Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

Why, when they say they are low on funds?

You'd think they'd avoid any new projects and worry about finances.

Fishers are one of the few predators that regularly kill and eat porcupines.

Could it be, that the PGC is on another mission to save the trees. They seem really concerned about Timber, I mean trees.

Of all the game animals that could use funding ( pheasants, rabbits, grouse ) they choose to reintroduce another predator.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

I beleive the fisher program was started a good while ago and I also think that much of the money wasoutside money. I'm strictly goingby memory here and may not be 100% accurate.

A lot of these programs are funded by fed money like Pittman Robinson dollars, donations, grants but I do agree that when it comes general fund money, the mainstream responsibilities of the PGC should prevail. For instance, personell is being cut by attrition at least. If the choice exists, and I'm not sure itdoes, general funds shouldn't be used on programs like this whenstaffing is suffering.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

The "wood rat" research project is another that comes to mind when we talk of pissing into the wind.[:@]

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

I think a lot of people question that kind of stuff. Maybe one of our PGC guys on here can enlighten us on how much is beng spent on this kind of thing and where the money comes from.

I know that a lot of the Elk research and habitat work has come from the RMEF. Likewise, the NWTF has provided a lot of funds for turkey programs.

It would be good to know where the $$ comes from for fishers, wood rats etc

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

Maybe I could start my own not for profit fund raising organization.[:-]

W.R.F.E. or ..Wood Rats Forever

N.W.W R.R. or North Western Wood Rats research

P.E.T.W.R. or People for the ethical treatment of wood rats.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

“Over the past 25 years, we have successfully reintroduced or bolstered the marginal nesting populations of bald eagles, ospreys and peregrine falcons and returned river otters to sizeable chunks of their former range in the Commonwealth. The fisher reintroduction extends this wonderful list of wildlife management success stories and further enhances the diversity of Pennsylvania’s wildlife community.”
Fishers were released in Pennsylvania from 1994 to 1998, and have made great progress expanding their range from release sites in the Quehanna Wild Area, Allegheny National Forest,

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?A=11&Q=157811

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

The woodrat is an endangered species and like it or not the PGC is tasked with the well being of all wildlife.

BTW the research project was paid for with a SWG.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

I'm glad they reintroduced the Fisher. I had the opportunity to observe one at close range this year, just 50 ft from my cabin. They are beautiful animals that were indigenous to PA.

And, I'm tired of porcupines chewing the siding on my cabin.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

In my area the pheasant and the cottontail rabbit are endangered species. I haven't seen a brood of pheasants in at least 20 years and the last I heard the PGC wasn't cooperating with those that wanted to import wild trapped birds from the mid west.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

i remember when the PGC had deer dropped from helicopters to feed the fishers in fish dam area of clinton county.

i believe it was in early 90s .

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

You gotta have some kind of predator going up against all those cougars. [8D]

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

Besides being way out there in left field you are so far behind the times you’re probably out there toanother universe by now.

And I can sure see that some of you knot heads have been having a great time spreading misinformation while I was busy with the hunting seasons. Well I’m back, at least part time, though I am still trying to get caught up.

R.S. Bodenhorn

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

If rabbits or pheasants are in low populations in your area, or anywhere else, it is due to the loss of farmland habitat in combination with the changes in modern and cleaner farming practices. In this area both rabbit and pheasant populations have been improving over the past several years due to habitat improvement projects.

You are incorrect about the Game Commission not cooperating with the wild trap and transfer of pheasants too. The Game Commission can’t pay for it since they don’t have sufficient funds, due to the Legislature failing to adequately fund a state agency. So, the funding is coming from Pheasants Forever, but that still doesn’t mean the Game Commission isn’t cooperating and supportive of the program.

I see your poisonous lies and misinformation are still as blatant and far from the truth as ever. Some things just never change.

R.S. Bodenhorn

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

That is one of the funniest post you have ever made. Both 2F and 2G are 90% forested and you claim pheasant populations are improving due to habitat improvement projects. In 5C the PGC doesn't have to do anything and the pheasant habitat would still at least 10 times better than the habitat in 2F and 2G and there has been no improvement in either our pheasant or rabbit population.

BTW, have you figured out why adult doe breeding rates have dropped by at least 6%,when you claimed increased breeding rates would offset the loss of adult doe due to HR?

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

You obviously don’t know any more about the various habitats of this area then you know about deer management or the deer populations of the area. Of course posting about thing you know nothing about has never stopped you in the past so we certainly wouldn’t expect that to change in the future either.

The fact is that we have thousands upon thousands of acres of reclaimed strip jobs mixed in with thousands of acres of active farmland in the southern part of this county and unit 2G. All of which make excellent habitat for both rabbits and pheasant with just a little habitat work. The local Pheasants Forever Chapter has done about 300-600 acres of CREP work on the active farm lands within the unit each of the past four years. That is all on top of the crop land that isn’t put into CREP and maintained in row crops by the land owners.

Elk County also leads the entire North Central region in pheasant stocking because of all the excellent pheasant habitat combined with the fact that hunters come from all over the western half of state to hunt pheasants here. The hunters not only hunt them but find them too. I can probably check a pheasant hunter any day of the pheasant season and most likely they will have harvested or at least shot at a pheasant too.

R.S. Bodenhorn

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

I'm thinkin the fishers were brought in for SR.{SQUIRREL REDUCTIONS}

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

Wont the fishers eat all the wood rats?

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

No they won't touch them ,even fishers know wood rats are protected.;)

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

Not until they run out of moutain lion cubs.

Steve

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

You never cease to amaze me with your changing positions on the habitat in 2G. Last month the habitat was so poor that the habitat was controlling the herd and severely limited recruited. Now you have excellent habitat for both rabbits and pheasants. Just what do those rabbits and pheasants eat when there is two feet of snow? Why does the PGC have to stock pheasants if you have such excellent habitat. In the 60's and 70's we had great pheasant hunting in 5C and they weren't stocked pheasants and now that the pheasants are gone ,the pGC doesn't even stock birds on the coop farms in the valley. I guess the ship them to 2G for fisher, fox and coyote feed.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

Excellent pheasant habitat is not the same as excellent deer habitat.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

It is truly amazing how little you and RSB know about deer and pheasant habitat. The very areas of the state that were once the prime pheasant hunting areas of the state are now the prime deer hunting areas of the state and support much higher DD's than 2G or 2F.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

It is truly amazing how little you and RSB know about deer and pheasant habitat. The very areas of the state that were once the prime pheasant hunting areas of the state are now the prime deer hunting areas of the state and support much higher DD's than 2G or 2F.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

I saw a fisher archery hunting couple years ago they run funny and are comical to watch

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

An animal doesn't have to be a game animal to be part of my deer woods. Saw a fisher from my stand this year. Very cool

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

This is exactly my point Mr. RSB. You claim the PGC is lacking funds, so why continue funding the fisher project?

You just said that you can't pay for the trap and transfer of pheasants.

So where are you finding the funds for the fisher trap and transfer or whatever you are doing?

You'd think the PGC would abandon the fisher project and use that money for the pheasants.

This is exactly my point. I'm glad you put your foot in your mouth.

Who's the knot head now?

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

why are pheasants more important than fishers thou
around my place there are alot of pheasant thou

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

I had chickadee sit on my broadhead during archery. My sister had a nuthatch take sun flowers seeds out of her hand while on stand. My brother-in-law and a brown creeper sit on his boot while on stand. all those events were very cool and made the day more enjoyable, but we could have had all those experiences 365 days a year without a hunting license!

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

it is official. you are beyond a doubt COMPLETELY INSANE.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

We pay for a hunting license to be able to hunt. We don't hunt fishers.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

if i am not mistaken you can still hunt when you buy a license

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

Just for the sake of perspective. The annual report in the January Game news itemizes the expenditures from te game fund. Of the almost 69 Million dollars spent, just a little over 300,000 was spent on endangered/ threatened and nongame programs. Thats less one half of one percent for all of those species combinedand a lot of that money comes from federal grants.

Seems to me this is the wrong tree to bark up!

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

Listen, I enjoy watching wildlife as much as the next guy.

My point is that the PGC is having financial problems. the constantly whine about not having enough funds(see RSB's post)


Yet the PGC continues to fund projects that probably not really neede right now. Yes itsnice to see river otters and fishers, but those aren't game animals. We all know that pheasants and rabbit populations need help.

Wouldn't it make more sense to put money in those areas instead of reintrducing fishers?

I just don't see why the PGC would fund something like this when funds are so low.

Because of the economy, many business managers have to make cuts. Why pour money into a nongame animal if funds are low? Why not cut that project and worry about managing game species?

Many hunters are dropping out of the sport and one of the reasons is lack of game.


As mentioned, you don't need a hunting license to just go out and view wildlife.

Why worry about fishers? Fishers do go after porcupines with a vengance. Kinda makes me wonder why the PGC would be so interested in them and willing to spend their "limited" funds on reintroducing them.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

However much they spent towards the fisher project was too much. If funds are really as low as they say, they need to make cuts

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

endangered animal!
kinda like the bald eagle was and it has kinda come back
dont hear ppl complain bout themm thou

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

Again, a lot of the money for this type of program comes from federal funds that are often specifically designated for certain programs. I don't know how much is being spent on fishers if any at all right now. RSB said the fisher introductions were done from 94 to 98.
All I'm trying to say is that it might be best to get all the facts before singling out any specific program.

I spend around $100 annually on all the licenses permits and tags I buy in PA. Personally, I'm OK with a whole 40 cents going toward stuff I can't hunt, whether it's fishers woodrats, or even cougars;)!!!

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

Here is an idea of mine that I talked about before, several years ago.

Rabbits;


The PGC needs to go around to any interested sportsmen's clubs, 4H, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and offer up plans on how to build box traps.

My brother lives in town. His yard is polluted with rabbits. You see them smashed on the streets and in evreyones yard in the summer. I'm sure many small towns are like this.


Anyway, you get all those interested to set their box traps in towns, yards or where ever during the early summer. The PGC would have to approve this.

You catch the rabbits and transplant them to SGL or other areas where hunters have access.

Although they will have young already at the time of trapping they will still reproduce after transplanted.

Heck, the PGC could even ear tag some of them and do studies on how many get harvested later in the fall.

I know, I know, the first thing that will be brought up is suitable habitat to do the transplanting to.

Well, if you look at the habitat they just came from( sidewalks, driveways and manacured lawns) I'm thinking those city dwelling bunnies will find a way to survive out in the woods and fields of the SGL's. Stocked Ringneck pheasants are being dumped into these same areas with little worry if they'll survive.

If ear tags and hunter surveys are put in place, we'll all find out how well this works after a year or two.


Since the Boy Scouts and Sportsmen's clubs would be footing the bill for the traps, the PGC could get awaywith this for very little cost other than their approval to allow this to happen.

By the way, for those that say it won't work, I know a few guys who have been doing this for years. They're big into beagles and have several really awesome rabbit hunting areas because of their efforts.

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

if they go after porcupines im fine with less half a % going towards it cost me couple hundred last
time dummy dog got into them heck id donate a dollar when buy my license

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

Funny how the "purveyor of insults" totally ignored this question, hey?

RE: Why is the PGC reintroducing Fishers?
 

Maybe the question went unanswered becausethe question was not even close to the topic and he chose to ignore the purveyor of spins distortions and lies.