The following news release contains three articles:
1) GAME COMMISSION ANNOUNCES BOBCAT HARVEST RESULTS
2) GAME COMMISSION TO ISSUE 1,010 PERMITS FOR 2007-08 BOBCAT SEASON
3) SPRING GOBBLER HUNTERS REMINDED TO REPORT HARVESTS
GAME COMMISSION ANNOUNCES BOBCAT HARVEST RESULTS HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania Game Commission officials today announced that hunters and trappers harvested 258 bobcats (122 females, 132 males and four were not identified) during the 2006-07 bobcat seasons. During the 2004-05 seasons, 221 bobcats were taken; 196 in 2004-05; 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 720 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 2005-06, the agency awarded 615 permits; 615 in 2004-05; 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 Pennsylvania. The area in which bobcats could be legally 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. In 2005 and 2006, bobcat harvests were allowed in eight WMUs: 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D in southwestern, northcentral and northeastern Pennsylvania.
For the 2007-08 season, WMU 2A in the southwest corner of the state was added to the list of units open for bobcat hunting and trapping.
Harvest numbers for 2006-07 by WMU are: WMU 2C, 16; WMU 2E, 13; WMU 2F, 19; WMU 2G, 85; WMU 3A, 29; WMU 3B, 61; WMU 3C 22; and WMU 3D, 13.
Harvest numbers by county for the 2006-07 season are: Bedford, 4; Bradford, 19; Cambria, 3; Cameron, 11; Centre, 3; Clearfield, 21; Clinton, 18; Columbia, 2; Elk, 18; Fayette, 4; Forest, 3; Indiana, 1; Jefferson, 2; Lackawanna, 3; Luzerne, 9; Lycoming, 16; McKean, 7; Monroe, 3; Pike, 3; Potter, 31; Somerset, 4; Sullivan, 18; Susquehanna, 6; Tioga, 27; Warren, 2; Wayne, 5; Westmoreland, 1; Wyoming, 11; and undetermined county, 3.
"As during the previous season, weather conditions were favorable during January and February, particularly for trapping bobcats, due to limited precipitation and warmer-than-average temperatures," said Dr. Matthew Lovallo, Game Commission furbearer biologist and author of the agency's bobcat management plan. "In fact, 47 percent of the harvest occurred during 2007."
On June 29, the Game Commission will begin accepting applications for 2007-08 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 2007-08 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 29, to better serve its customers, the agency will begin accepting applications for bobcat permits through "The Outdoor Shop" on the agency's website (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. 4.
A public drawing will be held in the auditorium of the Game Commission's Harrisburg headquarters on Sept. 14.


GAME COMMISSION TO ISSUE 1,010 PERMITS FOR 2007-08 BOBCAT SEASON Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced the agency will award 1,010 permits for the 2007-08 bobcat hunting/furtaking seasons at a public drawing in its Harrisburg headquarters on Friday, Sept. 14.
"All of the tools that we use to monitor Pennsylvania's bobcat population indicate increased bobcat abundance and continued geographic expansion outside of the established harvest area," said Dr. Matthew Lovallo, Game Commission furbearer biologist and author of the agency's bobcat management plan. "Based on this information, the Board approved including Wildlife Management Unit 2A to the list of units open for bobcat hunting and trapping.
"Also, consistent with our conservative approach to increasing the bobcat harvest opportunities, we are able to increase the statewide harvest objective to 340 bobcats and adjust the permit allocation accordingly and offer more bobcat permits for the upcoming season."
Last year, the Game Commission awarded 720 permits from an applicant pool of nearly 5,000. In 2005-06, the agency allocated 615 permits from an applicant pool of more than 4,600; in 2004-05, 615 permits were awarded 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, 258 bobcats were taken by hunters and trappers. During the 2005-06 season, 221 bobcats were taken; 196 bobcats in 2004-05; 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 four times if they applied the last three years 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 720 bobcat permits issued during the 2006-07 season are not eligible for this year's drawing.
The 2007-08 hunting season for bobcats is set for Oct. 20 through Feb. 16, and the trapping season is set for Oct. 21 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 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D in southwestern, northcentral and northeastern Pennsylvania.
Beginning on June 29, the Game Commission will accept applications for 2007-08 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 2007-08 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 29, to better serve its customers, the agency will begin accepting applications for bobcat permits through "The Outdoor Shop" on the agency's website (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. 4.
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 Pennsylvania.


SPRING GOBBLER HUNTERS REMINDED TO REPORT HARVESTS Pennsylvania Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management Director 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 2006-07 Pennsylvania Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations to report their kill.
DuBrock also noted that reporting is mandatory for the 7,582 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 should use the report card provided 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 Pennsylvania Game Commission, National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), Penn State University and National Band and Tag Co., along with wildlife officials in Ohio and New York, have joined forces to conduct a four-year 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."
The last day of the 2007 spring gobbler season was May 26.