Pennsylvania Supreme Court Says PGC Can Regulate Game In Preserves

Animal rights groups, which have shown in past history to have very little interest in saving animals and more interest in trampling on the rights of individuals, sued the state of Pennsylvania in order to force the Pennsylvania Game Commission to implement its regulations on game hunting preserves – specifically the Tioga Hunting Preserve which provides opportunities to hunt boar. Read more

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Says PGC Can Regulate Game In Preserves

Animal rights groups, which have shown in past history to have very little interest in saving animals and more interest in trampling on the rights of individuals, sued the state of Pennsylvania in order to force the Pennsylvania Game Commission to implement its regulations on game hunting preserves – specifically the Tioga Hunting Preserve which provides opportunities to hunt boar.

The PGC claims it has no jurisdiction over the boars at Tioga as they are non-native but the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, in a 4-1 decision said, “wild boar are protected wild mammals that are subject to the commission’s regulations.”

The intent of Fund for Animals is to stop any and all forms of hunting. They will chip away at U.S. citizen’s rights until they have achieved their sought after goals – forcing their ideals on the general public.

In an earlier statement made by Jerry Feaser of the Tioga Hunting Preserve, he said that the rights of a property owner allows him to decide who harvests his animals.

Let’s put it to you this way, for comparison. If I’m a farmer and I have some dairy cows, and I decide for some reason to allow some people to come in and shoot them, there’s nothing the Game Commission can do.

The Court’s ruling stated that the boar were “protected wild mammals”. I assume as far as protected, they are using this term to describe that the PGC would regulate or manage the animal as part of its game management programs? Wild pigs are far from a federally protected species. As a matter of fact, many states are trying to figure out how to get rid of their wild pigs.

Part of the argument seems to be that the boars that are present at the Tioga Hunting Preserve are imported Russian and European boars. The PGC has said that because of that, they cannot control the pigs there.

What is questionable is the double standard being used by the animal rights groups. When their argument fits the mold, they will argue against the mere existence of game preserves claiming that none of the animals inside the fences are “wild” and fight to stop the slaughter of what they called tame or domesticated animals. If the moment is right, such as seems to be the case here, they will argue that pigs are wild animals and therefore need to be under the jurisdiction of the PGC.

Included in that double standard is that of the use of the term hunting. In some cases, animal rightists will attempt to use to their advantage that shooting animals on a fenced-in preserve isn’t hunting. They will refer to it as inhumane slaughter. In this case, they clearly refer to the events taking place at Tioga as hunting and are demanding that the PGC have jurisdiction because of that. So which is it? We can’t have it both ways, or can we?

With this ruling, it becomes clear to me that the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has set precedence that shooting boars on game preserves is hunting and therefore needs to be regulated by the PGC. Will that stop the future arguments as to whether or not shooting game inside fences is hunting? Probably not but maybe some smart lawyer will use this ruling by the PSC in its fight to protect property rights.

But don’t get confused here. The goal of Fund for Animals and all the animal rights groups is to take away everyone’s opportunities to hunt. This is just one step in that direction.

Now that it appears the PGC has jurisdiction over Tioga’s boars and of course all other game preserves in Pennsylvania, it will be interesting to see how this actually changes things. You can bet that if this ruling doesn’t force the closure of Tioga and other preserves statewide, the animal rights groups will be back with more ridiculous lawsuits stripping away our rights as American citizens.

Weren’t cows wild mammals once also?

Tom Remington

A Way Of Life

By Shawn P. Howard
Howard Brothers Guide Service

As a tagging agent in central Maine, I get the opportunity to see what the area is offering for hunting and trapping success. I also get to meet many hunters from around Maine and from far away that come to enjoy what Maine has to offer. Some faces I see every November to tag their deer, and many return with just as big a smile to watch their hunting partner tag their trophy animal. Hunting season creates lifelong friendships, and brings family members together. Time spent in the outdoors offers quality time with loved ones away from the pressures of every day life. Read more

Deer Problems Create Social Problems

I have written and written about community after community trying to find ways to deal with overgrown populations of deer eating up the shrubs, the woods, spreading disease, causing property damage and at times personal injury or death. Most want to point a finger at just one person, group, set of circumstances or action to find blame. It’s not quite that simple but that doesn’t stop us from continuing our relentless assault on the issue. Read more

Recap of Mt Lions In Southwestern Maine

by
A. Sayward Lamb

For several years I have been hearing from several friends and acquaintances, telling me of sightings of the very elusive mountain lions which they have seen personally, or have been told of sightings by their friends. My earliest recollections of sightings were back in the mid-nineteen fifties, when I was living in South Woodstock. My friends, Leon Poland, and Joe Pete Appleby, repeatedly told me of sighting a Mt. Lion that crossed the highway in front of their vehicles on several occasions, just about dusk or shortly after dark, about a quarter of mile from where I resided. Read more

Take A Kid Hunting

By Robert Lane

Bob Lane is a Licensed Master Maine Guide and photographer. He has also guided Caribou Hunters and Fishermen on float trips in Southwest Alaska.

Deer season in Maine is a longstanding tradition marked by cold, frosty mornings, treks through the pre-dawn darkness to a coveted tree stand, a swamp’s edge, or a favorite stand of hardwoods in quest of the elusive whitetail. Lifelong friends share the camaraderie of hunting camp with stories of seasons past, traditional, hearty early morning breakfasts with strong coffee, and enough fat and cholesterol to fuel a skidder. Read more

Pennsylvania Deer Hunters Can Assist Officials In Tracking EHD

Pennsylvania this year has confirmed cases of dead deer as the result of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, referred to as EHD or blue tongue. It’s a deadly virus, regularly found in many southern states but this summer has spread to several northern states as well. EHD is carried by tiny biting insects commonly called midges or no-see-ums. It is believed that these bitings insects are the only way the virus is passed and not from one animal to the next.

Pennsylvania officials are asking hunters for assistance in reporting any dead deer found believed to have died from EHD. Samara Trusso, regional biologist for the Southwest Region of the Pennsylvania Game Commission describes the symptoms of EHD this way.

Once bitten by an infected midge, Trusso said it takes five to 10 days to see the signs of the illness in the deer. Trusso said the deer will start appearing lethargic, disoriented, lame or unresponsive to humans and other stimulus. Trusso said there have been incidents when people had to physically push an infected deer off a roadway because it would not respond to passing vehicles or honking horns.

As the disease progresses, the deer may drool, have bloody discharge from the nose, sores on the mouth and swollen, blue tongues; they could also become thin from not eating and normally die near sources of water because they seek the water when their fever rises. Once at the water source, they’re too disoriented to drink.

Trusso said between five and seven days after the disease is incubated, the deer could die. Some deer can survive.

The virus cannot spread from deer to deer, animal to animal and the disease is not transferable to humans.

Hunters should report any deer they find that they believe have died from EHD to Game Commission officials. This will help the PGC to track the disease. If a hunter shoots a deer infected with EHD, notify game officials immediately. New deer tags will be issued.

Tom Remington

Trapped Bear That Attacked Boy Scout Euthanized

This is an update to the story I ran on Monday about a Boy Scout who was attacked while in his tent by a black bear in Hickory Run State Park in Pennsylvania. Chris Malasics was attacked by a bear that ripped through his tent. The boy played dead while the bear tossed him about much like a beach ball. Malasics suffered cuts and bruises.

This was the second such attack in that park in one month and officials had made attempts to trap the bear after the first attack but with no success. Shortly after Malasics’ attack, they were able to trap a bear, one they believe is probably the same bear, and decided to put the bear down, as is common practice once a bear becomes accustomed to humans and has lost all fear, as was clearly the case here.

Tom Remington

Fall Deer Archery Seasons To Begin September 29th

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – Bowhunters will be returning to the state’s forests and suburban woodlots with high hopes of taking a big buck or bringing home the venison on Sept. 29 for the start of Pennsylvania’s six-week archery season, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission officials.

However, if you are a bowhunter with an antlerless deer license for Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 2B, 5C or 5D, you can take part in the new early antlerless deer archery season in those WMUs. The new season starts this Saturday, Sept. 15, and runs through Friday, Sept. 28. A late fall archery antlerless deer season also will be held in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D from Nov. 12-24.

The statewide archery deer season runs from Sept. 29 to Nov. 10, and the statewide late archery season will run Dec. 26-Jan. 12.

“Our survey work indicates that roughly one of every three deer hunters is a bowhunter, so it’s not hard to understand why archery season creates such a stir in Penn’s Woods,” said Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe. “The sport is challenging, occurs when our forests are at their finest and offers excitement that’s tough to top.

“Many bowhunters have strung their trail cameras and done their preseason scouting, and consequently are anxious to get afield and up a tree. They also know that there are places where deer are more than plentiful.”

As it has for the past several years, the Game Commission is encouraging bowhunters to spend more time afield this fall prior to hunting seasons to pattern deer movements and identify areas where fall foods are abundant. Don’t rely on solunar tables, moon phases or weather reports to schedule your hunts. Hunt as often as you can, and scout every time you head afield. Try to pattern daily deer movements in relation to feeding areas. And pay attention to prevailing wind direction. These modifications can make a difference and likely won’t lead to a withdrawal from your wallet.

There is no reason to believe that deer hunting will be any easier this fall, although the drought’s suffocating effects on the landscape may make it easier to pattern deer movements to food and water sources. Gypsy moth caterpillar defoliation also has limited acorn production in stands of oak. But the only way to ensure you’re heading to the right place to hunt is to get out there before season and look to see what’s happening or what happened.

Deer movements to and from agricultural areas also may change because of drought, and in some cases, severe storms. During its recent meeting, the Pennsylvania State Emergency Board reviewed damage assessment reports, which projected that farmers in 22 counties have suffered a loss of at least 30 percent to one or more major crops. Such changes in field yield can compel deer to move on to other food sources.

Receiving permission to access private property, particularly in urban/suburban areas, can provide distinct advantages over hunting public lands. But so can heading into the interior of large tracts of public land open only to foot travel. Another good change-up for hunters looking to improve their chances afield is morning hunts on weekdays before work when fewer hunters are afield. The more time a hunter spends afield seeking fresh sign, the greater his or her chances will be. Hunting from a tree-stand can improve a hunter’s odds, as will hunting in multiple locations, and as undetectable as possible.

“Deer can be cagey, and particularly the older bucks that now comprise a larger percentage of Pennsylvania’s whitetail population,” explained Calvin W. DuBrock, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management director. “So prepare to hunt by paying attention to detail, because it’s often the little things that can make the difference between taking and missing that buck of a lifetime.

“Remember, though, even when you do everything right, there’s no guarantee that you’ll take a whitetail. Hunting’s like that. There are no guarantees. Sometimes the big buck goes to the guy who never practiced, or scouted. Most times, however, it doesn’t. Being in the right place at the right time can happen with regularity if you work at it. If you don’t, you’ll need some luck.”

Many Game Commission field officers expect hunters to find satisfying hunting opportunities afield this fall, but that doesn’t mean hunters should expect to find deer populations unchanged. Deer numbers vary from one WMU to the next, even from township to township or within a township. There are areas with sizeable deer numbers and areas with limited numbers. Deer, however, can be found everywhere; they’re just not as abundant or as visible in some areas as residents have become accustomed to seeing them over the past 10 years. This is particularly true on some public lands, where hunting pressure compels deer to change their daily movements.

Antler restrictions, implemented in 2002, have led to an increasingly higher percentage of 2.5-year and older bucks being available to hunters each year. Last year, about half of the bucks taken by hunters were 2.5 years old, or older. Typically, about 80 percent of the state’s overall buck harvest is taken in the concurrent rifle season, but archers still manage to take their share. Older bucks offer a more challenging hunt, since many bucks also have another year of experience to draw upon.

“Since deer herd reductions earlier this decade, the deer management program has worked to stabilize the deer populations in most WMUs during the past three seasons,” said Dr. Christopher Rosenberry, Game Commission Deer Management Section supervisor. “Although hunters may see fewer deer, opportunities to see and possibly harvest a 2.5-year-old and older buck are better as a result of antler restrictions.”

The best hunting days of the 2005 early archery season were the first day, followed by the sixth Saturday, the last Saturday and the second Saturday. Increased hunter participation likely influences hunter success on the opener and Saturdays.

The Game Commission urges bowhunters to take only responsible shots at deer to ensure a quick, clean kill. For most, that’s a shot of 20 yards or less at a deer broadside or quartering away. Bowhunters should shoot at only deer that are in their maximum effective shooting range – the furthest distance from which a hunter can consistently place arrows into a pie pan-sized target.

Archers also are reminded of regulatory changes in equipment requirements that took effect in 2002. All bows must have a peak draw weight of at least 35 pounds, and broadheads must have at least a 7/8th-inch outside diameter and no less than two cutting edges. Cutting edges must be in the same plane throughout the length of the cutting surface.

Earlier this year, the Board of Game Commissioners gave approval to a regulatory change to permit the use of illuminated nocks for arrows and bolts, which can be affixed at the aft end of an arrow or bolt and aid in tracking or locating the arrow or bolt after being launched. However, transmitter-tracking arrows still are illegal.

Tree-stands and climbing devices that cause damage to trees are unlawful to use or occupy unless the user has written permission from the landowner. Tree-stands – or tree steps – penetrating a tree’s cambium layer cause damage. It is unlawful to construct or occupy constructed tree-stands on State Game Lands, state forests or state parks.

Other safety tips bowhunters should consider before heading afield and while hunting include:

- Make sure someone knows where you’re hunting and when you expect to return home. Leave a note or topographic map with your family or a friend. Pack a cellular telephone for emergencies.

- Always use a fall-restraint device – preferably a full-body harness – when hunting from a tree-stand. Wear the device from the moment you leave the ground until you return. Don’t climb dead, wet or icy trees. Stay on the ground on blustery days.

- Get in good physical condition before the season starts. Fatigue can impact judgment, coordination and reaction time, as well as accuracy. Staying physically fit makes a difference.

- Always carry a whistle to signal passersby in the event you become immobile. A compass and matches or lighter and tinder also are essential survival gear items to have along. An extra flashlight bulb also can be helpful.

- Use a hoist rope to lift your bow and backpack to your tree-stand. Trying to climb with either will place you at unnecessary risk.

- Don’t sleep in a tree-stand! If you can’t stay awake, return to the ground.

- Always carry broadhead-tipped arrows in a protective quiver.

- If you use a mechanical release, always keep your index finger away from the trigger when drawing.

- Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for all equipment and check your equipment before each use.

- Practice climbing with your tree-stand before dawn on the opening day of the season. Consider placing non-slip material on the deck of your tree-stand if it’s not already there.

Facts about the Pennsylvania Game Commission: Did you know that, in 1951, the Game Commission opened the first archery season for hunting antlered deer under a special $2 archery license. The season was held Oct. 15-27.

Media Contact:
Jerry Feaser

(717) 705-6541

PGCNews@state.pa.us

Cleaning and Storing Your Dutch Oven

by Dennis Reno

There are many opinions on cleaning a Dutch Oven. Not all Dutch Oven cooks believe you can use soap in your Dutch Oven. Some cooks suggest never to wash them, others wash them, but not with detergent. We have found that a well-seasoned oven will not be damaged by using a few drops of dishwashing soap if you have been cooking something really greasy. Just be sure to rinse several times to make sure there is no soap residue. If your oven is not well-seasoned, whatever you put in the oven will be absorbed into the pot and become part of your next meal.

Dutch Oven care begins with seasoning, but it’s important to clean them properly after each use. Cleaning cast iron is easier than scrubbing pots and pans. As soon as possible after using your Dutch Oven, scrape out as much food as possible with a plastic scraper. Put 1 – 2 quarts of hot water in your oven and scrub with a plastic scrubbing pad or a vegetable brush. Immediately after washing, dry the oven thoroughly by putting it in your kitchen oven at 150 to 200 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Cast Iron can only be dried by heating. Heat dries out the moisture in the pores. If a pot is not completely dried after it is used, it will rust. The pores must be opened by heating up, and the moisture dried out of it. Don’t let the oven set around after washing, go straight from draining the rinse water into the kitchen oven if possible. If you are camping and don’t have a kitchen oven to dry a Dutch Oven, dry it the best you can and try and store it away from moisture.

Dutch Ovens when cared for, will last for generations. Be sure your oven has been cleaned and lightly oiled before putting it away. Try to keep your ovens in a dry, warm place. Remember, moisture with cause cast iron to rust. Leave your lids slightly ajar, allowing the air to circulate. I like to store with a paper towel rolled up and sticking out from under the lid. The towel inside the oven acts as a wick and will help absorb moisture.

Tip: Here’s another idea. If you need to store an oven for long periods of time, use a light-weight food-grade Mineral Oil and coat the oven, inside and out. It’s cheap and effective. Once you have sealed the oven with mineral oil, no oxygen can reach the seasoning and it will last many months.

With correct use and proper care, a well seasoned oven produces a unique flavor unequaled by any other cooking utensil. That’s the Magic, it looks great and tastes even better!

Biography of the Author:

Glea Reno and Dennis Reno are the owners of Dutchovenmagic.com. They are based at Billings, Montana and have taught Youth Groups, Scout Troops, Church Organization and friends what they have learned over years in Dutch oven cooking. They also do cooking demonstration at various retail outlets. They can be contacted at help@dutchovenmagic.com

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