Notes off a soiled cuff: Would cheaper hunting licenses really bring more people back home to Pennsylvania?
Early estimates put economic losses for Pennsylvania’s crop industry this spring between $150 million and $200 million.
Study sheds light on how Pennsylvania hunters feel about state’s Deer Management Assistance Program
Too many white-tailed deer are damaging forests in the U.S. by eating young plants before they can grow, limiting forest regeneration and damaging biodiversity.
To mitigate this challenge, the Pennsylvania Game Commission implemented an initiative called the Deer Management Assistance Program that helps landowners manage deer populations by allowing hunters to harvest more female deer where they are overabundant.
Notes off a soiled cuff: Pennsylvania has a catfish conundrum
Pennsylvania sits astride two major drainages: Streams in the west drain into the Ohio River, and that water ends up in the Gulf of America; the rest of the state drains into the Atlantic Ocean. Their native fish species are different.
This fact complicates the Fish & Boat Commission’s effort to restore blue catfish to the Ohio River basin and protect flathead catfish there.
Notes off a soiled cuff: Pennsylvania has a catfish conundrum Read More »
Pennsylvania expected to remove conservation order season for light geese in spring ’27
In 1999, when the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service issued its Light Geese Conservation Order – which allows a special season to harvest more of the overabundant white birds – snow geese populations had grown so large they were degrading the habitat in their arctic breeding grounds.
However, according to Ducks Unlimited, recent data suggest that these populations have now collapsed to levels not seen in 30 years.
Pennsylvania expected to remove conservation order season for light geese in spring ’27 Read More »
Seed from Midwest ginseng farms planted in Pennsylvania forest
To meet global demand for American ginseng – the medicinal plant traditionally collected in the forests of Appalachia and traded and used internationally – the plant now is commonly cultivated on forest farms in the U.S. Northeast.
But, according to a team of researchers at Penn State and James Madison University, much of the seed for that agroforestry enterprise is coming from field-based, artificial-shade ginseng farms in Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada — and it may be influencing the genetics of naturally occurring ginseng.
Seed from Midwest ginseng farms planted in Pennsylvania forest Read More »
Pennsylvania commission takes a first vote on trout, catfish changes
The Pennsylvania Board of Fish & Boat Commissioners gave preliminary approval to three significant changes in fisheries regulations at their meeting April 27.
First, commissioners voted to authorize the publication of proposed rulemaking to boost the minimum size limit for harvesting trout. Under this proposal, the minimum size limit for trout goes from 7 to 9 inches.
Pennsylvania commission takes a first vote on trout, catfish changes Read More »
Notes off a soiled cuff: Troubling genetics in Pennsylvania’s elk herd?
At the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s April 10-11 meeting, Commissioner Dennis Fredericks, of Washington County, asked agency elk biologist Jeremy Banfield if he is concerned about a century of inbreeding affecting the elk herd, with no new genes coming in from other elk populations.
“Do you ever worry about genetic diversity?” Fredericks said. “I mean, 1,400 elk, year after year after year after year of breeding … are you concerned at all about it?”
Notes off a soiled cuff: Troubling genetics in Pennsylvania’s elk herd? Read More »
Pennsylvania’s elk herd, and hunting it provides, growing
The news released by the Pennsylvania Game Commission about the state’s elk herd and elk hunting at the agency’s April 10-11 meeting was all positive.
First, according to Jeremy Banfield, commission elk biologist, the herd is growing – slowly but steadily.
Pennsylvania’s elk herd, and hunting it provides, growing Read More »
Pennsylvania Game Commission allots 12% more doe tags
The Pennsylvania Game Commission announced at its April 11 meeting that 1,469,000 antlerless deer licenses will be allocated statewide for 2026-27, which is 12% more than the 1,312,000 antlerless licenses allocated for 2025-26.
In a presentation to the game commissioners April 10, commission Deer and Elk Section Supervisor David Stainbrook noted that more does need to be harvested to reach management goals in many wildlife management units, especially with chronic wasting disease spreading in the state.
Pennsylvania Game Commission allots 12% more doe tags Read More »
