Mountain lion rumors persist in Pennsylvania

Are they out there, or aren't they• That question still lingers in the minds of some concerning whether there's a population of wild, reproducing mountain lions in Pennsylvania.

For at least a few, the answer is apparently yes.

"We continue to get reports of mountain lions, Nittany lions, cougars, pumas, panthers, black panthers, pink panthers, all kinds of things," said Tom Hardisky, a Pennsylvania Game Commission. biologist.

The PGC investigates those claims where it can, and tries to be open-minded, Hardisky said. In some cases, biologists do conclude that the animal in question was a mountain lion, albeit one that was almost assuredly a pet that was released when it became too much for its owners to handle.

In most cases, though, the "lion" turns out to be something else, Hardisky said.

As proof, he showed a grainy video, purported to show a Pennsylvania mountain lion, at the PGC's January meeting. The animal, but for the white patch on its flank, did at first look like a cougar.

Later in the video, though, a dog and a child with a cat on a leash walk by the same haystack the "cougar" had passed, showing that, in terms of relative size, it had to be a housecat.

There are those who believe eastern cougars do roam states like Pennsylvania, though. The most prominent such group is the Eastern Puma Research Network, run by John A. Lutz, of Baltimore.

Lutz, in a report to network members in December, said the number of cougar sightings in eastern states and Canadian provinces recorded since the group's founding in 1983 stands at more than 6,100. Pennsylvania, he said, is a leading state for cougar sightings.

If mountain lions are here, or are to come here, they'll have to do it on their own. The PGC has no plans to reintroduce mountain lions or any other big predator into the state, Hardisky said. He said the idea of having mountain lions in Pennsylvania again - they roamed the state as late as the early 1800s - seems nice at first, but would never work.

Hardisky pointed to his experience in Florida. There, he was part of an effort to release six Florida panthers into the wild.

The public was so outraged that three of the animals were killed outright; a fourth was killed by a vehicle. He would expect the same reaction here.

"It would be a disaster here in Pennsylvania," Hardisky said. "We have so many people they wouldn't stand a chance."

Lutz and others continue to believe, however, and they're looking for more reports of sightings. Lutz can be reached at 410-254-2517 or by writing the Eastern Puma Research Network at P.O. Box 3562, Baltimore, Md. 21214. E-mail him at epuma@flash.net .

Fishing guides

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission adopted several changes in the way it registers fishing guides, but they fell far short of what one board member would like to see.

The biggest change agreed to by the agency, at its quarterly meeting in January, requires that officially recognized guides who use a boat must possess a boating safety certificate, or something similar, like a Coast Guard certificate.

The problem, in the eyes of Commissioner Sam Concilla, of Erie County, is that the program requires would-be guides to meet no minimum standards.

To be recognized - something that's not even required, as the program is voluntary - would-be guides need only send a $50 check to the PF&BC.

Concilla said the agency needs to come up with some criteria guides would have to meet before becoming recognized.

That's especially true, he said, because some guides are just average fishermen who only happen to have access to a posted section of stream.

Such "guides" do no more than charge access fees under the guise of offering guide services.

That's a disturbing trend made all the worse by the fact that, in many cases, the fish being caught had been stocked by the PF&BC, he said.

"They're going to sell their service using commonwealth fish. We've got to nip this in the bud," Concilla said.

"We're going to wind up like a lot of western states, where you have to pay to fish. It's coming. We better stop it now."

Wasyl Polischuk, director of the PF&BC's bureau of administration, said the commission could impose a mandatory guide certification program. The problem is that it could not charge a fee to cover its costs; legislative approval is needed for that.

The result is that the agency just can't afford to force guides to register right now, he said.

"We have very much of a toothless position in this regard," he said. Concilla asked staff to develop a proposal for guide standards that he could take to the legislature.

Outdoors shows

Western Pennsylvania Anglers will hold its annual Fishing, Hunting and Outdoors Show on Saturday at Perryopolis Auto Auction in Perryopolis.

Doors open at noon, with the show from 1 to 7 p.m., when there will be a grand prize drawing for a weekend at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, a round of shooting at the Shooting Academy and a gift certificate for Woodlands Outdoor World.

There will be seminars every hour, along with vendors, door prizes, a trout pond, virtual fishing games, and refreshments.

Tickets cost $10 and can be had at Randall's Restaurant and S&S Bait and Tackle, or can be ordered in advance and held at the door by calling 724-438-5070.

The 21st annual Jaffa Sport Show, meanwhile, will be held at the Joffa Mosque in Altoona today through Sunday.

Admission is $3.50 for adults, $1 for kids ages 6-12 and free to those younger than 6. For information, call 814-944-4043.

Still got a deer

Jim Pettit, a farmer enrolled in the Pennsylvania Game Commission's farm-game cooperator program, has helped more than a few hunters over the years.

He went above and beyond the call of duty this past deer season, though, said Rod Burns, a Pennsylvania Game Commission wildlife conservation officer in Greene County.

A rather large man hunting on Pettit's property broke through the crust of some frozen mud, sinking into the soft muck beneath. Unable to get out, he waited anxiously for help.

Pettit found him, but quickly realized he couldn't get the man out on his own.

"Jim wisely fired up a tractor with a bucket loader on the front, drove out, and used the bucket to pick up the hunter and haul him to dry land," Burns said.

"Undeterred and now out of the mud, the hunter still went out and got his deer."

Nite Out

The annual Sportsmen's Nite Out will be held at Laurel High School, in New Wilmington, Lawrence County, on Feb. 28.

Professional walleye anglers Keith Eshbaugh and David Rhoades will speak that night, discussing walleye fishing in local lakes, including Pymatuning, Arthur and Erie.

Kelly Cooper, a trophy deer hunter, will also be on hand, along with a champion turkey caller. For information, call 724-658-8940.

Article by Bob Frye,
Everybody Adventures, http://www.everybodyadventures.com

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