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PA Game Commission Posts Field & Hunting Forecasts On Website

Pennsylvania Game Commission

Harrisburg, PA --(AmmoLand.com)-Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officers (WCOs), Land Management Group Supervisors (LMSGs) and foresters spend a considerable amount of time gathering information about wildlife population trends in their districts. With the hunting and trapping seasons just around the corner, the Game Commission now is sharing that information – through its website – with those who enjoy Penn’s Woods.

To view these field forecasts offered by Game Commission officers, go to the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), and click on the “Field Officer Forecasts,” select the region of interest in the map, and then choose the WCO district of interest from the map. For LMGS or forester reports, select the link to the LMGS Group or forester link of interest within that region.

“Our field officers and foresters provide wildlife forecasts for small game, furbearers, wild turkey, bear and deer within their respective districts,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “These forecasts are based on sightings field officers have had in the months leading up to the 2009-10 seasons, and some offer comparisons to previous wildlife forecasts. Some WCOs and LMGSs include anecdotal information, as well as hunting and trapping leads in their districts.

“The Game Commission offers this information to hunters and trappers to help them in making plans for the upcoming seasons. Many WCO, LMGS and forester reports offer information on where to hunt or trap within their districts, as well as guidance on where to get more information, particularly for trapping certain furbearers, such as beaver and coyotes.”

Roe noted the Game Commission divides the state’s 67 counties into six regions, and then each region is divided into WCO districts comprised of about 300 square miles each. There are 136 WCO districts statewide. Each of the 29 LMGS group is comprised of a number of counties or portions of counties within each region, and seeks to equally distribute the amount of State Game Lands and public access lands within the region. The number of foresters ranges per region, from four to nine.

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Kanawha County Citations Issued During Early Bear Hunting Season

West Virginia DNR

West Virginia –(AmmoLand.com)-A Kanawha County man was issued a number of citations for hunting law violations on the last day of the recent early bear hunting season, according to Lt. David Trader of the Division of Natural Resources’ District 5 office in Nitro.

An early firearm season for black bear was in effect Sept. 21-26 in Boone, Fayette, Kanawha and Raleigh counties.

On Saturday, Sept. 26, Conservation Officers Chad Rains and Ed Goodson were on patrol near Sanderson Ridge in Kanawha County.

A routine check of a hunter by the officers resulted in several citations being issued to Ricky D. Jarvis, age 40, of Clendenin.

He was charged with carrying a loaded gun in a motor vehicle, hunting from a motor vehicle, feeding bears, hunting bear over bait, and failure to present a hunting license. Charges were filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court and are awaiting action.

“Hard work and information sharing between the DNR Law Enforcement Office in Elkins and the Nitro district office about potential problem areas and complaints about bear hunting violations paid off,” said Lt. Trader. “Conservation officers in the state have been working diligently checking for hunters who illegally kill or bait bear. Anyone with information about any such illegal activity is encouraged to call the DNR at your local district office listing.”

The next firearm season for black bear for most of the state runs from Dec. 7 through 31.

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