Pennsylvania Game News - December 2011 - 42

Under	the	terms	of	the	lease,	Waroquier	 Coal	 Inc.	 of	 Clearfield	 will	 mine	 and remove abandoned	coal	refuse	on	 about	15.5	acres	of	SGL	100,	of	which	 3.7	acres	consist	of	un-reclaimed	coal	 refuse	spoil	piles.	The	remaining	acreage	will	be	used	for	access	to	the site,	 reclamation	of	an	abandoned	surface	 mine	 pit	 and	 highwall,	 construction of	erosion	and	sedimentation	controls and operational	support. The	 accumulated	 coal	 refuse	 royalty	 value	 is	 estimated	 at	 $25,000.	 Removal	 and	 reclamation	 of	 the	 spoil	piles	will	reduce	ongoing	pollution	into	Contrary	Run	and	provide	 wetland	 reclamation	 along	 the	 run.	 Further,	 Waroquier	 Coal	 will	 implement	 a	 site-specific	 wildlife	 habitat	 and reclamation	plan	prepared	by	the Game	 Commission.	 In	 exchange	 for the	coal	refuse	removal	and	reclamation	project,	Waroquier	Coal	will	pay	 the	Game	Commission	a	royalty	of	10	 percent	of	FOB	pit	price	or	a	minimum	 of	 50-cents	 per	 ton,	 whichever	 the	 greater,	 for	 each	 ton	 of	 coal	 refuse	 mined	 and	 removed	 from	 the	 site.	 Monies	 received	 will	 be	 credited	 to	 the	reclamation	cost	of	the	abandoned	 high	wall	and	mine	spoils	within	the	 project	area.	Any	remaining	royalties	

will	be	deposited	into	the	Game	Fund. In other action, the Board: •Gave	final	approval	to	a	regulatory	change	to	reduce	the	applicability	 of	 the	 Convention	 on	 International Trade	in	Endangered	Species	(CITES)	 tag	 to	 bobcats	 and	 international	 exports	only.	CITES	is	a	comprehensive	 international	treaty	that	regulates	the commercial	 trade	 of	 wildlife	 species	 and	works	to	ensure	that	international	 trade	of	wildlife	is	sustainable	and	does not	 threaten	 their	 survival.	 CITES	 requires	permanent	tags	to	be	affixed to	carcasses	or	parts	of	species	being	 exported	internationally.	The	bobcat,	 while	not	threatened	with	extinction,	 is	 listed	 in	 CITES	 and	 trade	 is controlled	in	order	to	protect	endangered cats	that	have	fur	and	parts	similar	in	 appearance;	therefore,	CITES applies	 to	 international	 exportation	 of	 this	 species;	 •Accepted	final	management	plans	 for	northern	bobwhite	quail	and	ruffed	 grouse.	Both	plans	are	on	the	agency’s	 website;	and •Established	 the	 first	 quarterly	 Board	meeting	of	2012	to	be	held	on Jan.	22-24, at	the	agency’s	Harrisburg	 headquarters.

Plenty of hunting and trapping opportunities remaining
WITH	 the	 regular	 firearms	 seasons	 for	 deer	 closing	 on	 December	 10,	 a	 wide	variety	of	hunting	and	trapping	 opportunities	 remain	 over	 the	 next	 couple	of	months. The	small	game	seasons	are:	squirrel,	Dec.	12-23	and	Dec.	26-Feb.	25;	 ruffed	 grouse,	 Dec.	 12-23	 and	 Dec.	 26-Jan.	 28;	 rabbit,	 Dec.	 12-23	 and	 Dec.	26-Feb.	25;	and	snowshoe	hare,	 Dec.	26-Dec.	31.	In	addition,	pheas42

ants	(males	and	females)	will	be	open	 from	Dec.	12-23	and	Dec.	26-Feb.	4	in	 WMUs 1A,	1B,	2D,	2E,	2F,	2G,	3A, 3B,	3C,	3D,	4A,	4B,	4D,	5C	and	5D. The	 statewide	 late	 archery	 and	 flintlock	 muzzleloader	 deer	 seasons	 run	concurrently	from	Dec.	26-Jan.	16.	 Further,	 all	 hunters	 with	 WMU	 2B,	 5C	or	5D	antlerless	deer	licenses	may	 use	any	legal	sporting	arm	to	harvest	 antlerless	deer	from	Dec.	26-Jan.	28.
GAME	NEWS
Pennsylvania Game News - December 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - December 2011
