The Game Commission is developing a formal system for tracking mountain lion sightings across the state.
Each year, the agency gets reports of mountain lions roaming Penn's Woods. This year, "more than any year I can remember, we've had what I might call an ungodly amount of mountain lion sightings," said Cal DuBrock, director of the commission's bureau of wildlife management.
As a result, the agency plans to document and evaluate reports in a uniform manner. Commission staff were planning to meet with officials from the state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources this month to get their input on the system, since "many sightings come on their land, or from their staff," DuBrock said.
The commission has long maintained that if there are mountain lions in Pennsylvania, they are captive animals that have been released and not evidence of a free-ranging, naturally-reproducing population.
• A man archery hunting for deer in Cambria County had to shoot a bear earlier this season after it became aggressive.
The man was hunting from a treestand when the bear repeatedly tried to climb his tree. It refused to leave even after the man tried yelling at it and throwing drink bottles at it.
Finally, with darkness approaching, the man "felt he had no alternative but to shoot to scare the bear away," said Larry Olsavsky, one of the Game Commission's wildlife conservation officer in Cambria County.
The bear ran off, but was discovered dead the next day by a grouse hunter. Olsavsky then collected it.
Around the Fish Commission
A bill that the Fish and Boat Commission has long sought was recently signed into law by Gov. Ed Rendell.
• Senate Bill 1262 alters the Fish and Boat Code to say that a person is guilty of operating a boat under the influence of alcohol when their blood alcohol content is 0.08 percent. That's the same standard applied to drivers of vehicles.
The bill allows waterways conservation officers to require a boater to submit to a breath test. Those who are found to be guilty of boating under the influence will a $300 fine, six months probation, and have to take a boating safety course.
Escalating penalties are in place for those who get caught two or more times. Minors will be considered to have run afoul of the law as soon as their blood alcohol content exceeds 0.02 percent.
• The bill will go into effect shortly after Jan. 1.
• It would cost the Fish and Boat Commission much more to buy muskies, northern pike and pickerel than it does to raise them.
At the commission's most recent meeting, commissioner William Worobec had asked agency staff to investigate whether it made more sense to buy fingerlings of those species than to cull eggs from wild fish and raise them in hatcheries.
The answer, it seems, is no. According to a report presented at a meeting of the commission's fisheries committee in Erie recently, buying fish might be 10 times as costly as raising them. Fish raised in commission hatcheries are valuable, too, in that they can be traded to other states for fish that aren't raised here.
New in equipment
The "Quick Release" compound bow holder is a new hands-free concept for carrying your compound bow safely and securely. The holder is designed so that an archer -- while using binoculars or otherwise using his hands -- can carry his bow in such a way that he can still be ready to shoot within seconds. The holder also makes it safe to carry your bow in any terrain and significantly reduces arm fatigue, too. It attaches to your bow's cable guard and releases in the same way. There are no permanent attachments and it will not damage your bow. It's equally applicable to hunting, target shooting, indoor and outdoor competitions, and backyard practice. It's compatible with long stabilizers, fits youth and adult bows, and adjusts for left-handed shooters. The bow holder is the creation of Ewing Archery president Gregg Ewing, a Greensburg resident and member of the International Bowhunters Organization. Suggested retail price is $24.95. For information: e-mail gewing@ewingarchery.com ; or visit www.ewingarchery.com .
Lure of the week
LURE: Showdown Bait.
Company: Worden's Lures. (www.yakimabait.com)
Lure type: Blade bait.
Sizes and colors: Available in 14 colors and five sizes: 1 1/4 inch, 3/16 ounce; 1 3/8 inch, 1/4 ounce; 2 1/2 inch, 1/2 ounce; 2 7/8 inch, 3/4 ounce; and 3 1/4 inch, 1 1/4 ounce.
Target species: Walleyes, bass, and panfish.
Technique: This lure can be fished in open water or through the ice. Jig it, cast and retrieve it, or troll it in deep water to find schooling fish. In cold weather, just before the ice forms, an especially productive technique is to cast these near a drop off or on the edge of a flat, then work them back in a yo-yo motion, letting the lure fall to the bottom before jerking it bacl up again.
Sugg. retail price: $2.94.
Notable: This lure features a curved blade designed to provide maximum action, but you can vary the bait's vibration by alternating how you retireve it. When bass are active, a quick lift of two to three feet triggers strikes. Inactive bass respond better to a soft, one-foot raise that barely makes the blade kick.
Tip of the week
All of the preseason scouting in the world won't do you any good if you're laid up in camp with sore and swollen feet just a few hours into deer season. You can prevent that by taking care of your feet, however. If you're planning an all-day hunt, take along a pair of extra socks -- wool, preferably -- rolled up in a plastic bag in a pocket or fanny pack. Change into them when you stop for lunch. Fresh socks will put new life into tired feet. If you'll have the opportunity to go back to camp at some point in the day, change into fresh socks then. You might also want to leave your boots and socks off for a while when resting and eating lunch. Elevate your feet to reduce swelling.
Recipe of the week
Stir fried venison strips
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup beer
• 2 pounds venison steak, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
Directions
Combine the first eight ingredients to make a marinade, then put that and your venison strips in a large sealable bag. Put the bag in the refrigerator for several hours, turning occasionally.
Heat the oil in a large deep skillet or wok. Drain the venison. When the oil is hot, put about one fourth of the venison in and stir fry over high heat for two to three minutes, until it's just done. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and fry the remaining meat in batches.
