Outdoors roundup: Pa. Game Commission sets migratory bird season for 2022-23

Apr. 30—Pennsylvania's 2022-23 migratory game bird seasons have been set.

Annual migratory game bird seasons are selected by states from frameworks established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Game Commission selections were made after reviewing last year's hunter harvests, population survey data and public input.

"There are two significant changes to Pennsylvania waterfowl seasons this year," said Wildlife Operations Division Chief Ian Gregg. "The first change eliminates the Southern James Bay Population Canada goose zone and incorporates the area into the Resident Population zone. The Southern James Bay Population has been shifting its wintering areas west over the last four to five decades."

"With very few Southern James Bay Population geese wintering in northwestern Pennsylvania, it is no longer necessary to have a zone to specifically manage for them," Gregg said. "We believe hunters in this area will appreciate the higher bag limits allowed in the Resident Population zone. Please note, however, that more restrictive regulations remain in place in portions of Crawford and Mercer counties surrounding Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area; consult the Hunting and Trapping Digest for details."

The other change removes the separate lower hooded merganser bag limit. Hunters may now harvest any combination of common, red-breasted or hooded mergansers as part of the five-merganser daily bag limit. Hooded mergansers have been generally stable or increasing in recent decades.

"This change will simplify regulations and should allow for some additional opportunity for those hunters who want to target hooded mergansers," said Waterfowl Program Specialist Nate Huck.

The other change not related to frameworks relates to mourning dove seasons. The second portion of the season will be shifted back a week and run from Dec. 21 through Jan. 7.

"This shift is to accommodate public desire to remain open through the first week of January," said Dove and Quail Biologist Andrew Ward.

The early portions of the season will remain similar to last year.

Other migratory game bird seasons are similar to last year's seasons.

Hunters encouraged to

report banded birds

Migratory game bird hunters are encouraged to report banded ducks, geese, doves and woodcock they harvest online at reportband.gov. Hunters will be requested to provide information on where, when and what species of migratory birds were taken, in addition to the band number. This information is crucial to the successful management of migratory birds.

Huck also stressed that reporting leg bands helps the Game Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service learn more about migratory bird movements, and survival and harvest rates, which are critical to population management and setting of hunting regulations. Last year, over 6,000 migratory game birds, including more than 5,000 waterfowl, were banded in Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania continues to monitor migratory game bird populations in cooperation with other wildlife management agencies across North America," Huck explained. "Information provided by hunters is essential to manage migratory game bird populations and support sustainable hunting opportunities through time. By reporting the recovery of a leg band, hunters not only assist in managing the resource, but also have an opportunity to learn interesting facts about the bird they harvested."

Pa. Fish Commission

holds quarterly meeting

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) began its quarterly business meeting by thanking anglers, agency staff, and volunteers for a safe and successful start to the 2022 trout season, setting the stage for yearlong fishing and boating adventures.

"We were thrilled to welcome volunteers back in full force to help deliver a successful trout season," said Tim Schaeffer, PFBC Executive Director. "We received numerous compliments on the quality of the trout we stocked this year, which is a testament to the dedication and diligence of our hatchery staff all year long. Opening day was just the beginning, and in-season stockings will continue through the end of May. The combination of stocked trout, our phenomenal wild trout streams, panfish and catfish action that is starting to pick up as the water warms, and the opening of Walleye season on May 7 make spring the perfect time to hit the water in Pennsylvania. If you fish from a boat, please remember to always wear your lifejacket."

Schaeffer reminded boaters that the PFBC's cold water life jacket requirement for anyone aboard boats less than 16 feet in length, including all canoes and kayaks, remains in effect through April 30. In addition, The PFBC will partner with the National Safe Boating Council to celebrate National Safe Boating Week from May 21-27, 2022.

Fisheries

The Board approved the publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking pertaining to the propagation, introduction, and transportation of live fish into Commonwealth waters. Under this proposal, two chapters of the Pennsylvania Code (58 Pa. Code § 71 and § 73) would be combined into a single chapter (58 Pa. Code §71a) to address current conservation challenges, improve fisheries management and fish health, and simplify the code.

In Pennsylvania, thousands of lakes, ponds, and stream sections are stocked by private individuals each year with fish purchased from commercial fish producers and dealers. To properly manage and protect the Commonwealth's aquatic resources while addressing increased risks associated with aquatic invasive species and pathogens, there is a need to ensure that all proposed stockings of fish into waters of the Commonwealth are reviewed, considered for their ecological risk, and where appropriate, authorized for stocking. As such, PFBC staff have undertaken an effort to improve management, oversight, and regulation of fish and aquatic life transportation and stocking in Pennsylvania through the development of a stocking authorization application and review system, including fish health requirements.

In the United States, over 30 states have requirements (stocking authorizations or regulations) for determining how and when fish are stocked in state waters. All states in the Northeast, except Pennsylvania, require individuals to obtain some form of authorization or permission to stock fish.

In addition to a proposed stocking authorization, other regulatory sections within the new chapter would prohibit the release or disposal of live bait fish into waters of the Commonwealth, with narrow exceptions; create a fish health inspection protocol to provide additional protection to the Commonwealth's aquatic resources to prevent the introduction of aquatic invasive species and pathogens; and create watercraft inspection requirements to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species by watercraft throughout the Commonwealth. At least 19 other states already have watercraft inspection requirements in place.

If adopted on final rulemaking at a future meeting, these amendments will go into effect on January 1, 2023.

Law enforcement

Commissioners approved the publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking pertaining to the unlawful taking of fish using nets. In recent years, PFBC waterways conservation officers have noticed an increase in individuals using nets to attempt to take fish.

The Board also approved changes pertaining to snatch fishing, foul hooking, and snag fishing.

Over the last several years, anglers have asked the PFBC whether devices such as trout beads are a legal device for use in Commonwealth waters. These devices consist of a small bead that sits several inches above the hook and generally hook a fish on the outside of the mouth.

Under the current regulations, any fish not hooked inside the mouth must be released. Under this proposal, the Pennsylvania Code (58 Pa. Code § 63.9) would be amended to include language that clarifies that devices such as trout beads are not prohibited so long as the eye of the hook is no more than two inches below the device. If approved on final rulemaking at a future meeting, the amendment will go into effect upon publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Boating

The Board approved the publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking pertaining to boat-towed watersports. Under this proposal, language contained within several sections of the Pennsylvania Code would be updated to better reflect safety issues and current trends and ensure consistency when referring to in this type of recreational boating activity.

Upon reviewing model language adopted in 2021 by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, the PFBC identified opportunities to update language to better include modern boat-towed watersport activities and devices and clarify the regulations, but not modify currently prohibited or allowable activities.

If adopted on final rulemaking at a future meeting, these amendments will go into effect Jan. 1, 2023.

—The next meeting of the PFBC Board of Commissioners is scheduled for July 25-26, 2021 at the PFBC's Harrisburg headquarters.

DCNR to begin spraying forests

in Spongy Moth suppression effort

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn this week announced the start of aerial spraying of state woodlands to combat spongy moth (Lymantria dispar dispar, formerly known as the gypsy moth) populations poised for spring outbreaks in many sections of Pennsylvania.

"Suppression efforts will begin in early May as these insects emerge and begin feeding," Dunn said. "Our cool, wet springs had helped limit the impact of the spongy moth in recent years past, but the pests' populations again climbed in many areas in 2021 and 2022 to a point where aerial spraying is needed to keep this invasive pest in check and protect the trees from defoliation."

In 2021, spongy moth defoliated 326,124 acres in Pennsylvania.

DCNR's Bureau of Forestry will oversee spraying of 220 sites totaling 209,838 acres. Included will be portions of 13 state forests, 10 state parks, and sections of the Allegheny National Forest in 20 counties located in southcentral, central, northcentral, northwest, and northeast Pennsylvania.

Targeted sites are determined by surveys of egg masses and other indicators across the state indicating populations are increasing and have the potential to cause major defoliation.