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Field officers for the state Game Commission’s Northcentral region filed the following reports on Sept. 9, according to the agency’s website:
- Lycoming County Wildlife Conservation Officer Harold Cole reports he received a call about a severely injured deer on the Route 220 median strip during morning rush hour. With the amount of traffic, there was not a safe way to dispatch the injured deer. Cole called the state police in Montoursville for assistance. Two state police cars came to assist, performing a rolling road block that held up traffic long enough Cole to dispatch the deer. Cole thanks the state police for its assistance.
- Lycoming County WCO Jonathan M. Wyant reports all bait and attractants and their residues must be removed from an area at least 30 days prior to hunting taking place there. Don’t wait or think that the animals will get it all … most times they don’t.
- Lycoming and Union counties Land Management Officer Thomas M. Smith reports grant money provided by the Pittman-Robertson Act enabled his food and cover crews to move forward on projects including a 52-acre warm-season grass conversion, wetlands restoration, invasive-species control.
Lycoming County WCO Kristoffer Krebs reports a Picture Rocks man pleaded guilty to failing to tag a deer he shot in November 2015 on the last day of the statewide archery deer season. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife. He was sentenced to pay a $400 fine and now is facing the revocation of his hunting and trapping privileges. The state Game Commission reminds hunters that big game must be tagged with the proper and valid harvest tag, immediately after the harvest and before the animal is moved. Hunters are required to fully complete all of the information requested on the tag.
Elk County WCO Jason Wagner reports three dirt-bike riders were cited for operating on State Game Lands 25, on steep mountainside hills in Crooked Creek. The riders had created a well- worn single track up and down the mountain and through the creek bottom.
- Union County WCO Dirk Remensnyder reports a significant number of bear sightings in Union County, which should bode well for the upcoming hunting season.
- Clearfield County WCO Mark Gritzer reports that a Philipsburg man was charged for unlawfully killing a white-tailed deer on farm enrolled in the Game Commission agricultural deer-depredation program. A review of harvest reports revealed the man possessed an invalid license. He would have been unable to obtain a current hunting license due to his failure to pay within 180 days a fine for a spotlighting violation from 2015-16 hunting license year. He also had 10 pending warrants and was escorted to the local magisterial district judge for resolution.
- McKean County WCO Skyler Gibble reports that, while assisting another officer, multiple arrests were made for ATV related violations. Riders are advised that it is their responsibility to know where they are and if they have permission to be riding there.
- Centre and Clinton counties WCO Dan Murray reports a homeless individual was found living in a tent on property leased by the Game Commission. Officers sought assistance from a local charity and were able to secure the individual a temporary living situation. Warnings were issued. No charges were filed.
- Potter County WCO Bill Ragosta reports filing citations against individuals for intentionally feeding bears.
- Tioga County WCO Steve Brussese reports multiple individuals have been charged this summer for using motorized vehicles and on traveling on state game lands roads that are closed to public travel.
- Centre County WCO Mike Steingraber reports bear incidents have dropped significantly in his district, likely for a number of reasons, but certainly the availability of naturally occurring food sources. The raspberry crop in particular has been extraordinary in Centre County. With this plentiful food source in the woods, bears are more inclined to stay away from bird feeders.
- Potter County WCO Mark Fair reports euthanizing a young 5-by-6 bull elk that was tangled in a tire swing. The animal had broken a large section of its skull while struggling in the swing. The incident occurred near Kettle Creek State Park in Leidy Township, Clinton County.
- McKean County WCO Tom Sabolcik recently filed charges against a New York man for allowing his son to walk unaccompanied on the road near his camp with a 20-gauge shotgun. The 15-year-old had no hunting license or fluorescent orange. He was shooting at random and admitted to shooting at a groundhog and birds. The incident outraged a neighboring farmer whose children were playing nearby.
- McKean County WCO Tom Sabolcik reports he’s noticed a decrease in the numbers of bear complaints in his district, likely due to a bumper crop of wild food including blackberries, apples and black cherry. Sightings of bears are on the rise, but few are involved with nuisance activity.
- McKean County WCO Tom Sabolcik and DWCO Dale Thielges recently were called out to an oil well site on the Allegheny National Forest where a 150-pound black bear sow got its head stuck in a 6-inch pipe and died. The bear apparently had tried to get at a mouse nest in the pipe.
- Clinton County WCO Kirk Miller reports an individual recently pleaded guilty for hunting turkeys through the use of bait.
- Clearfield County WCO David L. Stewart reminds hunters the Clearfield County townships of Bell, Bloom, Brady, Greenwood, Penn, Sandy and Union still are included in Disease Management Area 3 (DMA 3), which was established after chronic wasting disease was detected in captive animals. There are a number of requirements for hunters harvesting deer in these areas. Additionally, Pennsylvania residents may pick up road-killed deer for consumption within the DMA , but they cannot remove the deer from the DMA.