The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners met today in Harrisburg. Among other business, the board adopted the 2023-24 hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits. The final seasons and bag limits are provided in a separate news release. Other meeting highlights follow.

NEW ANTLERLESS LICENSE PROCESS FINALIZED

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today took final action to restructure the state’s process for obtaining antlerless deer licenses.

Until recently, state law had required antlerless licenses be issued only by county treasurers. Hunters seeking antlerless licenses would send applications and receive licenses by mail in what was considered an outdated and inflexible process.

Earlier this year, a new law took effect that enables all license-issuing agents to sell antlerless deer licenses, meaning hunters in the 2023-24 license year will be able to purchase them online or anywhere else licenses are sold.

With today’s vote, the Board of Commissioners has finalized the process by which licenses will be sold.

·         Antlerless licenses will be purchased online and at issuing agents; there will be no application by mail.

·         Antlerless licenses will go on sale during the first day of license sales, the fourth Monday in June (Monday, June 26 this year).

·         Only residents can apply initially.

·         Application by nonresidents won’t begin until the second Monday in July (July 10).

·         A hunter can get only one license in the first round.

·         A second round will begin the fourth Monday of July (July 24). Residents and nonresidents are eligible.

·         A hunter can get a second license in the second round for any WMU where tags are available.

·         A third round will begin the second Monday of August (Aug. 14). The sale of Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) permits also will begin on this date.

·         A hunter can get a third license in the third round.

·         Then, in the fourth round beginning the fourth Monday of August (Aug. 28), a hunter can buy additional licenses until reaching their personal limit of six. Additional licenses, if available, then can be purchased after the season begins, as the hunter harvests antlerless deer and reports them.

·         In each round, antlerless license sales won’t begin until 8 a.m.

The Game Commission will be making several announcements to inform hunters what they should do to obtain their antlerless licenses through this new method. Hunters are encouraged to review their HuntFishPA customer profile information to make sure contact information including their address, phone number and email are correct and up to date. That will allow the Game Commission to communicate directly with hunters.

In any case, the new, modernized process will increase convenience for hunters getting their antlerless deer licenses, said Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans.

“A simpler, more convenient system is better for hunter satisfaction, and ultimately, hunter recruitment,” Burhans said. “We thank Sen. Dan Laughlin for championing this change, which will fully modernize the process for issuing antlerless licenses.”

More information about the new process can be found online here.

WMU 2H DISSOLVED, AREA PLACED WITHIN WMU 2G

Wildlife Management Unit 2H, which a decade ago was parceled out of neighboring Wildlife Management Unit 2G, has been placed back within WMU 2G.

The change will take effect in the 2023-24 license year to begin July 1.

The Board of Commissioners today adopted to a measure that dissolves WMU 2H – located in northcentral Pennsylvania, north of Interstate 80, south of U.S. Route 6, east of U.S. Route 219 and west of state Routes 155, 255, 555 and 120 – and moves its area into WMU 2G, which is east of WMU 2H and shared a boundary with it.

The 2013 decision to create WMU 2H was intended to give consideration to habitat differences between that area and the larger WMU 2G. More recently, however, Game Commission staff determined WMU 2H is too small to effectively collect adequate wildlife and hunter data for big game species. Furthermore, WMU 2H remains similar to WMU 2G in deer harvests and forest management.

Wellsboro Shared Home, 27 Bacon Street, Wellsboro, announces a motorcycle benefit ride on June 25, 2023. The starting point will be hosted by Eisenhauer’s Tioga County-Harley Davidson, 2911 S. Main St. Mansfield, PA, with registration beginning at 9am at their pavilion.  All drivers and passengers must register by signing a standard waiver. Kickstands up by 11:00am. Drivers’ donation is $20; passengers’ $10. All proceeds will benefit Wellsboro Shared Home and her residents.

The beautiful Victorian Home, Shared Home, was made into a Personal Care Home in 1979. The walls encompass loving care, warmth, kindness, camaraderie, and dignity in a safe and secure setting. The residents are well-taken care of by round the clock staff offering delicious hot meals, fresh laundry, expertly administered medications, with each individual’s personal care needs never overlooked. “It takes money to provide such care and shelter, and we deeply appreciate all the motorcycle and human services enthusiasts who will join us on June 25^th,” says Asst. Administrator Wendy Reber.

For more information about the ride and the 100 mile round trip route, please contact Wendy or Virginia at 570-724-2300 between 7:30am and 3:30pm weekdays.

BRADFORD – Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter) is inviting emergency medical services (EMS) providers, county and local officials, and concerned citizens to a town meeting focused on finding solutions to the state’s growing EMS crisis.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 11, at the Smethport Fire Department, 109 S. Nelson St., Smethport.

“Ambulance services across the Commonwealth are struggling with rising costs, declining revenue and a shortage of providers,” Causer said. “The problem is especially severe in rural areas like ours.

“We all need to work together to ensure our emergency responders can continue providing the life-saving services we depend upon,” he added.

Aaron Rhone, director of the Bureau of EMS within the Pennsylvania Department of Health, is scheduled to attend, as is Heather Sharar, executive director of the Ambulance Association of Pennsylvania. A full agenda is still being developed.

Causer noted lawmakers in Harrisburg have been working to address the EMS crisis by enacting policy changes requested by the EMS community, including increased Medicaid reimbursement rates, payment for treatment without transport, volunteer incentives, training availability, staffing requirements and more.

“Unfortunately, even with these changes, the challenges facing our EMS providers continue to mount and threaten their ability to continue operating,” Causer said. “Already, many ambulance companies across the state have shut their doors. We have to do all we can to keep our EMS companies up and running. Lives depend on it.”

RSVPs for the meeting are requested but not required. Those who wish to attend are encouraged to sign up at www.RepCauser.com or call one of the offices in Bradford (814-362-4400), Coudersport (814-274-9769) or Kane (814-837-0880).

The Sinnemahone Canoe and Kayak held Easter Saturday drew 75 competitors from across the state and nearby New York.  All but 6 finished the event on the Driftwood Branch of the Sinnemahoning Creek.  The fastest competitors from Hansel Lucas from Brookville who raced in a long kayak.  Lucas finished the race is 1:36:08. 

Competitors from Cameron County who took home first place finishers include Ken Gerg and his partner Dana Leet.  The pair competed in the 2-person canoe recreational stock division.  Saul Solverson and his son Eastyn took home top honors in the 2 person canoe recreational short division.  Steve Vaneerden finished first in the men kayak short while Jeana Bolin finished first in the Women kayak short division.

At 2:50 PM on Saturday, Shinglehouse Ambulance has been called to Champlin Hollow Road for syncope.

Bradford Area Public Library encourages all community members to visit the library during National Library Week, April 23-29, to explore all they have to offer.  Libraries are full of stories in a variety of formats from picture books to large print, audiobooks to ebooks, and more.  But there’s so much more to the story.

Allentown Volunteer Fire Company Inc.

Allentown units responded to assist Bolivar with a woods fire. Although the fire was not overly large, gaining access proved to be challenging. The terrain was filled with steep rocky hillside and trails that had seen no maintenance. Utvs were eventually able to cut their way in. Allentown 6 laid over 600ft of forestry line along with Indian tanks, chainsaws, rakes. Great job to all involved

On Monday, April 10, 2023, the Potter County Commissioners and the Department of Emergency Services staff gathered at the Potter County Emergency Operations Center to present a special flag, which was flown over the PA State Capital, to Laura Predmore, wife of the late Dean Predmore.

Predmore, who was employed with the County as the Operations and Training Coordinator, was also recognized and honored for his 35 years of service as a first responder in the Coudersport area and as a  20-year member of the North Central Region Task Force. Dean was also honored for his involvement with various other community organizations as noted in a letter of appreciation from PA Governor Shapiro.  Receipt of this flag was coordinated between the Potter County DES and State Representative Martin Causer’s Office.