Lutz and several other volunteers are planning to travel to Bedford County within a few days of the next snowfall, in fact, to look for cougar sign because several sightings have been reported there in recent months. The bite usually results in a blister-like sore that can take six to eight weeks to heal. I'm passionate about helping people achieve their dreams, and I believe that education is the key to unlocking everyone's potential. The U.S. They love lurking on theedge of wooded areas near agricultural areas where prey is abundant. When we consider apex predators currently we have the black bear, and then to a lesser degree the coyote. Mountain lions live in rescue centers like Murray's, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission said a dozen or so people are permitted to possess them. in the process of reporting the sighting Roger inquired if other sightings Their conclusion: "Sir, you don't have a mountain lion.". Coyoteseat wildlife including mice, voles, deer, rabbits and woodchucks. phoned the editor of the newspaper and told him that he was "spreading Mountain lions are 7-9 feet, while bobcats are 3 feet long. PGC's photo (shown above) looked distinctly unlike the Jacobs creature New episode every Wednesday. a photo of a skinny mangy bear. It is not true, Fuches said. Descripcin. Despite yearly reports of cougar sightings in Pennsylvania, the U.S. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. Here's the schedule: Sunday, Oct. 10. The commission's furbearer biologist Thomas Keller said the PGC would "likely not be supportive of mountain lion reintroduction," pointing to the dangers posed to hikers, pets and other wildlife. Fish and Game staff . It is not unexpected for wildlife, including large predators, to pass through town occasionally. Bears tend to be shy and want to avoid contact with people, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. . Department of Community and Economic Development. http://www.buckmanager.com/2009/04/17/deer-management-and-some-thoughts-on-predator-control/, Just posted if looked like this size Did the Pennsylvania Game Commission stock coyotes into the state? My neighbor had one (maybe the same one) in her backyard. Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience. woods unattended, perhaps during outdoor summer barbeques where enticing Hard evidence that wild, free-ranging mountain lions are living in the state they did not. California has one of the largest mountain lion populations in the country. But the Pennsylvania Game Commission says the . Which College Is Ranked 1 On The 20 Best College Campuses List? What do you do when you run into a mountain lion? Symptoms include nausea, chills, slight fever, rise in blood pressure, fatigue, motor disturbances, breathing difficulty, constipation, and muscle aches, particularly in the abdomen. Also on the extirpated list are wolves, lynx, moose and wolverines. One couple in Palmer Townshipreported a coyote attack on their dog in 2016. Department of Education. No wild cougars have been found in Pennsylvania since their extirpation in 1871, Despite yearly reports of cougar sightings in Pennsylvania, the U.S. There are more than 4,000 of them in Pennsylvania. However, since the 1940s, the jaguar has been limited to southern areas of Arizona. That said there have been numerous sightings of them over the years. Turns out, many of you say coywolves coyote/wolf hybrids have been spotted around Bucks County. Then there is Rocky. Black bears are active in the fall, foraging for food to bulk up for hibernation, Williams said. For now, the state will stick with its current deer management plan, which leans heavily on hunting. If cougar reintroduction were to become a serious consideration, the game commission would first need to conduct a feasibility assessment, a "long and careful process," in Keller's estimation, that ends with a recommendation for or against reintroducing a species. No person has ever been attacked by one in PA, and no mountain lions Wasps are important because they kill off other pest insects such as caterpillars, flies and crickets. I am not a drinker and dont di drugs. Despite yearly reports of cougar sightings in Pennsylvania, the U.S. Below are the results for the 2021-2022 Pennsylvania Elk Tag Lottery! This definitely wasnt a bobcat. Several years ago when he was a district officer patrolling Sullivan County, a large cat ran across the road just before dark. As biologists are quick to stress, cougars rarely attack humans. But some believe that the lions, as well as the now ubiquitous coyote, were "introduced" by the PGC to help control an exploding deer population; a charge the commission steadfastly denies. The state Fish and Game Commission on Thursday set the stage for a fierce environmental battle by granting temporary endangered species . It stopped and looked directly at me. If you're hiking, stay on the path and don't venture into the woods. Some attacks of humans have been reported in the United States, according to the U.S. Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Friends in the area reported having a large long tailed mountain lion run across a road just in front of their truck. Whenever a witness strongly contested that reaction, Officials have closed a Santa Clarita park after a young boy was attacked by a mountain lion. A young mountain lion that was part of a cougar population in Nebraska embarked on a multi-state journey this year, officials said. The last wild panther known to have walked in the Pennsylvania woods did so in Berks County. If you think you see a predatory cat ready to pounce, you're likely mistaken. On a recent stifling morning in Adams County, the 290-pound mountain lion with perfect . CREATE AN ACCOUNT. In the Dec. 22, 1967, issue of the Titusville Herald, outdoor writer Steve Szalewicz, reported that in the late afternoon of Oct. 28 in Venango Township, Crawford County, local hunters John . Maybe someday, one of those fake cougar sightings will turn out to be true. Most mountain lions will try to avoid confrontation, so give them a way to escape. Their bodies are mainly covered in tawny-beige fur, except for the whitish-gray belly and chest. View your purchased licenses, permits, and profile characteristics. Should any hunter come across a cougar in Pennsylvania, they are advised to leave it alone as hunting them in the state is illegal. Feb 1. Cougars also called mountain lions or pumas are uniquely suited to hunt and kill deer, who not only cause traffic accidents but overgraze to the point of endangering native species and eliminating habitats for smaller animals. No wild cougars have been found in Pennsylvania since their extirpation in 1871. Many people believed the large feline was a mountain lion a species that hasn't existed in the wild in Pennsylvania for more than 100 years. Its scientific name is Lynx rufus. StateMountain Lion PopulationPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth Dakota300-50046 more rows, There are at least 20,000 black bears in Pa., and a small percentage are killed each year, but were probably not talking about 20,000 pumas in the state. Early access permits available for some Game and Fish Commission lands in the Dubois area . These insects account for more deaths than any other animal group, according to apennlive.com report. 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. Always interesting to see the pompous asses state unequivocally that hundreds of their citizens are blind, on drugs, or lying because they have not seen one! Its scientific name is Lynx rufus. So, theyll respond swiftly to a dose of pepper spray, meaning theyll almost always beat a hasty retreat. But, I actually have two favorites. Was the craziest thing I have ever heard or seen in the woods of pa. The state classed mountain lions as endangered in 1972 and banned all hunting of them. They wanted to hear from anyone who saw a mountain lion or signs of one, like tracks or scats. Thanks for reading! Do not approach a lion. Was about 30 feet down the road when it crossed in front of me. Brandford Era newspaper) the PGC chastised the news editor about it. Bear attacks are thankfully rare. Make sure you remove or cover up any bear food source, including garbage or bird feeders at your home. Home Haller Motorworx & Farm Equipment Magazine, AR 479 969-6464 The Pennsylvania Game Commission this week reported results from the 2021-22 deer seasons, which ended in January. I live in Cumberland County about a half a mile from the 944/Enola exit. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is your state wildlife agency and we want to help clarify and simplify some timely and commonly asked hunting- and wildlife-related questions. Symptoms usually disappear after four days. Bradford County: Sunday, Oct. 6, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (rain or shine), State Game Lands 12. Joe Fischer, left, and Nick Sebasovich and dog Stella, discuss pheasant hunting Dec. 30, 2021, at State Game Lands 93 in Somerset County. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Version 2.1.0. Cougars were extirpated from Pennsylvania before the 1900s and exterminated from the entire East Coast by the 1930s (aside from the Florida panther). 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. Required fields are marked *. That's the third-highest rate of any state in the U.S. These tiny critters may not look that threatening but they are carriers of Lyme disease, which can result in long-term health complications and even death. Get FREE Penguins tickets with an online subscription. It didn't need to be trumpeted on television news. idfg-bpearson. 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. Founded in 1986, the Mountain Lion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to ensure that America . It had recently killed a buck and was dragging it across the road. Saw some huge cat prints on the mountain in NEPA near white haven. "Even if the habitat model is showing suitability, it's really so many other things that need to be considered such as impacts to other species, impacts to humans, social acceptance and future management.". Crews help rescue bulldog from Hellertown underground tank, Pa. among 13 states hit by illness linked to pet turtles. The petition seeks protections for gravely imperiled cougar populations in Southern California and on the Central Coast, including the Eastern Peninsular Range, Santa Ana . The size was then confirmed to me, had a long tail also, had no markings but appeared dark grey in the sun. A mountain lion would be unique, Balavage said. State Farm insurancecalculates that one out of every 67 drivers in Pennsylvania had a claim related to a deer collision in 2016. the heads of the PGC regarding the mountain lion issue. Paws N Claws Animal Park in the Poconos has two. According to Prugh, cougars also could help slow the spread of Lyme's disease by taking out diseased deer and save casual gardens and crops from overgrazing. Get educated & stay motivated. The next highest state, New Jersey, had only 3,900, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com. I told her there had now. Cougar Signs Experts such as Debra Chase, CEO of the Mountain Lion Foundation, say that cougars are mostly afraid of humans and dont see us as potential prey. Are there still panthers in Pennsylvania? CWD, a fatal neurological disease, is a threat to both white-tailed deer and elk and has been detected within the wild deer population in . Elk, Pa.s largest wild animal, have become a tourism boom in the northwest part of the state. Is Penn State Greater Allegheny A 4 Year College? 06/03/2022. Hold your ground and back away slowly. panic" in Pennsylvania and doing a "disservice to the public". Whats the point of hunting mountain lions? The bobcat, also known as the bay Iynx, wildcat, red lynx and swamp tiger, is the states only feline predator. "But there is certainly major costs to that return. All rights reserved. This is only hearsay, however, since Im only going on their stories. They're able to hunt deer in suburban areas where it's not safe to hunt. Today about 150 of the animals roam the two northcentral counties where they have become tourist attractions. State officials question the lack of proof from recent sightings. of the PGC's long-standing practice of whitewashing any sighting reports The mountain lion came and went. They are certainly more rare than wild mountain lions. Feaser GAME COMMISSION RELEASE RESULTS OF ALLEGED MOUNTAIN LION ATTACK . Your email address will not be published. Its low to the ground, it doesnt appear longer than the gate in the photo and theres no tail, Williams said. How would mountain lions impact the entire trophic scale underneath them? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. October 5, 2016. and within six days after the commission of their crime, D'Horn and Mille were broken on the wheel in the Place de Grve. The last documented sighting of an eastern cougar was one killed in Maine in 1938. Bobcats are smaller than a mountain lion and have short tails. Congratulations to all hunters who drew a tag this year! In fact, coyotes may thrive in suburban settings and even urban areas. We run through the list from mammals to reptiles to insects. Usually, the sightings are house cats that were spotted at a deceiving angle or in certain light conditions to make them appear larger. I'm also a big believer in lifelong learning- there's always something new to learn! Lion sightings they got. Below is a news release from the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Adult mountain lions can range from 6 to 8 feet long, which includes their tail, and can weigh between 105 to 140 pounds, the agencys website stated. Click here to place a classified ad. After gathering more information on local sightings he called a All told, they could eliminate 708,600 collisions and $2.13 billion in damages over 30 years. You should stay calm and back away from the bear. Mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania, http://cougarrewilding.org/CougarNews/?p=938. Stay Alert! common in the past than now, but they weren't very common back then either, and measure of panic and terror in Pennsylania, and all surrounding states. In an October study, researchers identified several regions along the East Coast that could be suitable habitats, including a section of Pennsylvania north of Du Bois and northeast of Williamsport. Repellant can protect exposed skin from ticks. the lion's share of its funding from the sale of hunting licenses in Pennsylvania. You're much more likely to encounter ablack bear than a bobcat. ______________________________________________________ Fish and Wildlife Service reports eastern cougars, also know as mountain lions, were found in every eastern state from Maine to South Carolina. Paws 'N' Claws Animal Park in the Poconos has two. party on his farm. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. to know how he would have felt for the rest of his life if a child, possibly 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. confines every so often resulting in occassional sightings of mountain Rarely seen but surprisingly numerous, the bobcat (Lynx rufus) prowls most of Pennsylvanias woods throughout much of the state. This week, the Pennsylvania Game Commission plans to release about 42,000 male and female pheasants for hunters to pursue. Bobcats are often misidentified as mountain lions, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission Officer Bill Williams. Cougars in Pennsylvania may still be a pipe dream in 2023, but who knows? "Cougars really are deer specialists," said Laura Prugh, an author on the study. Here in central Pennsylvania we live on the outskirts of what one puma-tracking website has as almost the high point of sightings, extending from north-central Pennsylvania in a southwestern diagonal that extends into the mountains of West Virginia. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. It was not a fleeting glance, I had to stop my car to let it slowly cross the road in front of me. an escaped pet mountain lion, at best. Paws N Claws Animal Park in the Poconos has two. 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. PGC's official position to something more rational-sounding, like "There to the meeting -- the only agency that could assert jurisdiction over The first is that the Game Commission is somehow being paid by auto insurance companies to shoot deer . The USFWS receives its funding from everyone's taxes, but the PGC receives All I have is my opinion based on discussions I've had with local WCOs and my hunting part The 2020 wildfires that ravaged California also affected mountain lion populations, killing an estimated 300 to 600 of them. Until recently, whenever the sighting of a mountain lion was reported Pennsylvania Game News is a monthly, 64-page magazine about hunting and wildlife in Pennsylvania. Release Date: February 5, 2008 [eBook #24518] [Most recently updated: June 27, 2021] . Then another friend told me his daughter who lives in Clymer PA saw a Game Commission truck go into the woods with a large cage in the back with a mountain lion in the cage. I know I am not the only one who spotted this cat around the woods right outside town . No wonder I have not seen that many rabbits or squirrels lately. Feb 11, 2018. Updated: Sep 20, 2022 / 04:08 PM EDT. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, feline predators such as the eastern cougar, which is also known as the mountain lion, are extirpated, meaning theyre all but wiped out in the northeastern United States. I had a mountain lion in the field across from my house a couple years ago. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. In 2011, the U.S. The statewide buck . because the USFWS afterward announced that there "needs State Game Lands 26, Bedford County, noon to 3 p.m. - The public is invited to tour State Game Lands 26, a 12,000-acre tract situated in Blue Knob, Pa. the fall back response by the PGC was to say the animal might have been This driving tour begins off Route 869 near the Bedford/Cambria County line and covers approximately 7 miles. Release #113-08 . Do everything you can to fight it off. Im 62 and hunted most of my life here in PA. Dont EVER expect to get the truth from anyone with Game departments in any U.S. state. Tired of ads? Heres how The Express-Times reported the unusual story on Sept. 26, 1996. According to Bill Williams, information and education supervisor for the Game Commissions Northeast Region in Dallas, there are several indicators that point toward the animal being a bobcat. Click here to submit a news tip or submit an event. To date, CWD has been found in about 1,000 deer. The news staff at the Bradford Era newspaper thought the bear in the 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. One spotted in the Delaware Water Gap 25 years ago this week was believed to be the first in over a century. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. You read it here first: Mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania: Just prior to the start of Pennsylvanias two-week firearms deer season, the volunteers at the Eastern Puma Research Network put out a call to hunters. had been reported in the area. I have seen a large cat on several occasions driving home at night from work. I've since worked with schools and districts all over the country, helping them improve their curriculums and instruction methods. The last native mountain lion known to be killed in Pennsylvania is on display in the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. Except there's one big problem, at least for East Coasters: cougars don't really live here. (WHTM) - The Pennsylvania Game Commission is offering tours of Pennsylvania Game Lands next month. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Lion take a fawn in a swamp 1 mile from my home in the same county. Bears have been fought off with rocks, sticks, binoculars or even bare hands, the game commission says. These indentations on their cheeks help them sense heat and find prey. Im an avid mature person with a biology degree. What is the fascination in Pennsylvania that they always want to kill a mountain line if they find one theyre indigenous they belong there just leave the damn things alone. the edge of a forest. A moose is a very rare sight in Pennsylvania. I saw the way it bounded across the road and the size, and my brain just filled in the blanks that I just saw a mountain lion, recalled Williams. You should bathe soon after coming indoors, preferably within two hours. Tennessee. title: Pennsylvania Game Commission Maps and More: description: type: Web Mapping Application: tags: PGC,Map,State Game Land: thumbnail: id . 1 year for $20 | 2 years for $35 | 3 years for $50 Rightfully so, as hefty bobcats are still common today and perhaps 200 years ago, impressive mountain lions might have hunted wild elk and, Isolated juvenile males have been found as far east as Michigans Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin. A mountain lion in winter. Mountain lions, also commonly known as cougars, are officially extinct in both Pennsylvania and the United States east of the Mississippi. Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. How Much Money Does Penn State Make From Football? Mountain lions weigh 90-160 pounds, while bobcats weigh 20-30 pounds. Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews. A remote camera captured the mountain lion known as P-41. However, mountain lion sightings in Pennsylvania are still being reported. No one was attacked or threatenned, but from hunting licenses in Pennsylvania might be reduced if hunters were afraid to go into DALLAS There are no mountain lions in the Back Mountain or surrounding region, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission Officer Bill Williams. Remember this post from February 28, 2005. sensible caution, in situations where small children are playing in the Eating African lion meat is unusual around the worldincluding on the predators home continent, where the meat is not considered palatable, Hunter said. what was said, but it must have been a proud moment for U.S. federalism, Eastern cougars (mountain lions) do not have a native, self sustaining population in New York State. Predominantly staying out of sight, when it is seen the bobcat is sometimes mistaken for the common housecat or a mountain lion. He was told by the PGC that there were Days to months after the tick bite, victims can suffer severe headaches, heart palpitations, shooting pains, numbness, dizziness and trouble with short-term memory. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. in various ways, so they did not promote the PGC's assertion that it is hundreds Occasionally, though, humans fool them. Connect the PGC app to your HuntFishPA account. They are also known as . . Mountain lion P-22 has had an extraordinary life and captured the hearts of the people of Los Angeles and beyond. We have no reports of anyone being killed by a bear (in Luzerne County) in recorded history, he said. The PA Game Commission ASSOCIATED PRESS Shown are common pheasants on a meadow near Szeghalom, Hungary, in 2021. While living in Potter County, Pennsylvania and riding my horses. There haven't been any cougars in Tennessee since the early 1900s. The only cats still hunting in Pennsylvania are bobcats, according to the state game commission. They are found throughout Central and South America.