This development promised to resolve a decades-old controversy. To see the the Michigan Department of Natural Resources page on cougars, visit here. Why cant waterfowl be hunted on Sundays? This plus increasing numbers of deer and elk allowed the lion population to slowly recover. Although it is beneficial to provide contact information in case game wardens have follow-up questions, callers may remain confidential. American Marten Reintroduction Feasibility Assessment, Marten Reintroduction Feasibility Assessment, Click here to learn more about our agency and its history, Click here for more information about the agency, Click here for more about regulations related to the Right-to-Know law, Click here for step-by-step instructions about how to purchase a Pennsylvania hunting license, lick here for more information about HuntFishPA, Game Commission office that serves your county, contact your state representative and state senator, Click here for full harvest reporting details, lick here for full harvest reporting details, Pennsylvania Game Commission Region Office, Pennsylvania Game Commissions Operation Game Thief program, Pennsylvania Game Commission region office, Pennsylvanias online Hunter-Trapper Education course, report it to the Game Commission region office, Learn more about elk history in Pennsylvania, Click here for a brief synopsis of the zones, Check out the Elk Viewing Guide and Elk Scenic Drive Map from the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau, Click here to read the Pennsylvania Game Code, Click here to learn more about deer warts, please review the wild turkey biologist's January 2021 report to the board, Click here to read more about state game lands regulations, The Game Commission maintains a public map that shows where prescribed burns are being planned, Click here to learn more about CWD in Pennsylvania, https://pgcdatacollection.pa.gov/CWDResultsLookup, Refer to the Pennsylvania Department of Healths precautionary recommendations for outdoor recreation, Special Requests to Use State Game Lands Information, Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP). The Pennsylvania Game Commissions Operation Game Thief program serves to protect wild birds and wild mammals and encourages those who have information related to wildlife crimes to report details as soon as possible. An adult cougar will consume an average of one deer per week. 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. In the forest, fires typically just consume the leaves, sticks and low growing vegetation. For more information see the Kentucky DFW page on mountain lions here. DNA tests have offered conclusive proof of cougars in other eastern states. How do I purchase a license or report a harvest in HuntFishPA? Having said that, through conservation efforts these big cats are making a comeback in many areas with their ranges and populations growing. The PGC has no plans to reintroduce mountain lions or any other big predator into Keep in mind, just as the elk herd calls northcentral Pennsylvania home, so do plenty of human residents and camp owners. With more than half of the state having prime habitat (foothills and mountains), California has a large population of Mountain Lions. It is thought that mountain lions were once relatively rare in Nevada, but as the populations of deer grew in the 1930s and 40s, so did the cougars. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a neurological disease that affects members of the cervid family (e.g., deer, elk, moose and reindeer/caribou). The nearest wild populations are also many hundreds of miles away in Nebraska and Florida. Being outdoors is good health care and self-care; however, recommendations for social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19 still apply. The mystery of whether wild eastern cougars, also commonly known as mountain lions, pumas, or panthers, really survive in the Keystone State might finally unravel. http://bit.ly/PGCOGT. Records show that more than 600 cougars were killed in Centre County alone during the 1800s. Harvest tags will continue to be issued in physical form on durable stock. There are no exceptions. It is also unlawful to dig on state game lands. A mountain lion is also known as a panther, cougar, or puma. The last promising scat turned out to be from a large coyote that had eaten a lot of meat. While mountain lions could once be regularly found in Maine, there has been no population since the early 1900s. The new process is simpler, since the same distribution rules now apply to all WMUs, and it maintains fair and equitable distribution. A reproducing population of endangered cougars lives in the Everglades, known as the "Florida panthers," and the big cats are so numerous in a number of western states that hunting seasons are allowed. contact information is available here. A Rural Legend -- The Search For Pennsylvania Mountain lions have appeared in Pennsylvania in the past 75 years, but when they're captured, it's quickly determined they were formerly exotic pets or show animals. Young males may travel long distances looking for new territory. Here are a few ways to limit human-bear interactions: Bring pet food containers and bird feeders inside overnight, or completely if bears continually return; keep trash cans inside, if possible, until the morning of collection day; and regularly clean and remove grease from outside grills. The Susquehannock Wildlife Society wrote an article about a potential cougar photograph submitted to them and discussed their process of investigation, in the end they deemed it was not a mountain lion. Absolutely, not. Future season-setting will be guided by a consistent and transparent process based on grouse abundance, summer sightings and disease risk. Most sightings have been in southern Alaska, with a few rare sightings in the interior. Click here for more information. There are occasional sightings, and there may possibly be the rare traveler that passes through. They add diversity to the hunting experience at a time when wild pheasant populations are low and provide valuable youth hunter recruitment opportunities. WPRAs are established through partnerships between the Game Commission and Pheasants Forever Chapters or other conservation groups. The group heavily relies on The Pennsylvania Game Commission is an independent state agency and receives no General Fund money from the state's annual budget. "So the mystery goes on," says Gary San Julian, professor of wildlife resources in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Some in-person classes are being offered. Mountain lions can be found throughout Arizona, and data suggests the populations are not only stable, but growing. San Julian dutifully follows up on every cougar report he can. 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. What is the Game Commission doing to manage CWD? Moreover, this approach would be exceedingly difficult to implement logistically because open and closed dates for individual counties and properties would differ across the state and change from week to week throughout the season. Mountain lions in Pennsylvania are believed to be non-existent; leading to speculation What are the benefits of having a concurrent antlered and antlerless deer hunting season? Pennsylvanias new hunting and furtaker licensing system, This list is for breeding mountain lion populations, but some sightings are noted. How do I report a road-killed deer? Pennsylvania has 308 state games lands, which span more than 1.5 million acres. In an effort to expand hunting opportunities, in 2021, Sunday hunting is only open on the following dates for the following species. It is thought these mountain lions only pass through Kansas. When was CWD detected in Pennsylvania? If bears continually return, remove the bird feeders entirely. There are also mountain lions in other parts of the state but the populations are smaller and exact numbers unclear. Initially, the purpose of pheasant stocking was to help establish self-sustaining populations. Only a few confirmed sightings of mountain lions have occurred in Tennessee in recent years. Mature trees are left standing and are typically not impacted by the fire, (unless that is the desired effect). Where are managed dove fields located on state games lands? The last studies performed in the late 1990s suggested a population of 4,000 6,000 of the big cats in California. Why are rifles being banned for fall turkey hunting in the 2021 season? We also share helpful tips and guides on a variety of topics related to animals and nature. CLARKS SUMMIT, Pa. -- The sighting of a big cat over the weekend in Lackawanna County has caused a debate over what was lurking in the Dodge family's Have your animal processed in the area in which it was harvested so high-risk parts can be disposed of properly; 5. The 2020 Females usually only give birth once every two years, and the litter size is typically three cubs, but can range from one to six. At headquarters, there is an executive staff and seven bureaus: Wildlife Habitat Management, Wildlife Management, Wildlife Protection, Administrative Services, Marketing and Strategic Communications, Information and Education and Automated Technology Services. 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). They even have a Mountain Lion Response Team to investigate sightings and gather evidence to try and track the population. Often, people who thought they spotted a mountain lion saw another member of the wild cat family, the lynx. While much of North Dakota is open prairie habitat that will not support many mountain lions, they do reside in the more mountainous western parts of the state. The Game Commission completed an American Marten Reintroduction Feasibility Assessment which found that Pennsylvania does have suitable habitat within the state, that negative impacts to other species and from other species is minimal, and the public strongly supports restoration. Thank you in advance for helping to protect Pennsylvania wildlife. There are currently four WPRAs in the state. In the United States, they was extirpated from most of the states east of the Mississippi River in the 200 years after European colonization. Pennsylvania's last known wild eastern mountain lion was killed in Berks County in 1874.