Latest news with #GameCommission
CBS News
2 days ago
- General
- CBS News
8 charged after game wardens take down poaching ring in Cambria County
Eight people pleaded guilty to dozens of charges after the Pennsylvania Game Commission said wardens took down a poaching group in Cambria County. The Game Commission said a lengthy investigation into the taking of 11 white-tailed deer and a gray fox in Cambria County between 2023 and 2024 resulted in 35 charges and more than 70 years' worth of license revocations. Authorities said the investigation began when a game warden checked the license of one of the suspects while they were fishing in Indiana County. When the warden asked about the guns and ammunition found in the vehicle, the Game Commission said the suspect admitted to shooting deer at night using a spotlight. After serving three separate search warrants, investigators determined eight people were poaching deer at night while using spotlights. They also failed to tag deer, took bucks that didn't meet antler restrictions, used tags from other states and exceeded the legal limits, the Game Commission said. Jason Wise, Sandra Wise, Daniel Wise, Issac Keith, Dan Sodomont, Marina Morgan, Dennis Corson and Levi Corson all pleaded guilty to summary counts. They were ordered to pay $35,000 in restitution and they lost their hunting and trapping privileges for a combined 70 years. "Great work by all wardens involved in ensuring these senseless crimes didn't go unpunished, helping to uphold the law and protect our wildlife for current and future generations," the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Southwest Region wrote on Facebook. People are encouraged to report wildlife crimes by calling Operation Game Thief at 1-888-PGC-8001 or by going online.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania deer hunting licenses to go on sale soon; Here's how to get yours
(WHTM) — The Pennsylvania Game Commission announced that 2025-2026 antlerless deer hunting licenses will go on sale soon. Here's how you can get yours. According to the Game Commission, there are four total rounds to purchase an antlerless deer hunting license. A prequalifying round to apply for a Landowner Antlerless Deer License begins on June 16 at 8 a.m. The Commission says all resident hunters can begin receiving a guaranteed anterless deer hunting license in any Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) on June 23, 2025, at 8 a.m. The first round lasts until July 14, and mentored permit holders have a limit of one license per year. The following licenses will be available to receive during this round: Resident antlerless deer license Resident DV antlerless deer license Resident Armed Forces antlerless deer license Resident and nonresident landowner antlerless deer The following agents will be issuing licenses during the first round: Available at HuntFishPA and all PGC issuing agents Resident antlerless deer licenses Available at PGC offices and participating county treasurer offices Resident DV antlerless deer license Resident Armed Forces antlerless deer License Available only at participating county treasurer offices Resident landowner antlerless deer Nonresident landowner antlerless deer The Commission says unsold licenses will be available for non-Pennsylvania residents on a first-come, first-served basis on July 14, 2025, at 8 a.m. To learn more about when the other rounds occur and what licenses you can receive, visit the Game Commission's website. To learn how to purchase a Pennsylvania license on HuntfishPA, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
2027 grand opening target set for new Pymatuning Wildlife Learning Center
Eleven years after the closure of the Pymatuning Wildlife Learning Center outside Linesville, the Pennsylvania Game Commission on May 19 broke ground on a new center that is expected to be complete in spring 2026. A grand opening is planned for spring 2027, the Game Commission said in a statement. More: Pa. Game Commission looks to swap property at Glen Onoko Falls with DCNR, buy 5 properties 'Today we stand at the threshold of a new era at the Pennsylvania Game Commission,' Northwest Region Director Jesse Bish said at the groundbreaking. 'As we break ground, we aren't laying the foundation for the center, but an experience for hunters and nonhunters alike.' The previous learning center was in service for more than 75 years until it closed in 2014. The new center will be larger, modern and more user-friendly when it goes up on Ford Island, the Game Commission said. At 9,000 square feet of floor space, the new center will be 450% larger and the exhibit area about 400% greater than the former learning center. Final exhibits have yet to be determined. The centerpiece, the Game Commission said, will be a life-sized eagle nest, along with an auditorium and large windows for wildlife viewing. An interpretive walking trail, wildlife viewing platform and pollinator garden will be part of the grounds. 'The impact of the center will extend far beyond the property boundaries of the grounds we are standing on today,' said Game Commissioner Kristen Koppenhafer, from District 1 in northwestern Pennsylvania. 'It will reach the surrounding community and local businesses, becoming a source of regional pride and demonstrating that we all have a stake in conservation. It's an investment that the Pennsylvania Game Commission could not be prouder to make.' Full-circle moment: Erie native named manager at Crawford County's Pymatuning State Park The Pennsylvania Department of General Services is administering the project. Contractors selected through competitive bids are Fred L. Burns Inc., of Shippenville; Rabe Environmental Services Inc., of Erie; Wm. T. Spaeder Co., of Erie; and Penn Ohio Electrical Co., of Masury, Ohio. Mosher Studio, of Pittsburgh, is handling architectural and engineering services. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: PA Game Commission's Pymatuning Wildlife Learning Center breaks ground
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Junior Game Warden camps to take place across Pennsylvania
PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) — The Pennsylvania Game Commission will be hosting several one-day camps across the state for kids aged 12-15. The Junior Warden Camps will be happening across the state and will give kids the opportunity to spend the day with game wardens, gain insight into the job and the Game Commission's mission of managing and protecting the state's wildlife and habitats while also promoting hunting and trapping. You can register online, and the PGC states that the events are limited to those who have not attended a camp held previously. Leave young wildlife alone! Pennsylvanians warned of dangers, fines The dates and locations for the camps are as follows (Unless stated: Camps begin at 8 a.m. and end at 3 p.m.): Northcentral Region – Thursday, July 10, at Scotia Building, State Game Lands 176, Scotia Range Road, Warriors Mark, PA 16877. Registration is limited to 30 participants. Northwest Region – Saturday, Aug. 9, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the Rimersburg Rod & Gun Club, 442 E. Rod & Gun Club Road, Rimersburg, PA 16248. Registration is limited to 30 participants. Southwest Region – Wednesday, July 30, at the Game Commission Southwest Region Office, 4820 Route 711, Bolivar, PA 15923. Registration limited to 40 participants. Southcentral Region – Saturday, June 21, at Greencastle Sportsman's Association, 3260 Sportsmans Road, Greencastle, PA 17225. Registration is limited to 40 participants. Northeast Region – Thursday, July 22, at Outdoor Insiders, 310 Outdoor Drive, New Milford, PA 18834. Registration is limited to 45 participants. Southeast Region – Friday, July 25, at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area Visitor Center, 100 Museum Road, Stevens, PA 17578. Registration is limited to 60 participants. Pennsylvania State Game Wardens' jobs include collecting forensic evidence in poaching cases, tracking down lost hikers and trapping live black bears for research. Camp attendees will get the chance to learn more about each of these. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
PA Game Commission springtime alert: Leave young wildlife alone
May 17—Whether in their backyards or high on a mountain, it's almost certain Pennsylvanians will encounter young wildlife this time of year. While some young animals might appear to be abandoned, usually they are not. It's likely their mothers are watching over them from somewhere nearby. So when encountering young wild animals, whether deer, birds, raccoons or something else, the best thing you can do is leave them alone. "During this time of year, it's common for people to see young wildlife and mistakenly assume that they are abandoned or in need of help," said Matthew Schnupp, the Game Commission's Bureau of Wildlife Management Director. "As well-intentioned as they are in trying to help these animals, the reality is that the mother is probably nearby and waiting for you to leave so she can return. The best approach when encountering any wildlife is to simply let them be." Adult animals often leave their young while they forage for food, but they don't go far and they do return. Wildlife also often relies on a natural defensive tactic called the "hider strategy," where young animals will remain motionless and "hide" in surrounding cover while adults draw the attention of potential predators or other intruders away from their young. Deer employ this strategy, and deer fawns sometimes are assumed to be abandoned when, in fact, their mothers are nearby. The Game Commission urges Pennsylvanians to resist the urge to interfere with young wildlife or remove any wild animal from its natural setting. Such contact can be harmful to both people and wildlife. Wild animals can lose their natural fear of humans, making it difficult, even impossible, for them to ever again live normally in the wild. And anytime wildlife is handled, there's always a risk people could contract diseases or parasites such as fleas, ticks and lice. Wildlife that becomes habituated to humans also can pose a public-safety risk. Some years ago, a yearling, six-point buck attacked and severely injured two people. The investigation into the incident revealed that a neighboring family had illegally taken the deer into their home and fed it as a fawn, and they continued to feed the deer right up until the time of the attack. It is illegal to take or possess wildlife from the wild. Under state law, the penalty for such a violation is a fine of up to $1,500 per animal. Under no circumstances will anyone who illegally takes wildlife into captivity be allowed to keep that animal, and under a working agreement with state health officials, any "high risk" rabies vector species confiscated after human contact must be euthanized and tested — none can be returned to the wild because the risk of spreading disease is too high. Animals infected with rabies might not show obvious symptoms, but still might be able to transmit the disease. Though any mammal might carry rabies, the rabies vector species identified in the agreement are: skunks, raccoons, foxes, bats, coyotes and groundhogs. People can get rabies from the saliva of a rabid animal if they are bitten or scratched, or if the saliva gets into the person's eyes, mouth or a fresh wound. Only wildlife rehabilitators, who are licensed by the Game Commission, are permitted to care for injured or orphaned wildlife for the purposes of eventual release back into the wild. For those who find wildlife that truly is in need of assistance, a listing of licensed wildlife rehabilitators can be found on the Pennsylvania Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators website, If you are unable to identify a wildlife rehabilitator in your area, contact the Game Commission by phone at — 1-833-PGC-WILD or 1-833-PGC-HUNT. PFBC celebrates National Safe Boating Week with statewide kickoff event The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is celebrating the upcoming National Safe Boating Week, which will occur May 17-23, with a statewide kick-off event at the PFBC's Fort Hunter Access along the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg (Middle Paxton Township, Dauphin County). During this special week, conducted in partnership with the National Safe Boating Council and other boating safety advocates across the country, the PFBC reminds all boaters to follow a basic safe boating checklist before and during each boating adventure. —Always wear a life jacket —Never boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs —Have a float plan to let someone know where you'll be boating —Check the weather forecast before and during your trip —Take a boating safety education course National Safe Boating Week is celebrated annually, just ahead of Memorial Day, which is considered the unofficial start to the summer boating season across Pennsylvania. The week is a celebration of the Commonwealth's vast boating opportunities, as well as a reminder that safety should be a priority before and during every boating adventure. Waterways Conservation Officers will be on patrol throughout the upcoming holiday weekend and throughout the summer to conduct safety checks and look for signs of impairment. Just like operating a motor vehicle on the road, in Pennsylvania, a person operating a boat is over the legal limit if he or she has a blood alcohol concentration of point-zero-eight (0.08%) or higher. The PFBC also reminded boaters and anglers that two Fish-for-Free Days will happen on Sunday, May 25, and Friday, July 4. On these days, anglers do not require a fishing license, but regulations including seasons, sizes, and creel limits, still apply. Laurel Anders, PFBC Deputy Executive Director, said "I'll begin with the number one thing you can do — wear your life jacket. Law requires that you have a life jacket aboard for every person on your boat. Life jackets must be U.S. Coast Guard approved, are in good condition, and fit each person on your boat. If you have children on board, make sure you have a life jacket that fits snugly on the child. Children ages 12 and under must always wear a life jacket when aboard a boat less than 16 feet in length, including all canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards. "Nationwide each year, approximately 80-percent of victims who die in boating incidents were not wearing a life jacket. Ask yourself if you'd be willing to take that same chance — or allow your friends and loved ones to take that chance when you head out boating this summer. Please, always wear your life jacket." State Senator Patty Kim added, "Always check the weather forecast before and during each boating trip. A fast-moving thunderstorm can cause water levels to rise quickly and become dangerous. High water conditions can affect visibility and hide submerged obstacles such as logs and rocks that could cause you to capsize."
