Pennsylvania Game Commission

What has the 36th Class of the Ross Leffler School of Conservation been up to?? ? After 28 weeks of intense training and taking their oath of office at the Ross Leffler School of Conservation, state game warden cadets left the classroom and headed to the field. Cadets embarked on their 10-week field training, where they worked side-by-side with veteran wardens, getting hands-on experience in every aspect of the job, from stocking pheasants to conducting investigations and participating in educational events. ? Their dedication and hard work are paying off, as they continue transitioning into the next generation of Pennsylvania state game wardens, committed to protecting those that cannot protect themselves. Learn more about a career as a Pennsylvania Game Warden here: https://bit.ly/3Mfnkru. Have questions about our process or want to speak with a recruiter??Email Tyler at [email protected].

Pennsylvania farmers feed our great state, but many struggle with crop damage due to deer overpopulation.? ? The Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture are joining together to connect farmers and hunters to address crop damage.? ? Options for farmers and landowners include: ?? Agricultural Deer Control Program (AgTag) — Allows landowners to enlist licensed hunters to remove antlerless deer from their property outside of regular hunting seasons.? ?? Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) — Allows deer hunters to remove additional antlerless deer within regular hunting seasons with a specialized permit. ? Farmers can rely on hunters for assistance as well as our agencies to continue to improve available programs.? ? For more information on landowner resources, visit https://bit.ly/48YBiZ5.??

It’s a major award!???? ?? While it may not be an “Italian” leg lamp, the GIS (geographic information systems) team at the Pennsylvania Game Commission has been earning major accolades with their work in GIS and geospatial technologies!?? ?? Earlier this year, members of the agency’s GIS Team were invited to the annual Esri User Conference and selected from a candidate base of hundreds of thousands of users to receive a Special Achievement Award for their innovations in mapping, analytics software, and leadership in the field.??? ?? Since the creation of the Game Commission’s GIS Services Division in 2020, the use of GIS and geospatial technologies has grown significantly and has proven critical to everyday programs within the agency. The GIS Services Division is committed to providing high-quality mapping not only to habitat and wildlife biologists but also to the public for hunting and other wildlife-related activities.??? ?? The winners of this award are hand-selected by Jack Dangermond, President of Esri.? Mr. Dangermond is recognized as one of the most influential people in the field of GIS technology.??? ?? However, the GIS Services Division is not done yet for 2024! Today, for #GISDay, GIS Services Division Chief James Whitacre is the keynote speaker at the Central Pennsylvania GIS Day celebration at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission is a featured exhibitor.?? ?? James will be speaking on “GIS in the Wild” and touching on the many different uses for GIS technology within the agency.??? ?? Thank you to our GIS Services Division for being leaders in their field and true visionaries in advanced mapping!??? ? ? ? ??: Pennsylvania Game Commission GIS Services Division team members receiving their Esri Special Achievement Award. (L to R, Daniel Jones, Jack Dangermond, James Whitacre, and Eric Castonguay)??

The crisp autumn air has finally settled in, and golden eagle migration is reaching its peak in Pennsylvania. These birds are a rare but exciting sight to see as they make their journey from their breeding grounds in Canada and northern United states, heading south for the winter. Pennsylvania hosts our share of migrating and wintering golden eagles, nearly half the eastern population migrate in the Ridge and Valley Province between the Allegheny Front and the Kittatinny Ridge.? ? To catch a glimpse of these magnificent birds, visit migration hot spots like Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and Waggoner’s Gap. It can be a bit challenging telling the difference between an immature bald eagle from a golden eagle. Here’s some tips to help you tell the difference. In flight: Golden eagles lift their wings slightly above their bodies in a slight “V” shape whereas bald eagles have a “flat” wing appearance. Also, a golden eagle looks to have a longer tail and smaller head than a bald eagle.?? ? Up-close: Golden eagles have a golden coloration on their nape, pale white bands on their tail, and feathered legs all the way to their feet. These birds are here in the winter looking for food and often scavenge carcasses. Bald eagles will do the same.?? Hunters can help prevent lead from being ingested by eagles and other scavenging birds by using non-lead ammunition.?

Doe-nate deer! Pennsylvania deer hunters have a unique opportunity to make a difference this deer season. Each deer a hunter harvests and donates to the Hunters Sharing the Harvest program will provide 200 meals to those in need! ? Why would a hunter take more deer than they can eat? They can help in the effort to maintain healthy deer populations while making meaningful contributions to their communities by providing nutritious meals to hungry Pennsylvanians. By taking advantage of additional opportunities the Game Commission has provided to harvest antlerless deer to balance deer populations, hunters can donate deer they don’t have room for in their freezers.? It’s free to donate! Learn how at sharedeer.org. ? Good luck. Have fun. Hunt safely. Hunt for conservation and community!?

On this Veterans Day, we honor the veterans who have bravely served our country and defended our freedoms. On behalf of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, thank you for your service! We also extend a special thank you to all our staff members who are currently serving or have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. We express our greatest appreciation for your service and sacrifice so that we can live free.? Pennsylvania has a veterans’ preference for state jobs, including state game wardens, offering preference in hiring to honor your service.? Veterans bring valuable skills to the workforce, including leadership, discipline, and teamwork. For a full listing of employment opportunities, visit: https://bit.ly/40e18nq. Pennsylvania also has special hunting licenses available for our military, including a resident military hunting license, a resident National Guard hunting license, a resident reserves hunting license, and a resident disabled veteran (DV) lifetime hunting renewal license. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3NN3kMt.? THANK YOU to all of America’s veterans for your service.?

Surprising facts about white-tailed deer!?? ?? Can deer see orange? ? In short, no. Red, orange, and green all look the same to deer. They’re essentially red-green color blind and rely on their perception of only two colors — yellow and blue.? ?? If I see yearling bucks in my hunting area this year, will I see them again next year? ? 75% of yearling bucks disperse from their natal range—about half occurs in the spring in May and June and half in the fall during September and October. If you see a yearling buck in archery season, you may never see him again. Average dispersal distance is about 5 miles. ? ?? How fast can deer run?? Deer can run at 40 mph for short bursts and maintain speeds of 25 mph for longer periods. They’re also good jumpers, capable of clearing obstacles up to 9 feet high or 25 feet wide.? ? Can an injury affect antler development? ? Yes! Hind limb injuries typically affect antler development on the opposite side of the body.?It’s called the contralateral effect. ? ?? How long can deer live in the wild? ? The average lifespan for a wild deer is usually 2 to 3 years old. In Pennsylvania, the oldest known deer is 16.5 years old and still kicking. In captivity, deer have lived up to 25 years.? ? What are the biggest predators of fawns? ? Predators account for most fawn mortality in Pennsylvania. The three biggest predators of fawns are coyotes, black bears, and bobcats. However, if there were no predators, fawns would still die at the same rate due to natural causes.? ? What are the top causes of adult deer mortality? ? Hunting and vehicle collisions.? ? How good is a deer’s sense of smell? ? No one really knows.?What we do know is deer have 297 million olfactory receptors. Humans only have 5 million. It’s safe to say they have a keen sense of smell to help them sense danger and identify other deer.? ? Do deer have a four-chamber stomach? ? Yes! Deer are ruminant animals. Their specialized stomach helps them extract nutrients from plants. Plant material is broken down in about 48 hours. The four parts of their stomach are the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum.? ? Are deer territorial? ? Deer are not territorial. They do no defend areas of land to keep other deer out. During the breeding season, males will defend receptive females from other males which is a different kind of territorial behavior. ? ?? When is the peak of the deer rut? ? Mid-November.?? ?? What question do you have about white-tailed deer? Find a ton of deer information here: https://bit.ly/3UiTpmo.?

What’s the purpose of Pennsylvania’s elk check station???? ?? Every year a select number of hunters are drawn for an elk tag across three elk seasons. The tag allocations are divided among antlered and antlerless elk and distributed throughout Pennsylvania’s elk hunt zones for each season.???? ?? The elk hunt serves three main purposes: recreational opportunity, population management, and health surveillance.??? ?? Every successful hunter must bring their elk through the elk check station within 24 hours of harvest. This allows the biologist to collect several biological samples in a short period of time, providing a window into the health of the elk herd.?? ?? Here’s what happens at the elk check station, but don’t just take our word for it, come see for yourself! The elk check station is open to the public during the general season (Nov. 4-Nov. 9, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.).? ?? When hunters pull up to the check station, they’re asked a few questions related to their hunt while a team collects biological samples.? ? ?? Weight: Hunters who choose to bring their elk in field dressed can have their elk weighed using a crane and scale. This gives a general index of health but is not a required sample. Many hunters like to see how much their elk weighs, and it’s exciting for the crowd of spectators as well.?? ?? Tooth: A central bottom incisor is pulled and sent to the lab where it’s sliced thin, stained, and put on a slide. The microscopic layers of cementum can be counted like rings on a tree to age the animal.?? ?? Blood sample: Hunters bring in a blood sample to test for brucellosis and pregnancy in females. Hunters are also asked to bring in the uterus to check for pregnancy.?? ?? DNA Sample: A small piece of tongue is collected to store in a DNA “bank” for future use and study.?? ?? CWD Sample: Lymph nodes are collected and sent to a laboratory for chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing. If a hunter is getting a shoulder mount, the hunter is provided with a cooler, and the taxidermist will collect the sample. To date, CWD has NOT been detected in Pennsylvania elk.?? ?? The entire process takes a few minutes, and the hunter is given a certificate and sent on their way to reap the benefits of their harvest. Can’t make it to the check station? You can view live results of the elk hunt here: https://bit.ly/4aOgy6J.?

They're creepy, and they're kooky, mysterious, and spooky; they're all together ooky, the “boo”tanical family! Ok, so there’s no real “boo”tanical family, but some of Pennsylvania’s native plants and fungi have a spooky appeal to sing about! Witchhazel: This eerie small tree is a little different from most plants. It begins to bloom its yellow spider-like flowers in October, at the same time it sheds its leaves. As it blooms, it ejects tiny black seeds up to 30 feet. The fall blooming flowers provide a late-season nectar source and are pollinated by some moths, flies, beetles, and bees. Birds and mammals eat the seeds.? Dead man’s fingers: The ghostly fruiting bodies of this fungi emerge from decaying wood like skeletal hands clawing their way out of the grave. These finger-like projections appear in the spring blue with white tips, giving them the distinctive look of fingernails. As the season progress, they darken.?? Bloodroot: This plant emerges from the forest floor with delicate white flowers in early spring. Its name hints at its sinister properties. When the root is cut, red sap resembling fresh blood oozes out. Ghost Pipe: This haunting wildflower lacks chlorophyll, giving it its ghostly white appearance. To survive, it gets its nutrients through nearby fungi that are attached to host trees. Because it doesn’t require sunlight, it can live in heavily shaded parts of the forest. Poison Ivy: This one may make your skin crawl! But for most other animals, poison ivy doesn’t bother them. In fact, birds are especially fond of poison ivy berries, as they ripen in mid-summer and persist through winter when other foods are scarce. Other critters like white-tailed deer, black bears, rabbits, and muskrats all feed on poison ivy! The “leaves of three” turn bright red in the fall. Virginia Creeper: This woody, deciduous plant creeps along the ground until it meets with a structure like a tree, where it snakes up the structure with its tiny tendrils. It has bright red leaves in the fall. Songbirds, deer, gamebirds, and small mammals feed on the berries. While the berries look like tasty miniature grapes, don’t be tempted to taste them as they’re toxic to humans.?

Is there a such thing as vampire deer? ?? Yes! Vampire deer, also known as “musk deer,” are nocturnal deer primarily found in Asia. Males possess elongated canine teeth that resemble fangs, giving them their vampire-like look. The musk deer family are not true deer, though. They differ from the deer family in many ways, including lacking antlers.? Pennsylvania may not have musk deer, but on a very rare occasion, a white-tailed deer hunter may get their European mount back sporting small fangs. These upper canine teeth are very small — only about ? to ? of an inch — long and often go undetected. These fangs can show up on both male and females. When they do, these deer have also been dubbed “vampire deer.” So why does this happen? Researchers believe it’s a genetic throwback to when ancient ancestors of white-tailed deer had sharp, long, curved tusks used for protection and possibly eating meat. Over time, these fangs regressed, and the white-tailed deer developed antlers for protection and mating instead.?? Next time you look at a deer, look for small black patches on either side below the deer’s mouth. These patches are thought to be where the full-size fangs of these ancestors extended and have not gone away overtime.? If you find a set of these fangs on your next deer harvest, you’ve scored a rare trophy! Good luck. Have fun. H(a)unt safely.?