"We have seen zero credible evidence about mountain lions in Pennsylvania," states co-founder Mark Dowling flat out. Click here to find a class in your area. Kansas is another central U.S. state where there is no established breeding population, but a few mountain lions have been seen over the years. Click here for ways to be ELK SMART. According to the state wildlife division, there have only been 3 credible mountain lion sightings in the last 25 years. The state classed mountain lions as endangered in 1972 and banned all hunting of them. The state has begun to use more high tech methods for tracking the secretive lions, including motion-capture cameras, mathematical models and GPS collaring. Why cant waterfowl be hunted on Sundays? They can live in any type of forest, as well as canyonland, lowland and mountainous deserts, dense brush and even open spaces with little cover. The mountain lion prowling North Texas in 2020 was eventually felled by a hunter, according to the TPWD. Almost all of the mountain lions found in Missouri so far, at least those where a sex determination could be made, have been males. More than half of the Game Commissions annual revenue comes from license sales, a relatively fixed income source. Trapping provides relief from property damage for example from livestock predation or agricultural crops. The elks weight and several biological samples will be collected by Game Commission wildlife biologists. 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. Males are not involved in the lives of the cubs after they are born. The wild pheasants are monitored by Game Commission wildlife biologists to determine survival and population numbers using radio telemetry, crowing counts, brood surveys and flushing surveys. After an unfortunate past of over hunting, Montanas mountain lion population has made a comeback. Support proper deer management actions like increased deer harvests in DMAs designed to slow the spread of CWD. There are occasional sightings but any confirmation is rare. A tutorial on how to navigate the dashboard is available on the Game Commissions YouTube channel. Click here to learn more. During times of the year where natural food sources are low, bears sometimes help themselves to food that is easily accessible, including bird feeders, trash cans and pet food left outside within a bears reach. If the tag was on the antlers, there would be no way to identify the head or carcass. This is a question that resounds with many Pennsylvanians whether they are outdoor enthusiasts or not. While mountain lions were considered rare in Arkansas after 1920, it seems they are making a comeback. This is a game regulation that has been around for many years and predates most people currently working for the Game Commission. Replacement certificates are usually mailed in 10-14 days upon receipt of an application. Oregon has quite a healthy population of mountain lions, estimated to be over 6,000. Records show that more than 600 cougars were killed in Centre County alone during the 1800s. Click here for full harvest reporting details. "Recently there was an emu captured in Houtzdale, Clearfield County," says Feaser. What if Im hunting in an area where CWD is known to exist? How do I report my elk harvest? In many places, the habitat hasn't changed much in hundreds of years. 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. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A recent rumor of a cougar killed by a vehicle on Interstate 80 attracted some attention at Penn State. Am I allowed to remove mushrooms and/or berries on state game lands? Mountain Lions have been more prevalent to the west in the last 100 years, but many of the pockets of breeding populations east of the Mississippi River have been wiped out over the decades due to habitat loss and hunting. Hunters will continue to mail antlerless-license applications to county treasurers, as required by law. With more than half of the state having prime habitat (foothills and mountains), California has a large population of Mountain Lions. Users must realize that these decisions are highly weather dependent and therefore cannot be made more than a few days in advance. After hearing of alleged sightings over the years -- sketchy reports of rural folks listening to big cat screams in the night, inconclusive paw prints, photos and videos that never materialized and the occasional unexplained livestock killing -- a cougar carcass was supposed to be delivered to university wildlife experts for necropsy. Thank you in advance for helping to protect Pennsylvania wildlife. Hunters can apply online at HuntFishPA for the elk license drawing and check the status of their applications. Previous Game Commission research has shown that reducing the fall season by one week allows more hens to survive to spring and reproduce. Although it is beneficial to provide contact information in case game wardens have follow-up questions, callers may remain confidential. What species can a mentored hunter hunt? Many species of wildlife are born in the spring and its almost certain Pennsylvanians will encounter young wildlife at one point or another. At no time is a hunter able to possess more than six unfilled antlerless licenses. Bear harvest data is available on a map on the Game Commissions website. In 2005, six subspecies were recognized: Depending on who you talk to, some scientists consider that only a few of those are valid distinctions. Bear check stations are open on each day of the regular firearms bear season, and on select days of the extended seasons. In February 2021, the Pennsylvania Game Commission and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission launched HuntFishPA, a new user-friendly licensing platform for hunters, anglers and boaters. There is no breeding population of mountain lions in Virginia, with the last wild cougar in the state killed in Washington County in 1882. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is seeking knowledgeable and experienced individuals to pass on the tradition and teach both basic and advanced hunter education training programs. Pennsylvanias 1.6 million acres of state game lands are open for public access, at this time. adroll_adv_id = "FF6GK7CJOJDFBNPMPIV3YY"; This includes data organized by season, species (white-tailed deer or elk), age, collection method, sex and collection site (down to the township level). Many believe mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania. Currently, trapping is only allowed for species with abundant populations and for species whos populations were reintroduced and are still growing like bobcat, fisher, and river otter only one animal per license year may be harvested and only in areas where populations are high enough to support harvest. Recent confirmed sightings of mountain lions in North Dakota are about 20-40 per year. Where can I learn more about Pennsylvanias state game lands? Washington is home to approximately 1,500 mountain lions. We encourage everyone to continue to take precautionary measures during this time and to continue to be safe and responsible during these unprecedented times. 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). Click here for more information. Follow these guidelines to prevent the spread of the disease: 1. Although it is beneficial to provide contact information in case game wardens have follow-up questions, callers may remain confidential. Who can I call with additional Hunter-Trapper Education and/or mentored hunter questions? Feeding also promotes the spread of infectious diseases by having them unnaturally congregate into small areas. For the 2021-22 license year, there are three elk hunting seasons: Archery, Sept. 11-25; Firearms, Nov. 1-6; and Late Season Jan. 1-8, 2022. Archery and late seasons elk hunters will be notified of this location by letter or contact the Northcentral Region Office at 570-398-4744. Habitat changes that can result in lower turkey populations include, a lower variety of habitat types, lower habitat quality (particularly due to exotic species replacing native species), lower number of mast-producing trees (particularly oaks and cherry), lower percentage of younger age-class forests, and less nesting brood cover for turkeys. Most general and add-on licenses are available in-store. There may well be a mountain lion out there that has been illegally released.". An adult cougar will consume an average of one deer per week. Thank you for visiting! Pennsylvania currently does not have a population of mountain lions. Mountain lions are found regularly throughout Idaho, and have been observed in every county. Is it illegal to feed elk? The following population estimates were taken from state government websites, and other authoritative sources. It is not believed that there is currently any breeding population of mountain lions in the state of Illinois. In recent years the population of certain areas has decreased dramatically, due to a perfect storm of reintroduction of gray wolves, increased hunting of elk, and increased hunting of the mountain lions. Ask your butcher to process your meat individually, without meat from other animals, or process your own meat; 6. 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. Is there a way for Pennsylvania hunters to donate extra venison? Click here for information, including regulations, maps, public shooting ranges, seasonal road schedules, access for hunters with disabilities, designated routes for horses and bicycles and more. Second, antlers are often the first thing removed from a deer when processing begins. Mountain lions can be found throughout Arizona, and data suggests the populations are not only stable, but growing. Some locals call this the phantom cat and liken it to the Loch Ness monster. Crews will then continue burning into the wind and downslope, sending fire into the previously burned or blackened area. Occasional sightings persist, but rarely is there confirmation. 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. It is possible numbers in Illinois could slowly increase if cougars in areas such as South Dakota and the Rocky Mountain states begin to disperse eastward. Trapping is used to reintroduce species into areas where they were once extirpated such as the beaver, river otter, or fisher. Visit the Washington cougar page here. Are mountain lions living in Pennsylvania today? Each hunting license comes with one fall turkey tag (and one spring tag), so we regulate fall harvest by season length. If you have a question that isnt answered below, please email us at Junior hunters, ages 14-15, must be accompanied by an adult 18 or older. Spring hen disturbance and mortality can never be fully eliminated, but by giving them time to begin incubating their nest, were greatly decreasing the risk. A long term plan was enacted in 2008 to try and protect and grow the population. Even though the majority of the harvest occurs during the first week of the season, our harvest data show that fifteen to eighteen percent of the harvest can occur the last Monday-Friday of the season, so the longer the fall season length the higher the harvest.