With 224 bears taken during the first-ever statewide, five-day archery bear season, and 2,815 bears taken during the restructured three-day bear season, which included a Saturday-opener, Pennsylvania Game Commission preliminary harvest reports show that bear hunters harvested a preliminary total of 3,039 bears in 53 counties.

Official total bear harvest figures won’t be available until early 2011, after a detailed review of each harvest report is completed.

In the 2005 bear season, hunters harvested a record 4,164 bears. Other recent bear harvests include: 3,512 in 2009; 3,460 in 2008; 2,362 in 2007; 3,124 in 2006; 2,977 in 2004; 3,000 in 2003; 2,686 in 2002; 3,063 in 2001; 3,075 in 2000; 1,740 in 1999; and 2,598 in 1998.

For the first time, Game Commission employees working to gather data at the bear check stations were using new technology to record harvest information. This new approach was designed to improve the processing of bears so that hunters could get in and out of check stations quickly and improve accuracy in data collection. Despite this improvement in timely and accurate processing, the new system did lead to a delay in the release of harvest results.

“While we recognize there is enormous public interest in bear harvest information, our primary responsibility is to accommodate successful hunters and to record harvest information accurately and efficiently,” said Calvin W. DuBrock, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management director. “The current number and distribution of bear check stations put virtually every successful hunter within a one-hour drive of a check station.

“We also are striving to embrace technological efficiencies for data capture and to minimize processing times. In that regard, we are headed in the right direction, as the lines at bear check stations moved much quicker this year for the hunters. We’re already looking at ways to improve the process and expedite the release of harvest data next year.”

DuBrock noted that, according to the harvest data, the day-by-day archery bear harvest results are as follows: 90 bears harvested on Nov. 15; 32 on Nov. 16; 26 on Nov. 17; 23 on Nov. 18; and 53 on Nov. 19.

For the three-day general bear season, 1,751 bears were harvested on Nov. 20; 793 on Nov. 22; and 271 on Nov. 23. In 2005, when the record bear harvest of 4,164 bears was set, hunters harvested 2,026 bears on the opening of day of the three-day season. Other first-day preliminary harvests for three-day statewide seasons were: 1,897 in 2009; 1,725 in 2008; 1,005 in 2007; 1,461 in 2006; 1,573 in 2004; 1,454 in 2003;1,348 2002; 1,812 in 2001; and 1,691 in 2000.

The preliminary bear harvests by Wildlife Management Unit (with 2009 figures in parentheses) were: WMU 1A, 11 (8); WMU 1B, 42 (36); WMU 2A, 1 (0); WMU 2C, 307 (247); WMU 2D, 145 (128); WMU 2E, 93 (77); WMU 2F, 199 (282); WMU 2G, 892 (1,027); WMU 3A, 198 (255); WMU 3B, 232 (292); WMU 3C, 108 (73); WMU 3D, 256 (276); WMU 4A, 135 (125); WMU 4B, 53 (43); WMU 4C, 90 (141); WMU 4D, 244 (442); WMU 4E, 31 (58); and WMU 5C, 2 (1).

The top five bear harvest counties this year, once again, all come from the Northcentral Region. The top county was Clinton, with 248 (295 in 2009); followed by: Lycoming, 228 (280); Tioga, 183 (217); Clearfield, 182 (135); and Potter 148 (181).

Preliminary county harvests by region (with 2009 figures in parentheses) are:

Northwest: Venango, 56 (33); Warren, 54 (101); Clarion, 47 (48); Forest, 47 (60); Jefferson, 33 (59); Butler, 12 (13); Crawford, 10 (8); Erie, 3 (0); and Mercer, 2 (3).

Southwest: Fayette, 101 (72); Somerset, 83 (72); Westmoreland, 62 (65); Armstrong, 56 (44); Indiana, 42 (33); and Cambria, 18 (19).

Northcentral: Clinton, 248 (295); Lycoming, 228 (280); Tioga, 183 (217); Clearfield, 182 (135); Potter 148 (181); Cameron, 138 (214); Centre, 118 (148); McKean, 92 (142); Elk, 89 (121); and Union, 46 (51).

Southcentral: Huntingdon, 95 (110); Bedford, 84 (65); Mifflin, 41 (64); Blair, 31 (44); Juniata, 19 (33); Snyder, 19 (23); Perry, 17 (8); Fulton, 11 (16); Franklin, 8 (5); Cumberland, 1 (0).

Northeast: Pike, 122 (117); Bradford, 38 (74); Monroe, 57 (77); Sullivan, 57 (68); Carbon, 35 (66); Luzerne, 58 (56); Wayne, 82 (49); Wyoming, 22 (44); Lackawanna, 16 (32); Susquehanna, 41 (30); Columbia, 20 (27); Northumberland, 3 (6); and Montour, 1 (1).

Southeast: Schuylkill, 27 (37); Dauphin, 20 (24); Lebanon, 7 (8); Berks, 2 (7); and Northampton, 7 (5).

According to preliminary reports, the top 10 legal bears processed at check stations for the two bear seasons all had actual or estimated live weights that exceeded 615 pounds, and 37 bears weighing 500 pounds or more were legally harvested.

David Price, of Cresco, Monroe County, harvested the largest bear taken during all bear seasons, which he took using a bow and arrow. The male bear weighing an estimated 875 pounds was taken in WMU 3D, Monroe County, Middle Smithfield Township, at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 15.

While many have reported this as a “record bear,” for Pennsylvania’s official Big Game Records, the Game Commission only recognizes skull measurements based on Boone & Crockett scoring methods. Although weights are not included in the Game Commission’s Big Game Records tabulations, this was the heaviest bear ever harvested in Pennsylvania.

Randy Chabol, of Somerset, Somerset County, harvested the largest bear during the regular three-day season, which was a male that had an estimated live weight of 772 pounds. The bear was taken in WMU 2C, Somerset County, Larimer Township, at 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 20.

Rounding out the top 10 were: a 694-pound male (actual live weight) taken in WMU 2D, Indiana County, Armstrong Township, by Christopher Schultheis, of Kittanning, at 10 a.m. on Nov. 20; a 679-pound male (estimated live weight) taken in WMU 2C, Indiana County, West Wheatfield Township, by Ronald Chero, of Homer City, at 3 p.m., on Nov. 23; a 675-pound male (estimated live weight) taken in WMU 3D, Pike County, Blooming Grove Township, by Brett Treichler, of Kutztown, at 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 20; a 666-pound male (estimated live weight) taken in WMU 2G, Centre County, Burnside Township, by David Mihalik, of Howard, at 4 p.m. on Nov. 20; a 656-pound male (estimated live weight) taken in WMU 3B, Sullivan County, Forks Township, by George Mosier III, of New Albany, at 2 p.m. on Nov. 22; a 645-pound male (estimated live weight) taken in WMU 3C, Wayne County, Clinton Township, by Diane Booths, of Lake Ariel, at 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 20; a 616-pound male (estimated live weight) also taken in WMU 3C, Wayne County, Buckingham Township, by Mark Soden, of Honesdale, at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 20; and a 616-pound male (estimated live weight) taken in WMU 3D, Pike County, Porter Township, by David Mohn, of Robesonia, at 7:10 a.m. on Nov. 20.

Contact:
Jerry Feaser
717-705-6541
PGCNews@state.pa.us

Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe said the agency’s public drawing for the 2010 elk hunting licenses will be webcast beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 10. To view the drawing, a “Live Elk Drawing” icon will be posted on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) for individuals to click on and watch the drawing.

In order to watch the live feed, you will need to have Flash Player installed on your computer. If you do not have Flash Player installed on your computer, please go to this link: http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/. Once Flash Player has been installed, you will be able to properly view the live feed of the drawing.

“Each year, tens of thousands of individuals apply for an elk license,” Roe said. “Unfortunately, not all of them can make it to the public drawings. And, due to financial limitations, we are only able to send notification letters to those who were selected to receive an elk license. By webcasting the public drawings, we hope to allow more people to view this drawing without having to travel to the agency’s Harrisburg headquarters.”

Beginning at 10 a.m., the agency will conduct the public drawing to award 50 elk licenses. Roe also noted that those who have submitted applications can check to see if they were selected, by Sept. 17, thanks to the new Pennsylvania Automated License System (PALS).

Presently, the status for all individual’s applications for elk licenses is listed as “Pending.” Once the database is updated, which is expected by Sept. 17, those who were selected for an elk license will see the status changed to “Awarded,” as well as the designation of the Elk Hunt Zone and whether they were awarded an antlered or antlerless elk license. Those not selected will see the status changed to “Unsuccessful.”

To access the information, go to the Game Commission website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), and click on the blue box in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage. Click on the “Purchase License Permit and or Application/Replace License and or Permit” option, which includes the ability to “Check on the status of any Lottery Application,” scroll down and click on the “Start Here” button at the bottom of the page. At this page, choose one of the identification options below to check your records, fill in the necessary information and click on the “Continue” button. Click on the appropriate residency status, which will display your current personal information. At the bottom of the page, choose the “Check on the status of any Lottery Application” button, and then hit “Continue.”

“While this may seem like a lot of clicking and box checking to get to the information, the system is designed to protect an individual’s personal information, while at the same time enabling that person to check on the status of his or her applications, as well as their antlerless deer license applications,” Roe said. “Prior to PALS, the only way to know for sure that you were awarded an elk license was to attend the public drawings, wait for a letter in the mail or to call the Game Commission.

“This year, thanks to PALS, we will be able to update the data files for each license buyer shortly after the elk public drawing is completed so that license buyers will be able to see for themselves if they were drawn for one of the 50 licenses.”

Contact:
Jerry Feaser
(717) 705-6541
PGCNews@state.pa.us

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is calling for nominations of citizens willing to participate in one of four Citizen Advisory Committees (CACs) to help gather input related to the deer management goal of reducing deer-human conflict in three Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) in 2011.

Those WMUs identified for next year are: WMU 2D, which consists of areas in Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Jefferson, Venango, Indiana and Westmoreland counties; WMU 2F, which consists of areas in Forest, Warren, Elk, McKean, Jefferson, Clarion and Venango counties; WMU 2G, which consists of areas in Clinton, Lycoming, Tioga, Potter, McKean, Cameron, Elk, Clearfield and Centre counties; and WMU 3C, which consist of areas in Bradford, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming and Lackawanna counties.

All nominations will be compiled and presented to the Commonwealth’s Office of Strategic Services, who will interview potential candidates, make the final selections of participants and facilitate the meetings. The Game Commission does not participate in the selection process, and there is no guarantee that any nominee will be selected or even contacted for an interview.

“Citizens will serve as representatives of specific stakeholder groups and work with other stakeholders to provide a deer population recommendation for each WMU,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “CAC recommendations then will be considered by Game Commission personnel – along with indicators of deer health, forest habitat health and deer population trends – when making deer management recommendations to the Board of Game Commissioners.

“We are looking for nominees that are fair and open-minded; have good interpersonal skills; are not holding office in organizations related to the stakeholder group they are seeking to represent; and are willing to collect input from members of the stakeholder group they represent outside of formal Citizen Advisory Committee meetings.”

Roe noted that the Board of Commissioners retains the authority to make final deer management decisions.

“The purpose of the CACs is to gather input related to the deer management goal of reducing deer-human conflict,” Roe said.

The objectives of CACs include providing an opportunity for the Game Commission to understand stakeholder values regarding deer management; an opportunity for stakeholders to interact with one another; an opportunity for stakeholders to have direct input concerning deer population goals that ultimately affect all Pennsylvanians; and an opportunity for the Game Commission to inform stakeholders on the mission of the Game Commission, complexities of deer management, and the importance of proper management.

Stakeholder groups needing representation in all CACs, except where noted, are: sportsmen-resident; sportsmen-nonresident; forest industry; rural non-farm landowner; homeowners in developed areas; highway safety agent; public land owner; conservationist; and agriculture.

CAC Nomination Form can be downloaded from the Game Commission website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on “White-Tailed Deer” on the homepage, and then choose “Citizens Advisory Committee.” Individuals also may contact the Game Commission by phone at 717-787-5529 to obtain a CAC Nomination Form, which should be returned to the address provided on the form.

Nominees must live in the WMU in which they apply and must complete a CAC Nomination Form to be considered. All nominations must be received by Sept. 15.

For further information, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) click on “White-tailed Deer”, and then choose “Citizens Advisory Committee,” where additional information can be found, including detailed reports from previous CACs held in WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2E, 3A, 3B, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D.

Contact:
Jerry Feaser
717-705-6541
PGCNews@state.pa.us

DNR NEWS

Does the thought of Black Friday shopping crowds make you want to go into hibernation? Do the traffic jams near the malls get unbearable? Dozens of “wild” holiday gifts for that hunter, trapper or wildlife fan on your list are just a click away at “The Outdoor Shop” on the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us).

All revenues generated from these items support the Game Commission’s wildlife management programs. Created in 1895 to restore Pennsylvania’s wildlife, the Game Commission is responsible for managing all wild birds and mammals, as well as the 1.4 million acres of State Game Lands it has purchased over the years with hunting and furtaking license dollars to safeguard wildlife habitat. The Game Commission does not receive any general state tax dollars.

For more information, please visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission – State Wildlife Management Agency website: http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=11&Q=177600

DNR NEWS

Hunters who are successful in the upcoming deer hunting seasons are encouraged by the Pennsylvania Game Commission to consider participating in the state’s Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) program, which channels donations of venison to local food banks, soup kitchens and needy families. Pennsylvania’s HSH program is recognized as one of the most successful among similar programs in about 40 states.

“Using a unique network of local volunteer area coordinators and cooperating meat processors to process and distribute venison donated by hunters, HSH has really helped to make a difference for countless needy families and individuals in our state,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “Pennsylvanians who participate in this extremely beneficial program should be proud of the role they play. HSH truly does make a tremendous difference.”

Started in 1991, HSH has developed into a refined support service for organizations that assist the Commonwealth’s needy. Each year, Hunters Sharing the Harvest helps to deliver almost 200,000 meals to food banks, churches and social services feeding programs for meals provided to needy Pennsylvanians.

“This program is all about the generosity of hunters and their desire to help make a difference,” Roe said. “It’s a program that many hunters have become committed to and enjoy supporting. After all, what is more gratifying than providing needed food to families?”

As part of the program, hunters are encouraged to take a deer to a participating meat processor and identify how much of their deer meat – from an entire deer to several pounds – that is to be donated to HSH. If the hunter is donating an entire deer, they are asked to make a $15 tax-deductible co-pay, and HSH will cover the remaining processing fees. However, a hunter can cover the entire costs of the processing, which is tax deductible as well.

HSH established a statewide toll-free telephone number – 866-474-2141 – which also can answer hunters’ questions about where participating meat processors can be found or other general inquiries about the program.

To learn more about the program and obtain a list of participating meat processors and county coordinators, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), click on “Hunting” and then select “Hunters Sharing the Harvest.” Information also can be found on the HSH website (www.sharedeer.org).

Contact:
Jerry Feaser
(717) 705-6541
PGCNews@state.pa.us

DNR NEWS

Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that license buyers now can check the status of their antlerless deer license applications, as well as their elk and bobcat applications, thanks to the new Pennsylvania Automated License System (PALS).

To access the information, go to the Game Commission website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), and click on the blue box in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage. Click on the “Purchase License Permit and or Application/Replace License and or Permit” option, which includes the ability to “Check on the status of any Lottery Application,” scroll down and click on the “Start Here” button at the bottom of the page. At this page, choose one of the identification options below to check your records, fill in the necessary information and click on the “Continue” button. Click on the appropriate residency status, which will display your current personal information. At the bottom of the page, choose the “Check on the status of any Lottery Application” button, and then hit “Continue.”

“While this may seem like a lot of clicking and box checking to get to the information, the system is designed to protect an individual’s personal information, while at the same time enabling that person to check on the status of his or her applications,” Roe said. “As doe licenses are processed by county treasurers, a license buyer’s application status will be updated in the system and consequently can be checked online. This update – which includes the Wildlife Management Unit for which the license was issued – occurs as soon as a county treasurer’s office allocates a license to a license-buyer’s account. This new feature will shed light on the doe license application process unlike anything we offered before.

“In the past, the only way to know for sure that you received your license was if you contacted your bank to see if your check was cashed by a county treasurer or if you received your doe license in the mail. Now, you can find out the instant your doe license issued. Monitoring this feature will help folks sort out whether their doe license application or issued license was lost in the mail, or if it’s still waiting to be processed by the county treasurer.”

Additionally, Roe noted that hunters will be able to see for themselves if their application for the bobcat and/or elk drawings recorded accurately. Elk license applicants also will be able to confirm their preferences listed for Elk Hunt Zone and antlered or antlerless elk.

“Shortly after the bobcat and elk public drawings are held on Sept. 11, license buyers’ records will be updated to let them know if they were drawn for one of the 1,780 bobcat permits or 59 elk licenses,” Roe said.

For antlerless deer licenses, there is a new timeline for the applications, which started on July 13, when county treasurers began accepting applications from residents. Nonresident applications for regular antlerless deer licenses will be accepted beginning on July 27. After this, residents and nonresidents will apply for the first round of unsold antlerless deer licenses on Aug. 3, and residents and nonresidents will apply for the second round of unsold antlerless deer licenses on Aug. 17.

County treasurers will have to mail regular and first round of unsold antlerless deer licenses no later than Sept. 14, and second round of unsold antlerless deer licenses no later than the Sept. 28.

Beginning August 3, for WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D only, there is no limit to the number of unsold antlerless deer license applications an individual can submit until the allocations are exhausted. This must be done by mail only, and there is a limit of three applications per pink envelope.

Beginning Aug. 24, county treasurers will accept applications over-the-counter for WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D, and may immediately issue antlerless deer licenses. Hunters may apply over-the-counter to county treasurers for any other WMU with antlerless license allocations on Nov. 2.

Roe noted a “Doe License Update” page has been launched through PALS, and that it can be accessed from the agency’s homepage (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on the “Doe License Update” link in the upper right-hand corner. This site provides a real-time status of antlerless license allocations and availability by WMU, and will aid license buyers as they determine which WMU to list as their first, second and third preference when they submit applications.

“Hunters do not need to list a second or third preference on their application,” Roe said. “But this option is available for those who hunt in multiple WMUs and want to avoid the possibility of having the application returned to them if their first preference is sold out.”

Contact:
Jerry Feaser
(717) 705-6541
PGCNews@state.pa.us