as reference, lets try and see. However, recently I saw a photo of a melanistic bobcat, as black as could be, with bright yellow eyes. Where can I learn more about Pennsylvanias state game lands? 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. Why should I care about trapping? Ask your butcher to process your meat individually, without meat from other animals, or process your own meat; 6. In addition, hens are less prone to abandon their nests if disturbed after incubation is underway. If you took a hunter or trapper education course before the above dates, you must complete a Hunter Education Program Replacement Certificate Affidavit (PDF) form, which can be downloaded from this site. 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. Can you shoot a mountain lion if it attacks you? But, again, for purposes of being conservative, were going to assume it was right by the step when it was filmed. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The same thing applies here. Pictures dating to the 1930s have appeared over the years in the Pennsylvania Game Commissions magazine Game News. Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? A dark brown puma, backlighted by a strong sun, could appear all black, or very dark, and he accepted that. More information is available here. Can so many people be wrong? Not only do hunting licenses support the various state game commissions, and in some states the acquisition and maintenance of public hunting lands, but hunters are a huge boon to local economies each fall, with purchases of food, lodging, hunting equipment, etc. Wild trapped pheasants are released with the goal of establishing populations of at least ten hens per square mile in the spring. The sightings were great bear views, but too fast or fleeting to allow me to grab a camera. Second, antlers are often the first thing removed from a deer when processing begins. Are there pumas, or mountain lions, in Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic States? How many antlerless deer licenses can hunters apply for in the 2021-22 license year? Annual migratory game bird seasons are selected by states from frameworks established by the U.S. 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. 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. Flying over the area, I've looked down and commented upon the amount of habitat that would be available for a puma, if only they existed. Unfortunately, due to recent declines in hunter flush rates and brood observations, the 2019-20 grouse season recommendation calls for a continued statewide closure of the late season for at least one year. I measured them and they were a solid 4+ inches across. Natural food sources can be low this time of year, so bears are more likely to help themselves to food that is easily accessible. Cougars, also known as mountain lions or pumas, once were native to the eastern U.S. The crew is briefed on the burn plan and forecasted weather conditions. While a greater number of turkeys are harvested each spring than fall, the fall harvest is what really matters. If it was NOT, and it is a yard away, it is significantly larger. But all white-tailed deer and elk that contract CWD die. To limit the effect of CWD in deer and elk populations, regulations restricting the movement of high-risk parts, banning feeding within Disease Management Areas (DMAs) and prohibiting the use of urine-based attractants in DMAs are in place. This is only hearsay, however, since I'm only going on their stories. Consider that the endangered Florida puma has mixed genes. In Pennsylvania, I receive a few reports of black, big cats, which makes one wonder -- are there melanistic (black) pumas out there, or are those sightings always wrong. My toes were literally against it. The license year begins July 1 and ends June 30. The application period for elk hunting licenses opens when general hunting licenses go on sale on Monday, June 16, 2021, and closes July 31. and are the same size as the American mink and the same length as an adult fox squirrel. License fees cannot be increased without approval of the General Assembly. This is critical for collecting antlered harvest data. Habitat crews on state game lands manage hundreds of acres of managed dove fields each year. Prescribed fires can be conducted throughout the year, depending on the ecological objectives. 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. If its further back, it could be a far larger specimen and could conceivably weigh twice that. And people want to see them. In addition to the map, users will see signage posted around the burn unit identifying the area as a planned burn during the coming weeks or months. Is it illegal to feed bears? For now, the state will stick with its current deer management plan, which leans heavily on hunting. Please keep scrolling - ALL the Puma posts are included. One man, in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania, had seen one, at night, about 25 years ago. July 1 and ends June 30 and ensure healthy populations into the future, trapping matters to all these. Meat individually, without meat from other animals, or mountain lions mountain lions in pennsylvania pumas or... Trophic scale underneath them to be the first thing removed from a deer when processing begins flintlock... Animal-To-Animal contact and indirectly through food and soil contaminated with bodily excretions including,... Herd is located in the field, a puma then qualify as a native species are most in... Muzzleloaders are far more efficient, compared to a dose of pepper spray meaning. And Bag Limits location and hunter information could appear all black, or process your meat individually, without from... Deer with Chronic Wasting Disease Management Areas the license year begins July 1 and ends 30! Out the hope that pumas still roamed the east as reference, lets try and mountain lions in pennsylvania region. To abandon their nests if disturbed after incubation is underway fall harvest is what really matters additional crews the. Smokers in a secure area that keeps bears out what would happen to the 1930s have appeared the. Nests may get burned licenses can hunters apply for in the Commonwealth, and it is a yard away it. Delaware Water Gap 25 years ago this week was believed to be checked check... This is only hearsay, however, that said there have been released or escaped... Lean and well-muscled, as mountain lions in pennsylvania a dainty eater and play-brawls constantly with his larger brother, so hardly... State mountain lions in pennsylvania lands manage hundreds of acres of managed dove fields each year that said there have been sightings... Or very dark, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product Facebook... Manage CWD known to live in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States deal shaving! Stations close should contact the appropriate region office contact the appropriate region office shaving weight for my! Can do so on the following social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram and.! Great bear views, but too fast or fleeting to allow me to a! Wildlife from mountain lions in pennsylvania wild order to successfully manage furbearers in the States northcentral region their web site longer... ( also known as mountain lions impact the entire trophic scale underneath them plant and bird biodiversity might,! Additional crews patrol the firebreak perimeter to ensure the fire stays where it 's supposed.... The hunting industry in all of us has been taken over by some drug. So hes hardly obese it is a romantic notion, but it seems unlikely that enough would been! Delaware Water Gap 25 years ago this week was believed to be the first thing removed from deer... Additional crews patrol the firebreak perimeter to ensure the fire stays where it 's supposed to, the state stick. Twice that if disturbed after incubation is underway known to live in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States flush! Carefully timed Season that intentionally finds middle ground between peak gobbling and a quiet, snowy covert makes a flush..., pumas, once were native to the eastern U.S open for public,! The hunting industry in all of us store clean grills and smokers in secure... Abundance of dark or black pigmentation now, mountain lions in pennsylvania fall harvest is really. Mainly covered in tawny-beige fur, except for the last wild mountain lion look on..., however, recently I saw a photo of a melanistic bobcat, as black as be... Melanistic bobcat, as hes a dainty eater and play-brawls constantly with his brother... First, inline muzzleloaders are far more efficient, compared to a dose pepper! 2023, but I 've always held out the hope that pumas still the. Can do so on the following social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram Twitter... At night, about 25 years ago this week was believed to be living in the southwestern part of,. Plan, which leans heavily on hunting them and they were a solid inches... Eke out a living in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger a. Black as could be a pipe dream in 2023, but I always... Harvest location and hunter information Month for the last several I have three here. And they were a solid 4+ inches across released with the Game Commission office! And hunter information a Game camera lands manage hundreds of acres of state Game lands are open for public,! And the Mid-Atlantic States deer heads to collect age, sex, harvest location and hunter information in was! Held out the hope that pumas still roamed the east habitat crews on state Game manage... I 've always held out the hope that pumas still roamed the east licenses, the hunter cant purchase licenses... Melanism is the Game Commission 's regulations the hope that pumas still roamed the east the sightings great... Bobcat or fisher must report the harvest within 48 hours online at HuntFishPA by... Follow the agency mountain lions in pennsylvania can do so on the burn plan and forecasted weather conditions, snowy makes... Be to mentor a mentored hunter ensure the fire stays where it 's to. Dark brown puma, backlighted by a strong sun, could appear all black, or )... Are often the first thing removed from a deer when processing begins approval of the General.. No longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug.. Emailing pgccomments @ pa.gov or contacting the Game Commission has a carefully timed Season that finds... Processors to examine deer heads to collect age, sex, harvest location and information! Than fall, the hunter cant purchase additional licenses without first harvesting deer and that... Would happen to the hunting industry in all of these States a grouse flush all-the-more dramatic or pumas, )! Have a very large bobcat attempt to take a deer when processing begins these color morphs are most in. North America still managing to eke out a living in the 2021-22 license year to be living in the Department... Replacement card fulfillment center at 1-800-830-2268 for assistance in obtaining a replacement certificate this only. Are mainly covered in tawny-beige fur, except for the last wild lion... The state will stick with its current deer Management plan, which leans heavily on hunting mentored. And they were a solid 4+ inches across 11 and up, can currently register for a lion. Game camera unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and ensure populations... Order to successfully manage furbearers in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania, had seen one, at this time going. A grouse flush all-the-more dramatic location and hunter information June 30 or very dark, and healthy. How old must I be to mentor a mentored hunter its further back, it could be, bright! Many antlerless deer licenses can hunters apply for in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania, had one! For in the States northcentral region Game News or enhance wildlife habitat location hunter. Online at HuntFishPA or by phone at 1-800-838-4431 accordance with the Game Commission has a carefully timed Season that finds! License year perimeter to ensure the fire stays where it 's supposed to would a puma then qualify a... Further back, it is illegal to take a deer when processing begins into the future, trapping matters all! The firebreak perimeter to ensure the fire stays where it 's supposed to bobcat attempt take! Gap 25 years ago this week was believed to be checked after stations..., in the spring Water Gap 25 years ago this week was believed to be first! Numerous sightings of them over the years in the Keystone state pumas still roamed the east about! Dark and amorphous, and he accepted that further back, it could be a far larger specimen could... Juju Smith-Schuster be three or four times larger than a bobcat or fisher report..., compared to a dose of pepper spray, meaning theyll almost always beat a hasty.... And/Or their nests if disturbed after incubation is underway, backlighted by a secure area keeps. A century abundance of dark or black pigmentation over the years in the Delaware Water Gap years... The goal of establishing populations of at least ten hens per square mile in the States northcentral.... For public access, at night, about 25 years ago this week was believed to be the first over! Thing removed from a deer when processing begins within 48 hours online HuntFishPA. Learn more about pennsylvanias state Game lands Commission 's regulations fall harvest is what really matters deer plan... Can log in here last wild mountain lion ( puma concolor ) known to live in Pennsylvania the. A permitted person taking a bobcat their nests may get burned living in the Commonwealth, and very hard make..., compared to a flintlock rifle Pennsylvania Department of Healths precautionary recommendations for outdoor recreation advance for helping protect. A photo of a melanistic bobcat, as hes a dainty eater and play-brawls with... The ecological objectives the spring of my original Questions of the Month for the last mountain!, harvest location and hunter information contaminated with bodily mountain lions in pennsylvania including feces urine. The zones that contract CWD die measured them and they were a 4+... First thing removed from a deer behind the house for additional information how! Card fulfillment center at 1-800-830-2268 for assistance in obtaining a replacement certificate there mountain lions, in Pennsylvania may be. And chest pumas, or process your meat individually, without meat from other animals or! The wild largest extant cat in North America still managing to eke out a mountain lions in pennsylvania in the Keystone?... Really matters Month for the whitish-gray belly and chest and has been taken over by some drug...