officials today announced that hunters and trappers harvested 221 bobcats
(112 females, 108 males and one was not identified) during the 2005-06
bobcat seasons. During the 2004-05 seasons, 196 bobcats were taken; 140 in
2003-04; 135 in 2002-03; 146 in 2001-02; and 58 in 2000-01.
At a public drawing last September, the Game Commission awarded 615
permits from a field of more than 4,600 applicants who applied to receive a
bobcat harvest permit. Each permit allowed a hunter or trapper to harvest
one bobcat. In 2004-05, the agency awarded 615 permits; 570 in 2003-04; 545
in 2002-03; 520 in 2001-02; and 290 in 2000-01.
Initially, bobcats only could be harvested across parts of northcentral
and northeastern
harvested changed slightly with the adoption of Wildlife Management Units
(WMUs) in 2003. In 2004, the bobcat harvest area was increased by about 30
percent with the addition of two WMUs. During this past season, bobcat
harvests were allowed in eight WMUs: 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D in
southwestern, northcentral and northeastern
Harvest numbers for 2005-06 by county were: Bedford, 2; Bradford, 29;
Cameron, 6; Centre, 3;
Fayette, 5; Forest, 3;
Lycoming, 23; McKean, 9;
Sullivan, 9; Susquehanna, 3; Tioga, 28; Venango, 1; Warren, 2; Wayne, 2;
Westmoreland, 2; and
Game Commission staff collected biological data and body measurements
from a sample of the harvested bobcats, as well as tissue samples,
digestive tract and female reproductive samples. A tooth also was collected
from these bobcats and will be used to estimate the age composition of the
harvest.
Also, a survey was mailed to permit recipients who did not report a
bobcat harvest during the hunting and trapping seasons to measure
participation and harvest effort.
"This past season's harvest demonstrates that
thriving population of bobcats, and that our recent limited harvests have
not impacted the population," said Dr. Matthew Lovallo, Game Commission
furbearer biologist and author of the agency's bobcat management plan.
"Weather conditions were favorable during January and February,
particularly for trapping because of limited precipitation. In fact, 55
percent of the harvest occurred during 2006."
On June 30, the Game Commission will begin accepting applications for
2006-07 bobcat permits from holders of resident furtaker, junior
combination or senior lifetime combination licenses, along with a
nonrefundable $5 fee. Mail-in applications are included in the 2006-07
Pennsylvania Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, which will be
provided to each license buyer. All mail-in applications must be postmarked
no later than Aug. 15.
Also on June 30, to better serve its customers, the agency will begin
accepting applications for bobcat permits through "The Outdoor Shop" on the
agency's website (http://www.pgc.state.pa.us). Applicants may charge their
hunting/furtaking licenses, as well as a bobcat application, to their Visa,
MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit cards. Online applications
will be accepted until midnight of Sept. 6.
GAME COMMISSION TO ISSUE 720 PERMITS FOR 2006-07 BOBCAT SEASON
Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today
announced the agency will award 720 permits for the 2006-07 bobcat
hunting/furtaking seasons at a public drawing in its
headquarters on Friday, Sept. 8.
Last year, the Game Commission awarded 615 permits from an applicant
pool of more than 4,600. In 2004-05, the agency allocated 615 permits from
an applicant pool of nearly 4,200; in 2003-04, 570 permits were awarded
from an applicant pool of nearly 3,500; in 2002-03, 545 permits were
awarded from an applicant pool of more than 3,100; in 2001-02, 520 permits
were awarded from an applicant pool of more than 3,100; and in 2000-01, the
first bobcat season in 30 years, 290 permits were awarded from an applicant
pool of 3,276.
Last year, 221 bobcats were taken by hunters and trappers. During the,
2004-05 seasons, 196 bobcats were taken; 140 in 2003-04; 135 in 2002-03;
146 in 2001-02; and 58 in 2000-01.
Following the creation of a preference point system in 2003,
individuals who applied for a bobcat permit in 2004 and were not selected
will have their names entered into the drawing three times if they applied
last year and this year as well. However, only one application per person
per year will be accepted by the Game Commission, and multiple submissions
will result in the applicant being ineligible for the drawing.
Those who received one of the 615 bobcat permits issued during the
2005-06 season are not eligible for this year's drawing.
The hunting season for bobcats is set for Oct. 21 through Feb. 15, and
the trapping season is set for Oct. 22 through Feb. 17. Those hunters or
trappers receiving one of the limited permits through a public drawing will
be restricted to pursuing bobcats in WMUs 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D
in southwestern, northcentral and northeastern
To demonstrate its confidence in the Game Commission's bobcat
management plan, in 2003, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service granted the
agency "multi- year" export status for bobcat pelts legally harvested in
SPRING GOBBLER HUNTERS REMINDED TO REPORT HARVESTS
Calvin W. DuBrock today reminded successful spring gobbler hunters to
submit their harvest report card, as required by law. If hunters can't find
one of the pre-addressed and postage-paid harvest report cards that came
with their license, they can use the harvest report card found on page 33
of the Pennsylvania Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations to report
their kill.
DuBrock also noted that reporting is mandatory for the 8,045
individuals who received one of the special spring gobbler hunting
licenses, which provided holders the privilege to harvest a second spring
gobbler, regardless of whether they took a second spring gobbler. All
special spring gobbler license holders are to use the report card provided
to them with the special license.
DuBrock encouraged any spring gobbler hunters who harvested a spring
gobbler with a leg band to contact the toll-free telephone number listed on
the band to report a harvest or recovery of the banded bird. The
officials in
study to estimate the harvest rates of spring gobblers in each of the three
states.
"Hunters who report their wild turkey or deer harvests are helping
wildlife managers make more informed decisions when recommending seasons
and bag limits and other conservation measures," DuBrock said. "If all
hunters who harvested a turkey or deer would send in their harvest report
card, as required by law, harvest estimates wouldn't be necessary."
SOURCE
For the cats,
Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457
http://www.BigCatRescue.org MakeADifference@BigCatRescue.org
Sign our petition here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/344896451?ltl=1140270431
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