Pennsylvania Game News - January 2010 - 5

vantage of our abundant furbearer resources. During 2008-09, 29,717 furtaker licenses were sold, the most since 1988, and the fur harvest was valued at $3.4 million. Fisher populations continue to expand. During the year, we estimate that trappers captured and released 1,893 fishers from traps set for foxes, coyotes and raccoons. WCOs received 138 reports of fishers that had been captured and released by licensed trappers, and 561 reports of fisher observations. The geographic distribution of these reports suggests that fisher populations are rapidly expanding from the reintroduction areas in northern regions and from naturally expanding populations from Maryland and West Virginia into southwestern and southcentral Pennsylvania. In addition, 76 percent of WCOs surveyed during 2008 reported fisher populations existing within their districts. A fisher management plan was finalized and implemented. The plan is designed to achieve five goals related to population monitoring, habitat assessment, population enhancement, and development and implementation of a harvest program. River otter populations continue to grow, as are the numbers of incidental otter captures, primarily by beaver trappers. Most of these occur in the Northeast Region, but reports indicate continued population expansion throughout the Susquehanna River drainage. During 2008, otters occupied 88 percent of WCO districts. All of the tools used to monitor the bobcat population indicate increased abundance and continued range expansion. The number of incidental captures, as estimated from the annual Furtaker Survey, has been steadily increasing since 1990. We estimate that 3,105 bobcats were captured and released by trappers who did not possess bobcat harvest permits. The number of roadkilled bobcats has also increased. For 2008-09, 1,443 bobcat permits were issued, allowing for the harvest of bobcats in WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D and 4D. Furtakers reported 487 bobcats, from 29 counties within all WMUs that were open to harvest. Harvest density (bobcats taken/100mi2) increased in all but two WMUs. The harvest consisted of 54 percent males, 44 percent females and 2 percent undetermined. Eighty-three percent of the harvest was attributed to trappers. Weather conditions were favorable during most of the season, but freezing rain and snow made trapping difficult late in the season. Nonetheless, 58 percent of the harvest occurred during 2009. During 2005-06, the use of cable restraint devices to harvest red foxes, gray foxes, and coyotes during late winter periods was legalized, and as of September 9, 2008, 4,215 trappers had received cable restraint training and passed the certification exam. The overall efficiency of cable restraints for red and gray foxes has been high, but for coyotes it has been marginal. Cable restraint regulations were refined during this fiscal year to allow eligible furtakers to keep incidentally captured animals, such as raccoons, that are otherwise in season. In June 2009 the PGC executive director issued an executive order removing protection on feral swine in all but Bedford County — where trapping operations are underway. Any person taking feral swine anywhere in the commonwealth must report it within 24 hours to the PGC region office that serves the county where it was taken. There were no turkey hunting season changes for the fall 2008 or spring 2009 seasons. In 2008, the spring turkey season was extended one day to include Memorial Day (the last Monday of May). This extra day accounted for two percent of the statewide harvest. Turkeys continue to be our second most popular game species. There were 216,511 hunters in the spring 2008 season, which was six percent below the 10-year average of 229,894. Even though there were fewer hunters, they experienced the best success, 19 perent, since 2002. Hunter success has exceeded the 2008 level in only three other JANUARY 2010 5

Pennsylvania Game News - January 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - January 2010