Mission: Managing wild birds, wild mammals and their habitats for current and future generations. www.pgc.pa.gov Up-

UpdatesA quarterly newsletter from YOUR state wildlife agency

In the CrosshairsHistorically, many changes implemented by the Pennsylvania Game Commission have raised public outcries. From discussions over the use of semiautomatic rifles for big game hunting, to deer management, to hunting season dates, it seems that no issue can move forward without at least some public controversy.

The truth of the matter is that all wildlife agencies are subject to the same debates. They play out in every state wildlife agency from Pennsylvania to Alaska. However, as the state’s wildife agency we have a legal responsibility to sustainably manage wildlife for present and future generations. Sometimes this requires tough decisions.

A recent example of conflict is the decision to close the late season for ruffed grouse hunting to maximize the survival of the birds. Research conducted by Lisa Williams, agency biologist, revealed that the grouse population is negatively impacted by West Nile virus. She recommended and the Commissioners affirmed that a closure of the late season would be beneficial to the grouse population.

GovernorTom Wolf

Game CommissionersBrian H. Hoover, President, GlenoldenTimothy S. Layton, Vice President, WindberJames R. Daley, Secretary, Cranberry TownshipRobert W. Schlemmer, ExportCharles E. Fox, TroyMichael F. Mitrick, YorkStanley I. Knick Jr., Dupont

Executive OfficeBryan J. Burhans, Executive DirectorRichard Palmer, Deputy Executive DirectorThomas P. Grohol, Deputy Executive Director

Pennsylvania Game Commission: Managing wild birds, wild mammals and their habitats for current and future generations. www.pgc.pa.gov

Photo Credit: Jacob Dingel

As the agency moved through the public process of changing the upcoming grouse season structure, we heard from many grouse hunters who were disappointed by the closure of the late grouse season.

Although the decision to shorten the grouse season impacted grouse hunters, the decision was designed to help ensure that grouse can continue to be hunted sustainably.

Pushback from a vocal few against agency decisions is to be expected. As an agency, we work hard to support hunters, trappers, and citizens of the state. However, everyone has a different view of how wildlife should be managed. For example, some hunters want more deer, some farmers want less deer. Some archers want a longer archery season, some gun hunters do not. Many hunters would like to use semiautomatics to hunt big game, and many other hunters feel this is unethical. This list goes on, but the point is everyone expects something different.

The Game Commission is charged with managing all Pennsylvania wildlife not only for today, but also for future generations. All state wildlife agencies are built upon this foundation.

In 1916, President Theodore Roosevelt wrote, “The game belongs to the people. So it does; and not merely to the people now alive, but to the unborn people...Our duty to the whole, including the unborn generations, bids us to restrain an unprincipled present-day minority from wasting the heritage of these unborn generations.”

Wildlife belongs to the people, but the management of wildlife is held in trust by the state wildlife agencies.

The concept of wildlife being held in the public trust by the state wildlife agency is the foundation of what is referred to as the North American Model of Wildlife Management. The Model is a set of seven principles that has led to great successes in wildlife management in North America, including the restoration of elk to Pennsylvania and the recovery of bald eagle populations nationwide.

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Mission: Managing wild birds, wild mammals and their habitats for current and future generations. www.pgc.pa.gov

UpdatesUpdates from the BUREAUSWildlife ManagementFor the first time in more than 20 years, Pennsylvania hunters have harvested wild pheasants.

This event marked the success of a 10-year project to research and restore habitat and wild pheasants to the Keystone State.

Following surveys that revealed hunters’ desire to restore wild pheasant populations to Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, in collaboration with partners, developed the Ring-necked Pheasant Management Plan for Pennsylvania: 2008-2017. Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas (WPRAs) were established in four areas of the state.

Pheasants Forever biologists and chapter members worked closely with cooperating landowners to establish crucial winter and nesting habitat needed for pheasant survival.

After quality pheasant habitat was established, Pheasants Forever, the Game Commission and Habitat Forever partnered with western states to trap thousands of wild pheasants from South Dakota and Montana and relocate the birds within WPRAs.

Biologists monitored populations over time and researched many important aspects of pheasant ecology including habitat preference, home range, and survival. Although not all WPRAs were a success, the Central Susquehanna WPRA proved to hold the right habitat ingredients and, in 2016, managers decided that the area, in Montour and Northumberland counties, had achieved the program goal of supporting a huntable wild pheasant population.

The Game Commission approved a limited-permit youth hunt for 2017 within the Central Susquehanna WPRA. A drawing was held to select 48 youth to participate in the first WPRA hunt.

After two November mornings of hunts on five farms, 131 birds were flushed including 70 roosters. Sixty-six shots were fired, and five long-tailed ringnecks found their way into game bags.

Important biological data was collected on each bird to help in the future management of this population.

The hunt marked a historic day as the pheasant hunting tradition was renewed by the next generation thanks to dedicated partnerships.

Automated TechnologyOnline harvest reporting promotions continue. Online reports reduce errors and the agency’s data entry costs. Over the last five years, the rate has gone from 53 percent of hunters reporting online in 2012 to 62 percent in 2016. About 4 percent of hunters continue to report over the phone.

Two new harvest webpages were created in an effort to provide real-time information throughout the bear and elk seasons. These pages provide statistical information about the season as hunters pass through the elk and bear check stations. Weight, sex, age, location, and date and time of kill are displayed graphically on these websites.

Information & EducationThe Game Commission is holding three photo contests this fall on its Facebook page: Trail Cam, Harvest, and Beyond the Harvest. The Beyond the Harvest photo contest is new this year. There is so much more to hunting than the harvest, yet often hunters forget to capture those moments with photos. The Game Commission is encouraging people to take photos of target practice, hunting companions, scenes from nature, meals from harvested game and any other moments surrounding the harvest. Selected photo submissions and captions describing why those moments are meaningful will be posted in a Facebook album. Facebook fans will vote on a winner to receive a generous prize package. Through this contest, people who do not hunt may be able to get a glimpse of the joy of hunting that goes #beyondtheharvest.

Beyond the Harvest Photo Contest submission- Bethe Gettle

This map shows where bears were harvested during 2017 seasons. The brown areas have the highest harvest numbers.A youth hunter with one of the wild roosters harvested in November.

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Vision: To be the leader among wildlife agencies, and champion of all wildlife resources and Pennsylvania’s hunting and trapping heritage YOUR state wildlife agency

Wildlife Habitat ManagementThe Hunter Access Program currently includes over 13,000 parcels, containing over 2.2 million acres of private lands. Landowner and hunter surveys conducted in 2016 revealed support for the program from both landowners and hunters. Although, knowledge of the program was low among both stakeholders. In response to this, the Pennsylvania Game Commission implemented a marketing campaign to increase awareness of this thriving program both among non-participating landowners and hunters. With the help of grant funds obtained through the 2014 Farm Bill, the Game Commission continues to fund projects on participating properties in order to increase beneficial wildlife habitat.

Wildlife ProtectionIn September 2015, with assistance from staff in every bureau and region office, the Bureau of Wildlife protection unveiled the Operation Game Thief (OGT) program. Essentially, this program replaced the SPORT and TIP programs of the past. Informants may report wildlife crimes via a toll-free phone number or an online submission form. There were 1,472 submissions to OGT in 2016. Pennsylvania ranked third in the nation in the amount of OGT submissions behind only Texas and Florida. Through the use of social media, promotional items, and the OGT trailer, this program has gained great popularity with the public. To learn more, visit bit.ly/PGCOGT.

“In the Crosshairs” continued...

The principles of the North American Model of Wildlife Management are:

1. Wildlife resources are a public trust. The citizens (benefactors) own the wildlife resource, but the management of the wildlife resource is held in trust (trustee) by the state wildlife agency.

2. Markets for game are eliminated. History has demonstrated the negative impact of unregulated wildlife trafficking.

3. Allocation of wildlife is by law. Wildlife is accessible to the public by law instead of reserved to those with special privilege.

4. Wildlife can be killed only for legitimate purpose. Wildlife shall be pursued under fair chase rules, unnecessary pain and suffering is not incurred, and game is not wasted.

5. Wildlife is considered an international resource. Some wildlife migrate across borders, and one nation’s management, or lack thereof, has consequences.

6. Science is the proper tool to discharge wildlife policy. Science is the base for making informed decisions in wildlife management and is the standard in Canada and the U.S.

7. Democracy of hunting is standard. Hunting is available to everyone and not restricted to those with special status, land ownership, wealth, or other privilege.

A pertinent principle within the model is that science is the proper tool to guide wildlife policy, such as seasons and bag limits. Of course, when the science results in information that isn’t popular, the go-to reaction is often that “the science is bad.” However, to use science effectively, you can’t shop around until you get the answer you want. The wildlife agency, in our case the Game Commission, is charged with the responsibility of using sound science to make wildlife policy recommendations.

No doubt, as an employee, working for the Game Commission (or any state wildlife agency) can be frustrating, as we always seem to be in the crosshairs of some group or individual. However, we know from surveys that both Pennsylvania hunters and nonhunters support the Game Commission. We will always have one vocal group or another attacking us through social media and the press. However, protecting Pennsylvania’s wildlife resources for present and future generations is no easy task, and sometimes requires decisions that are not popular.

The agency must always seek a balance between the needs of the Commonwealth citizens and the conservation of the wildlife resource. Achieving a perfect balance is impossible, leaving us in the crosshairs.

-Bryan Burhans, Executive Director

This trailer is used at events to spread awareness of the OGT program.

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Mission: Managing wild birds, wild mammals and their habitats for current and future generations. www.pgc.pa.gov

Pennsylvania Game Commission: Managing wild birds, wild mammals and their habitats for current and future generations. www.pgc.pa.gov

Updates from the REGIONSNorthwest RegionTo better manage the deer population at Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area, State Game Lands 214, a new hunt format was instituted for the 2017-18 license year.

The new format allows hunting in a specific zone by two hunters for six days. This increases quality hunt time and allows deer to move in a natural pattern. Early results indicate the prospect for greater hunter success, resulting in increased harvest.

So far, comments from hunters have been positive regarding the change. No conflicts between goose and deer hunters have been reported.

Northeast RegionMine shafts provide the vast majority of winter habitat for cave-dwelling bats in northeastern Pennsylvania. Protecting these sites has been especially important since the advent of white-nose syndrome in the Commonwealth.

An abandoned railroad tunnel on state game lands in southern Luzerne County historically held four different species of bats. Recently, Game Commission staff developed a plan to improve habitat conditions in the tunnel, allow access for bats, and prevent disturbance by people. A gate was installed at the entrance to the tunnel and an earthen embankment was positioned in front of the entrance to help maintain an ideal temperature range within the mine.

One of the oldest coal mines in the Game Commission’s Northeast Region is located on State Game Lands 57 atop Bartlett Mountain in Forkston Township, Wyoming County. Commission staff coordinated with personnel from the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation to provide oversight and funding for the construction of a gate at this site. The project was completed this past summer.

In addition, agency wildlife biologists conducted winter hibernacula surveys at 12 newly discovered mine openings located in Bradford County in 2016 and found bats actively using three of these mines. The three active mine openings were gated to protect these sites.

Northcentral RegionThe results from the 2017 regular elk season, Oct. 30-Nov. 4, ended with an 88 percent success rate. Of the 118 tags awarded, all 25 bulls were harvested along with 79 of the 93 cows.

At least three bulls harvested during the regular season will gross score over 400 points, Boone and Crockett. These elk and the two trophy bulls taken with the special conservation licenses demonstrate the remarkable caliber of Pennsylvania’s elk.

Successful elk hunters are required to bring their elk to the elk check station within 24 hours of the harvest. The check station provides agency biologists the opportunity to collect samples and biometrics used for monitoring disease and the health of Pennsylvania’s elk population. The tests check for diseases such as chronic wasting disease, tuberculosis, and brucellosis. Presently, all tests for tuberculosis and brucellosis have been negative. Results from the chronic wasting disease testing are still pending.

David Cairns with his 2017 Pennsylvania bull elk harvest.Photo Credit: Elk County Outfitters

Abandoned coal mine entrance on SGL 57 in Wyoming County

Photo: Phil Cooper Jr. (right) poses with the estimated 245-pound 9-point buck he harvested on October 20 at Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area.

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Vision: To be the leader among wildlife agencies, and champion of all wildlife resources and Pennsylvania’s hunting and trapping heritage YOUR state wildlife agency

UpdatesUpdatesSouthwest Region

Southwest Region Assistant Forester Neil Itle has been selected as the recipient of the 2017 National Wild Turkey Federation’s Joe Kurza Award. Itle has played an integral role in the development of comprehensive management plans for over 190,000 acres of state game lands across 10 counties in the Southwest Region. His plans focus on improving habitat through a combination of silvicultural techniques, controlled burns, and removal of invasive plants. Itle has been the Southwest Region fire manager since 2005. He also regularly gives presentations about habitat management to students, sportsmen’s clubs, and other groups.

Pictured: Neil Itle

WCO Macklem’s patrol vehicle after the assault

The Game Commission’s first archery range

Southeast RegionThe Game Commission’s Southeast Region recently opened a newly constructed archery range on State Game Lands 234 in Montgomery County.

The construction of this public archery range was funded through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, most often referred to as the Pittman–Robertson Act. Pittman-Robertson funding is derived from an 11 percent federal excise tax on the sale of firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment.

The newly constructed range provides shooting distances of 10, 20, 30, and 40 yards. Each distance has two 4-by-4 foot commercial-quality targets designed for field point use. There is also a sand pit located at the 20-yard distance for practice with broadheads. The entire range is accessible to those with disablities and has concrete walkways to each target. The new range will enable archery hunters to hone their skills and, in turn, become more efficient and ethical hunters.

Southcentral Region Rusty Stephen Garlock, 25, of Three Springs, Pa., was sentenced on Friday, Oct. 13 in Huntingdon County court after pleading to charges stemming from an assault on Wildlife Conservation Officer Richard Macklem II as he attempted to stop his vehicle during a poaching incident, Friday, Nov. 11, 2016.

Huntingdon County President Judge George Zanic sentenced Garlock to serve 18 months to three years in a State Correctional Institution for the felony count of aggravated assault on a law-enforcement officer.

Garlock also was fined $2,000 and ordered to pay the costs of prosecution.

For the felony count of criminal mischief, Garlock was sentenced to seven years of probation, to be served consecutive to his confinement. He was fined $250 and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,624.35 for the damage caused to the officer’s patrol vehicle.

On the last two summary counts of unlawful killing or taking big game, and resisting or interfering with an officer, Garlock was ordered to pay additional fines totaling $2,000.

Responding to information about deer-poaching along Mathews Bridge Road in southern Huntingdon County, Macklem noticed a spotlight coming from a truck, followed by a gunshot. He closed in on the truck to investigate.

The truck lunged toward the patrol vehicle, striking it in the front fender and damaging the passenger side. The truck pushed past the patrol vehicle, and fled the area. Macklem attempted to pursue the truck, but was unable to continue.

Bedford County Wildlife Conservation Officer Brandon Pfister’s subsequent investigation concluded Garlock was operating the truck that struck Macklem’s patrol vehicle and that truck had been involved in the killing of an illegal deer through the use of a spotlight.

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Updates

Just the Facts . . .Deer Hunters Support Antler Restrictions

For years, most Pennsylvania deer hunters could only dream of harvesting a large antlered buck. Typically, bucks taken by hunters had a chance to grow only one set of antlers. Few had the larger antlers of an adult buck. Antler point restrictions changed this.

In 2002, the Game Commission changed the antler restriction to harvest an antlered deer. Prior to 2002, the antler restriction was two points to an antler or a spike at least 3 inches in length. From 2002 to 2010, the antler point restrictions (APR) were three or four points-to-an-antler depending on area of the state. Starting in 2011, the four-point area changed to three points to an antler, not including the brow tine. Since APRs began, a swirling of myth and reality has followed. Here are the facts about Pennsylvania’s antler point restrictions.

The primary goal of APRs was to increase the number of adult bucks (2.5 years of age or older) in the population. To achieve this goal, APRs needed to protect most yearling bucks (1.5 years of age) from harvest.

To assess biological and social aspects of APRs, the Game Commission initiated a multi-year study with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Penn State.

Prior to APRs about 80 percent of bucks (a majority of which were yearlings) were harvested by hunters each year.

Based on survival rates of hundreds of radio-collared bucks, yearling buck survival increased from less than 20 percent to 64 percent after APRs.

You would think increasing the standard for the harvest of a legal buck with APRs would reduce the number of hunters who were successful. However, tracking hunter success rates over the last three decades has shown little change in the percentage of successful hunters.

Age structure of the antlered harvest before APRs was about 80 percent yearling bucks and 20 percent adult bucks. With the increase in survival of yearling bucks under APRs, the age structure of the antlered harvest changed to about 44 percent yearling bucks and 56 percent adult bucks. The number of deer added to Pennsylvania’s record book in recent years has significantly increased.

Prior to changing to APRs, surveys showed a majority of hunters favored them. Many hunter surveys have been conducted since APRs started in 2002. Would hunter support wane after APRs became reality? Not hardly! In fact, hunter-support of APRs has remained steady since their implementation.

Antler point restrictions are a success. They have increased buck survival and the buck age structure. They have maintained strong support from hunters. Pennsylvania hunters are experiencing the same levels of success to which they are accustomed.

Poachers are thieves. Help us catch them. Report wildlife crimes to 1-888-PGC-8001 or visit http://bit.ly/PGCOGT.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Headquarters2001 Elmerton Avenue; Harrisburg PA 17110-9797717-787-4250, pgccomments@pa.gov

www.pgc.pa.gov

Northwest RegionButler, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest,

Jefferson, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango & Warren counties

Franklin, PA 16323(814) 432-3187 or (814) 432-3188,

(814)432-3189

Southwest RegionAllegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Cambria,

Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington & Westmoreland counties

Bolivar, PA 15923-2420(724) 238-9523 or (724) 238-9524,

(724) 238-5639

Northcentral RegionCameron, Centre, Clearfield,

Clinton, Elk, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Tioga & Union counties

Jersey Shore, PA 17740-5038(570) 398-4744 or (570) 398-4745,

(570) 398-3423pgc-ncregion@pa.gov

Southeast RegionBerks, Bucks, Chester, Dauphin,Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon,

Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia & Schuylkill counties

Reading, PA 19605-9524(610) 926-3136 or (610) 926-3137,

(610) 926-1966

Northeast RegionBradford, Carbon, Columbia,

Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Sullivan,

Susquehanna, Wayne & Wyoming counties

Dallas, PA 18612(570) 675-1143 or (570) 675-1144

Southcentral RegionAdams, Bedford, Blair, Cumberland,

Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Snyder & York counties

Huntingdon, PA 16652(814) 643-1831 or (814) 643-9635

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