Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that agency is planning to webcast its public drawings for the 2009 elk hunting licenses and the 2009-10 bobcat season permits. To view the drawing, a special icon will be posted online on Sept. 11, the day of the public drawing, for individuals to click on and watch the drawing.

Hunters looking to participate in this year’s Pennsylvania elk season have until Aug. 28 to submit an application through the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s new Pennsylvania Automated License System (PALS). This can be done at any issuing agent or through the “Buy Your Hunting License Now” icon in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage. There is no paper application process this year.

HARRISBURG – Hunters and trappers seeking to participate in Pennsylvania’s upcoming bobcat seasons have until Sept. 1 to submit an application via the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s new Pennsylvania Automated License System (PALS) to be included in the public drawing to award 1,780 permits. This can be done at any issuing agent or through the “Buy Your Hunting License Now” icon in the upper right-hand corner of the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). There is no paper application process this year.

HARRISBURG – Chronic wasting disease (CWD) was not detected in samples taken from hunter-killed deer during the state’s 2008 hunting season, according to Dr. Walt Cottrell, Pennsylvania Game Commission wildlife veterinarian.

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Game Commission has posted the 2009 Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) reports, including their recommendations for deer population changes, on the agency’s website. Five CACs were conducted in 2009 in Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 1A, 2E, 3A, 4A, and 5B.

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today praised the House of Representatives, including House Game and Fisheries Committee Chairman Edward G. Staback (D-Lackawanna), for the near unanimous approval of House Bill 1859, which would increase penalties and fines for poaching. The bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Staback, and is similar to House Bill 97, passed the House on July 21 by a vote of 196-3.

This year we took our yearly summer vacation to beautiful Benezette, PA. Home of the free roaming wild elk in Pennsylvania.

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Game Commission is calling for nominations of citizens willing to participate in one of three Citizen Advisory Committees (CACs) to help gather input related to the deer management goal of reducing deer-human conflict in three Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) in 2010. Nominations must be received by Sept. 15.

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that the agency has posted its Draft Strategic Plan for 2009-2014 on its website for a 30-day public comment period. To view the document, go to the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and click on “Draft Strategic Plan” in the “Quick Clicks” box in the right-hand column of the homepage.

HARRISBURG – As part of its expanding, voluntary offerings, the Pennsylvania Game Commission will pilot two, one-day “Successful Furtaking” training courses on July 25 in Pike County and on Aug. 22 in Berks County.