Something to consider, even though we all trust the government. More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania Users must realize that these decisions are highly weather dependent and therefore cannot be made more than a few days in advance. Is a mountain lion bigger than a bobcat? 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. Frankly, I was afraid to call it in, as I feared someone would come and shoot the animal. Consider planting vegetation that provides both food and cover. If bears continually return, remove the bird feeders entirely. 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. Again, I've been told that some Game Commission personnel have admitted that pumas may exist in Pennsylvania, but they rationalize this by saying that the pumas are not breeding and they are not from original wild stock. Click here for more information about the agency. They are wart-like, hairless tumors caused by a virus. What do I think of the Canon 1D Mark IV? It appears proportionately longer, and more pantherish. Interesting, too, are the reports I've heard from people who were told that they would be in big trouble if they shot a puma. We will get through this pandemic together and the Game Commission appreciates the publics compliance and support. But in recent years, the animals have been moving east. On that note, I was speaking with a Fed Ex driver recently who told me that one of his colleagues had seen what he swore was a dead mountain lion on the side of a road. Seal open areas under structures like porches, sheds and decks that can provide shelter for cougars or their prey. Pennsylvania has 308 state games lands, which span more than 1.5 million acres. Harvest tags will continue to be issued in physical form on durable stock. Be sure to verify your mailing address when purchasing online licenses. This is a game regulation that has been around for many years and predates most people currently working for the Game Commission. Pennsylvania Game Commission officials say it's very unlikely it was a mountain lion. Where can I learn more about Pennsylvanias state game lands? A prescribed fire is very different from a wildfire because it is planned months, sometimes even years, in advance. What would account for the long tails? Populations with an abundance of hens have rebounded from poor hatch years in as few as two years, producing more gobblers than areas without an abundance of hens. Thank you for your interest in Pennsylvania wildlife. With lots of hens breeding in the spring, turkey populations can rise quickly. Wishful thinking? My next step was to gauge the shoulder height of the cat. In Pennsylvania, Sunday hunting has been permitted for a long time for foxes, coyotes and crows during open seasons. Effective July 1, 2013; a $16 fee is charged for issuing a hunter education replacement certificate. And people want to see them. These color morphs are most common in rain forests and jungles. The last wild mountain lion (Puma concolor) known to live in Pennsylvania was killed in 1871. Click here for more information. 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. I've know of reports since 1973, in Cooke Forest, the heart of a lot of Pa. wilderness. Proudly founded in 1681 as a place of tolerance and freedom. Species restoration also supports economic growth within the outdoor recreation industry as well as considers the cultural importance to Indigenous peoples. They, like all cats, have extremely sensitive noses and dont like having them abused. But a mix of bounty hunting . What species can a mentored hunter hunt? How do I purchase a license or report a harvest in HuntFishPA? Fish and wildlife service declared the eastern cougar, other than the Florida panther, extinct in 2011. 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. This animal is much bigger. Visit www.bearwise.org for more ways to prevent human-bear conflicts. Over time, cats that had been released in Florida, probably pets that outlived their welcome, bred with the native puma, and their genes mingled, Over the last few years I've done several Questions of the Month regarding Mountain Lions, or Pumas as they should properly be called, in the Mid-Atlantic States and in Pennsylvania. These birds are a tangible product for hunting license buyers. Consider that the endangered Florida puma has mixed genes. I'm Cary Hardy, an education expert and consultant. What do you do when you run into a mountain lion? 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. Quick movements, such as running or bicycling, which make humans resemble prey, sometimes lead to cougar attacks. If we don't see it, it doesn't exist. This indicates the cat has a minimum shoulder height of 1.5 feet (again, if it was further back when filmed it could be larger). My toes were literally against it. We appreciate incidents being reported. Fortunately, with the advent of the Game Commission, over time trapping became much more regulated with strict seasons placed on each species. Am I allowed to remove mushrooms and/or berries on state game lands? Is there a correct position for the upright on a Wimberley actionhead. I'll offer my own little anecdote. DNA tests confirmed the big cat originated in South Dakota and that it also previously had been tracked in 2009 and 2010 through Wisconsin and Minnesota, where the animal's DNA had previously been collected through blood, hair and droppings. Being outdoors is good health care and self-care; however, recommendations for social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19 still apply. In an effort to expand hunting opportunities, in 2021, Sunday hunting is only open on the following dates for the following species. That said there have been numerous sightings of them over the years. Trapping protects public health and safety. Why is there no post-Christmas grouse hunting season? The Game Commission maintains a public map that shows where prescribed burns are being planned. . If mountain lions are here, or are to come here, they'll have to do it on their own. Click here to learn more about CWD in Pennsylvania. *Please note: Our state game wardens are responsible for many things, from protecting wildlife, to enforcing hunting regulations, conducting search and rescues, assisting with biological research, educating the public about wildlife and more. Pennsylvania has more roads and hunters than just about every other state in America. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. A training certificate, which is recognized throughout North America, is awarded when you pass a test at the end of the course. It also reduces confusion about which WMUs are open to antlerless hunting. Since 2004, when scientists found a dead cougar on train tracks in northern Oklahoma, they have recovered more than 100additional cougar bodies east of the Rocky Mountains. Trapping is used to reintroduce species into areas where they were once extirpated such as the beaver, river otter, or fisher. Is it illegal to feed bears? As many as 1,300 elk freely roam across 3,000 square miles, mostly within Elk, Cameron, Clinton, Clearfield and Centre counties. Pennsylvania Hunter-Trapper Education courses take place across the state throughout the year. Why arent fall turkey seasons the same throughout the state? 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. Except there's one big problem, at least for East Coasters: cougars don't really live here. The Pennsylvania Game Commission updated the Pennsylvania Automated Licensing System in early 2021 which provides hunters with more convenient and efficient ways to apply for an receive hunting licenses. Although mourning doves are considered a migratory game bird species, many of the doves we have in Pennsylvania reside here throughout the winter and provide an excellent opportunity late into the season. 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. When is the peak of the elk rut? This spring, the Game Commission released its annual deer harvest report, which estimated hunters harvested 435,180 deer in Pennsylvania during the 2020-21 hunting seasons. The commission still needs to submit a management plan, due this June, gain approval and mount a public education campaign before the first marten steps on Pennsylvania soil. Have all of those who have seen a puma really seen a bobcat? Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a neurological disease that affects members of the cervid family (e.g., deer, elk, moose and reindeer/caribou). The lowered bag limit should allow AP Canada goose populations to rebound. While mountain lion attacks are rare, they do happen. On average, more mature birds are taken than jakes (first-year males), even with the second tag, and those older gobblers have a lower natural survival of living until next spring. Compare any game camera image with the shots above, or this game camera image, to confirm your identification. The Game Commission has a carefully timed season that intentionally finds middle ground between peak gobbling and a safe nesting period. Anyone, ages 11 and up, can currently register for Pennsylvanias online Hunter-Trapper Education course. The Game Commission is responsible for prescribed fires conducted on State Game Lands and lands enrolled in the Hunter Access Program. Confirming an animal is infected with CWD requires laboratory testing of the brain or lymph nodes of the head. In a 1996 survey of Pennsylvania hunters, conducted by the Pennsylvania State University, 61 percent of respondents indicated they would like to see an increase in pheasant stocking, and 72 percent were opposed to closing pheasant propagation facilities to generate more operating capital for agency programs. The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. 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. 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. How do I report suspected wildlife crimes? Feel free to reach out with your opinions, via Facebook or Twitter. I've seen hoaxes, of pumas carrying deer shot with game cameras, but these were of western cats. The rule change could make more antlerless licenses available deeper into hunting season, perhaps giving hunters who purchase their licenses later a chance to get one. (PennLive has investigated many reports of mountain lions, and other mystery creatures, and has found no confirming evidence. Trappers assist biologists by providing important biological samples that inform managers on the health of the population. Its a matter of perspective. The estimated muzzleloader harvest was 28,260, of which 1,140 were antlered deer. I used myself taken by the same camera and in the same exact location for reference, and as you can see from the frame below, my feet and ankles are missing. Trapping provides relief from property damage for example from livestock predation or agricultural crops. And a quiet, snowy covert makes a grouse flush all-the-more dramatic. The elk rut is triggered by photoperiod (day length) and generally begins around the middle of September and carries through early- to mid-October. For more information, call 866-474-2141 or visit www.sharedeer.org. I'd love to hear of any reports you have. For example, leopards and jaguars, normally spotted cats, have a melanistic color morph, the 'black panther,' the black leopard or black jaguar. However, jakes have high probability of natural survival to the next year. Cougars, on the other hand, typically range from 23-28 inches at the shoulder (with some odd reports listing 35 inches maximum), with a weight ranging from 75-250 pounds . What should I do if I encounter young wildlife? 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. The same thing applies here. Click here for more information. Follow Kristin & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @kristin_hunt Adult mentors, (21 years of age or older), may take out more than one junior hunter at a time as long as each junior hunter under the age of 16 is within sight and verbal control of the mentor. pgccomments@pa.gov for their messages to be shared with the Board of Game Commissioners and appropriate staff. In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. No big game harvest tags will be issued to mentored hunters who are under 7 years old at the time of application. A high hen-to-gobbler ratio is also not a problem for turkey populations. In the forests of Kenya, however, they do occur. 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. First a quiet coastal community, and then the world, face the wrath of giant sea creatures in bestselling indie author Max Hawthornes heart-pounding novels: The KRONOS RISING series. Most states have designated hunting seasons for mountain lions, and killing one without a tag is a violation, unless the hunter can prove self defense. 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). Like mad cow disease in cattle, scrapie in sheep and goats, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, it's caused not by a virus or bacteria, but by abnormal prions, or proteins. Learn more about ruffed grouse management here. To date, the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners has not taken up any proposals to include inline muzzleloaders in the late season flintlock season. But even that little guy isn't prowling the Poconos yet. Time is of the essence when it comes to reporting the location of a wild animal, so it's best to call, as opposed to report via email or social media. The online course is currently being offered for free online, for Pennsylvania residents, due to Covid-19 interrupting the availability of many in-person classes. I was able to match the images perfectly in terms of scale, size and position. The Wild Turkey Management Plan specifies a statewide, month plus-long, spring gobbler season, opening on the Saturday closest to May 1, plus a half-day, statewide youth-only hunt the Saturday prior. Our visitor is also far too tall to be a house cat, so thats out. According toa 2016 study,a single cougar can kill up to 259 deer over the course of its lifetime, single-handedly preventing eight crashes and nearly $40,000 in damages. The counties typically with the highest harvest are in the northcentral part of the state, namely Clinton, Lycoming and Tioga counties. Harvest management to improve turkey numbers is with more conservative fall seasons. The board also prohibited the use of rifles in the fall season to potentially further reduce the harvest by 20 percent, statewide. With a decline in turkey population, why not eliminate the second Spring Gobbler tag? By allowing wildlife to congregate unnaturally at feeding sites, diseases such as CWD, mange and tuberculosis may be spread not only to wildlife, but also to humans and pets. However, my friend and I discussed this, and agreed, we saw what we saw, and had it been 40 years ago or four months ago, we knew we saw a coyote. Some biologists thinks it's time to bring them back to help manage deer populations. Unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product. The gobbler population in a given area is directly related to the reproductive success of hens in the population. Those interested in submitting their thoughts and opinions on an issue related to hunting and wildlife in the state are encouraged to email the agency at 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. Before feeding wildlife, please consider the following: What is the increased risk of disease spread? One spotted in the Delaware Water Gap 25 years ago this week was believed to be the first in over a century. But they'd need the cooperation of the Pennsylvania Game Commission and, for now, that's a non-starter. 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. Let me explain this. With declining turkey populations in many Wildlife Management Units, it might seem logical to eliminate the second spring gobbler tag to reduce harvest. Verbal instructions given through the use of electronic or other sound amplification devices does not meet these requirements. But Ill leave it up to you, my readers. Yet there is a taste for meat of threatened wild animals in other parts of the worldtoo many species to list, said Allan. This is not a Pennsylvania puma! Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. And a bit of an unpleasant one at that, as they now faced ridicule or doubt whenever they discussed their sightings. 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 http://bit.ly/PGCOGT. Over the years Ive had whitetail deer visits that number in the hundreds, if not thousands, wild turkeys showing up in groups that often number forty or more individuals, opossum, bobcats, hedgehogs, groups of raccoons, and once, a half-dozen deer that made our resident whitetails look like midgets. Yes, they will be for the 2021-22 hunting license year. First, inline muzzleloaders are far more efficient, compared to a flintlock rifle. The population declined significantly and experienced a near total reproductive failure in 2018. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Unless I am only dealing with a lot of delusional people with little judgment, something is out there. Please dont feed wildlife, it may cause more harm than good! Click here for more information. I believe them. The information also allows for monitoring population trends and identifying any potential issues that may arise. When encountering young wildlife, be it deer, birds, rabbits or other animals, the Game Commission urges Pennsylvanians to resist the urge to interfere with young wildlife or remove any wild animal from its natural setting, for the protection of humans and wildlife. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, feline predators such as the eastern cougar, which is also known as the mountain lion, are " extirpated ," meaning they're all but wiped out in. Is it lawful to find and retain deer and/or elk antlers on state game lands? Habitat crews on state game lands manage hundreds of acres of managed dove fields each year. Photos submitted as mountain lions are typically feral housecats. If you have a question that isnt answered below, please email us at If its further back, it could be a far larger specimen and could conceivably weigh twice that. It was far too big to be a house cat, at which point I had to figure out; was this a bobcat or a cougar, and would my results answer the question: are there mountain lions in Pennsylvania? If a bear on your property becomes a nuisance by being destructive or dangerous, you can report it to the Game Commission region office that serves the county in which its located. A mentored hunter can only hunt deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit, hare, ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, pheasant, crow, dove, porcupine, woodchuck and coyote in any of their respective seasons, and must follow daily and season bag limits for each species, (one antlered deer, one fall turkey and one bearded turkey in the spring, per license year). Several regulations regarding the use of state game lands prevent the removal of any such artifact, or any other objects, besides lawfully taken fish and wildlife, mushroom and/or berries. The fall harvest is additive mortality, since most of those birds would otherwise survive into the spring, and on average about 60 percent are hens. Im 61 tall and it comes up to my knee. Animal welfare is important not only to the public, but to wildlife managers and trappers alike, and will continue to be a critical component of trapping in Pennsylvania. A Mountain Lion Cover Up This will be one of your best identification marks, along with size. More information is available here. More information is available here. Located in: Fogelsville, Pennsylvania, United States. How do I report my bear harvest? Why not work to establish a wild population in Pennsylvania? Black bears are omnivores, which means their diet is made up of both meat and plant material. He saw his cat at very close range -- 20 yards or less, and when I pointed out to him that pumas are never black he said that perhaps it was the light. How do I report suspected sick, injured or nuisance wildlife? However, diseases may interact with other population influences, such as habitat & weather, and result in population declines. The Nittany Lion at State College wasn't just created out of thin air. Despite yearly reports of cougar sightings in Pennsylvania, the U.S. After several years of teaching, I transitioned into the world of educational consulting. When traps are used properly and following the BMPs, they are very selective in what they catch, and along with state regulations, avoid non-targets like birds of prey. Imagine my surprise. Where can I find information about hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits? That's true. If you are not and would like to read this and all the other great content OutdoorNews.com has to offer, click here . These resprouts provide valuable browse for wildlife. In addition, hens are less prone to abandon their nests if disturbed after incubation is underway. The big cats are risk-adverse, solo hunters with impressively high kill rates. Mountain lions, which continue to be reported across Pennsylvania throughout the year, are officially extinct east of the Mississippi River and north of Florida, according to the U.S. 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. Eating African lion meat is unusual around the worldincluding on the predators home continent, where the meat is not considered palatable, Hunter said. This group is to focus on organizing the reports of Mountain Lions (cougars, pumas, panthers) in Pennsylvania. 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. 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. 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. Wildlife need habitat, not handouts. By reporting harvests, hunters are helping the Game Commission monitor populations and help set future seasons and bag limits. Sign up to be the firstto know the latest news, release dates, signings & more. Fibromas are restricted to the skin of deer and do not spread to internal organs. However, evidence of attempt to tag would be harder to prove if the tag was placed around the antler. 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. I've read a lot about this, and the usual explanation is the very human desire to see something, to see what someone wants to see, and thus these people are seeing bobcats or brown cats or dogs or foxes and, because they 'want' to see a puma, they do. A variety of entities handle road-killed deer removal throughout the state and the region office can clarify the proper authorities to notify based on the location of the animal. If youd like that process to be changed, contact your state representative and state senator, and let them know your thoughts on the issue. Merely informing people of the possibility of mountain lions in Pennsylvania would not cause a panic, as it never does out west, but the death of a child by a mountain lion in Pennsylvania would create some measure of panic and terror in Pennsylania, and all surrounding states. I've seen about 20 mountain lions, or pumas, in the field, but all but 2 . So is the second largest extant cat in North America still managing to eke out a living in the Keystone state? So how or why could there be a conspiracy? Hunters who support modernizing the antlerless deer license application process in Pennsylvania should contact their state Senator and/or state Representative and ask them to support Senate Bill 431.