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Lehigh valley outdoors

By Nick Hromiak

Late January is the time many Pennsylvania female black bears are giving birth to cubs

1/21/2023

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PictureBlack bear cubs like this are being born during the month of January. Photo by author

The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) sent out a point of information on what is occurring in Pennsylvania’s quiet forests right now.   

What they speak of is the many female black bears who are in a den and have not had anything to eat, drink or have defecated since fall and are awakening from their winter hibernation to give birth. Their den could be in a cave, an outcropping, underneath a boulder, even in a hole produced by an uprooted tree. Some may even den-up under a deck of a mountain home and often unbeknown to its owner. 

According to the PGC, a female bear gives birth to from one to five cubs, with three being the most common. The cubs weigh just eight to ten ounces at birth and with unopened eyes and having almost no fur on their bodies, are typically born the first few weeks in January. The cubs are kept alive by their mother’s warmth and rich milk. Bear milk, says the PGC, has a fat content of nearly 30 percent and may be the highest of any land mammal. 

After about six weeks, the cub’s eyes open and in about two more weeks, they walk. They’re able to leave the den when they’re three months old and are weaned by seven months. By fall they usually weigh 60-100 pounds. 

Many moons ago I, along with my 9-year old son, had the privilege of accompanying Gary Alt, the PGC’s bear biologist at the time, on a known female bear den site inspection. The purpose was to check the den for the number of cubs inside, weigh and measure the mother and her cubs, plus place ear tags on the female and her cubs.  

To do so, Alt, crawled partially into the den and with a poke stick, stuck the female bear with a tranquilizing dart. Waiting a few minutes for the dart to take effect, Alt along with his assistant, pulled the 300-pound plus female out of the den to weigh, measure it and take milk samples from its teats. Alt showed us how thick the milk was that appeared to be the consistency of sour cream. 

Before removing the cubs, Alt allowed me to crawl in the den to take some pictures as the three cubs were cuddled together. Alt then crawled in to bring out the cubs to process them. 

When the processing was completed, Alt placed the cubs back in the den then pushed the female back in but not before putting Vicks on her nose. The purpose of that was so she didn’t smell human odor on the cubs, which she could reject them if she did. It was a nature experience I nor my son will never forget. 
​
For more information on Pennsylvania’s black bears and their management check https://bit.ly/3CIQdN3. 

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The Great American Outdoor Show returns to Harrisburg's Farm Show Complex Feb. 4-12

1/15/2023

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Mark your calendar for Feb. 4-12, the dates for the largest consumer outdoors show in the world. 
The NRA’s Great American Outdoor Show rolls into the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg and it’s the most comprehensive outdoor show you’ll ever attend. For us folks here in the Southeast, we refer to this extravaganza as “the Harrisburg show” because it’s been well known over the years and there’s none like it or even comes close to it. 

The show covers 650,000 square feet of indoor space, has more than 1,100 exhibitors, more than 400 outfitters including fishing charter captains, and draws an attendance of nearly 200,000 folks over its nine-day run. 

And since the NRA took over management of the show, it now hosts practically every major firearms manufacturer displaying their latest lines be it handguns, shotguns, rifles and modern sporting arms. 

The show features a little bit of everything, and a lot of everything. From firearms to trucks, boats, archery/bowhunting gear, RVs, ATVs and a series of archery contests and kid’s events. The 3D Bowhunter Challenge even includes a category for crossbows and long bows. 

A sampling of this year’s show features some familiar events such as DockDogs,  Wall of Guns (where you can buy a chance to win one of several popular handguns and long-guns), Friends of NRA Banquet, arena shows and NRA’s Country Concert, this year featuring Brantley Gilbert and Jacob  Bryant, all popular country music entertainers (show tickets may be purchased in advance online and through ETIX.com).

If you’re a bowhunter or archer, one nicety of the show is that you can try out a bow, be it compound, crossbow or recurve, before you buy. The vast archery section will have the gamut of major bowhunting equipment manufacturers offering everything from bows to tree-stands and then some. 

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the host of free seminars, celebrity appearances, fundraising dinners and speaking events. All listed on the show’s website www.greatamericanoutdoorshow.org. 

Some patrons plan vacation days around the show because as customary, the weekdays are less crowded than weekends - although certain weekdays are just as packed.

Kids will be entertained by the Eddie Eagle booth, Kids Casting Contest,  paintball range, trout fishing pond, face painting, basketball court, arts, crafts and a safety movie.  

If you’re handicapped or have a tough time walking the myriad of displays, scooters and wheelchairs are available for rental. 

Food and drink concessions are scattered throughout the show with seating areas reserved for food patrons so you don’t have to stand and eat. 

Show hours are Feb. 4, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Feb. 5, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Feb 6-10, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Feb. 11, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.; and Feb. 12, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

Here’s a tip for those looking to buy equipment. Attending the show on the last day often brings special discounts as many vendors would rather sell at an attractive discount, than take gear back or having to ship their products. 

Tickets can be ordered online to avoid standing in the ticket purchase lines and prices are as follows: Adult $15: Child (6-12) $8: Seniors (65 and older) $13.00: 2-Day passes: $26: Group ticket $13 (10 or more). Join the NRA on-site and you get free admission. 

As said, general admission tickets can also be purchased online by going to www.great americanoutdoorshow.com and they can be printed out at home. 

Parking is offered on-site ($10 credit card only - cco); Elmerton Ave. Lot ($10 cco); Harrisburg Mall, 3501 Paxton St., Harrisburg (free shuttle service); and weekdays only; Harrisburg Community College, 1 Hacc Drive, Harrisburg ($10 cco) with free shuttle service to and from the show. 
​
The Farm Show Complex is located at 2300 Cameron Street, Harrisburg, Pa 17110. 
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Pa Game Commission asks the public to report turkey sightings

1/7/2023

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PictureIf you spot a turkey flock like this, the PGC would appreciate reporting it to them, Contributed photo

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is once again asking the public to report any sightings of wild turkeys to them. This is a statewide effort to provide information on annual survival rates, annual spring harvest rates and other dynamics. 

The public is asked to provide the date and location of the sightings plus the type of land (public, private or unknown) where the birds were seen. 

According to the PGC, crews will visit those sites to assess the flocks reported, to determine the potential to put leg bands on male turkeys statewide. Turkeys, they say, will not be moved as they’ll simply be leg banded and released on site in four Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) and some will also be outfitted with GPS transmitters. Then released back on site to be monitored over time. Trapping turkeys during winter is part of the PGC’s ongoing population monitoring as well as a large-scale turkey study. 

According to Mary Jo Casalena, PGC’s turkey biologist, “This data will give us information on annual survival rates and annual spring harvest rates for our population model and provides the person reporting information on when and approximately where it was banded.” 

She goes on to explain that just like the last three winters where leg bands were put on male turkeys statewide and when hunters harvest one of these birds or people who find one dead, the PGC asks that they be reported along with the leg band number be either calling the toll-free number or emailing the PGC using the email address on the band. New this year, the leg bands will have a website on them for direct reporting the information into the database. 

The PGC will attach GPS transmitters to a sampling of turkeys in WMUs 2D, 3D, 4D and 5C and on approximately 150 hens and 100 males. The four areas have different landscapes, turkey population densities, spring hunter and harvest densities. 

Casalena added, “We’re studying turkey population and movement dynamics, disease prevalence and other aspects that may limit populations. And these studies are being done in partnership with Penn State University and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wildlife Futures Program. 

The study will also focus on the population and movement portion of the work on how landscape and weather impact hen nest success, poult survival, predation, habitat and movement. The disease portion of the study involves examining how disease prevalence varies on landscape, and how it impacts things like the survival and nesting rates of hens and different ages. This, says the PGC, is accomplished by collecting blood, tracheal and skin from turkeys that receive backpack style transmitters at the time of capture. 

This turkey study will continue next winter for both males and females and continue through 2025 for hens, so that in the end, the PGC will monitor more than 400 females and more than 200 males. 

Says Casalena, “This is the largest turkey project we have ever conducted with the hope of answering many questions regarding current turkey population dynamics. But finding birds to trap is the key to accomplishing the work. And this is where the public comes in as they even helped with monitoring sites and trapping last year.”

To report sightings between now and March 15 go to http://pgcdatacollection.pa.gov/TurkeyBroodSurvey. 
​

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    Author

    Nick Hromiak has been an outdoors and automotive  writer for over 30 years. He's been published in numerous national and state-wide outdoor magazines and newspapers. 

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