Comments for Alan Gregory's Conservation News

Comment on Reintroducing wolves in Pennsylvania? The Northeast? by Anna

Anna — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:23:38 +0000

My family and I were in Potter County over the holiday weekend. We decided to take a ride and headed through Cherry Springs State Park and Patterson State Park, ultimately to Sweden Valley (just outside Coudersport). In one of the pipeline clearings, we saw a very large animal. At first, we thought it was a bear. Once we got closer, it was a wolf. It probably weighed 100 pound and was very dark brown/black in color. It had a little bit of white on its chest and the tip of its tail. It was muscular and proud. In the distance, you could see deer running across the pipeline. It turned and headed back into the woods. I grew up in Potter County and have seen many coyotes and this was not one.

Comment on Reintroducing wolves in Pennsylvania? The Northeast? by Matt

Matt — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:25:05 +0000

Walter, I don’t claim to know that mountain lions or wolves wonder the mountains of western and central PA, but your comment concerning PA not having in true wilderness is a little off. North-Central Pennsylvania is home to 2 million acres of public land (State Forest, State Games Lands). I know that is nothing like the western states but it is one of the largest in the east(not including the Adirondacks) Also one hast to take into account there is a lot more forest in the North-Central area that does not belong to the state.

Comment on More words about proposed cargo airport by poopie

poopie — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:52:52 +0000

Just dropped by to leave my condolences on Jesse

Comment on Reintroducing wolves in Pennsylvania? The Northeast? by Walter

Walter — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:14:50 +0000

Jim, you care to back that claim up with any proof? I didn’t think so. Were you counting those at the off load sight or did you read the manifest?
Truth is, and as was already said by several, PA doesn’t have any wolves (or cougars for that matter). Most likely any “actual” sightings were just large coyotes or hybrid dogs that escaped or were set free. Otherwise, like the cougar, we’d have pictures, carcases, and roadkills
I don’t like the idea of reintroducing wolves to the eocsystem of PA. The wilderness of the west or the PA of more than a century ago, is a different ball of wax and era long gone. And annual litters produce 4 to 6 pups each, so they couldn’t stay hidden for long. Modern man has not only grown in population and encroached on more of our backcountry, but we also have many more people recreating in the backcountry as well. Another predator would also disrupt the current diversity of wildlife we now have.
PA doesn’t really have any truely “wilderness” areas to speak of.

Comment on Pennsylvania deer harvest data released by Walter

Walter — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:22:11 +0000

First off. Mark Gregory: Excellent article, spot on.
Mark (the first one). The usp has been holloering about there not being enough deer for decades. Way before even the peak in 2001. They’ve always wanted a deer behind every tree.
The method the gc uses to estimate the deer harvest is an mathmatical excepted practice and one that’s also been peer reviewed by experts from around the country. It’s far from a guess, or a joke. Check with any other state (except for ones that have their numbers ready in a week… because their are none.)

A different Mark. I hope you laid miney on that bet. If you want to make some more vegas still has the odds against the usp in their now 3rd suit.

Mr. big dog. You sound as clueless as that writer slinsky. And he thinks he’s a big dog too. Maybe to a mouse!

Shawn. It was Dec 3rd. Six weeks of archery, a week of muzzleloader, and 3 days of jr/sr ridle season already took place. Of course you won’t see as many deer as you used to.

Patrick. It’s called “hunting”. Not “seeing” or “shooting”. buying a license doesn’t garuantee you success. That’s up to you. And while your exxagerating, why don’t you add a couple of friends and uncles to that story too.

Poor rufus. You really shouldn’t believe every rumor you hear and your blood pressure wouldn’t go so high. Those conspiracies the usp spreads, and you obviously bought hook, line, and sinker, are far from being rooted in any fact or substancial evidence. Most sportsmen aren’t that stupid as to believe everything they hear without doing some checking into it. They’re the same old game they were in the 80’s.
In one breath you say you don’t like the dcnr, then in the next you say to get rid of the game comm. and the fish comm. Well who do you think would then take over??
And PA isn’t loosing hunters anywhere close to that amount and are actually above the nationwide average. That’s just another myth that the federal fish and wildlife service report dispelled.
Do yourself a favor. If you’d dedicate as much effort to doing a little research on the issues as you do to spreading rumors, you’d see why that usp and it’s few followers are so way out in left field.
Stay tuned for the lawsuit fireworks. Some of the usp heads are already scrambling for cover (and money).

Comment on The butternut tree by Cathie

Cathie — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:34:02 +0000

I also have a butternut tree hanging out in my backyard too. So does my neighbor. Both trees are taller than my 3 story house. Both seem to be healthy and cancer free.
Cat

Comment on Reintroducing wolves in Pennsylvania? The Northeast? by paige loren

paige loren — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:23:38 +0000

my library teacher was talking to another teacher the other day , and said how her neighbor saw a wolf trying to attack her dog , and this was in West Chester, Pennsylvania , now im scared out of my mind !

Comment on Reintroducing wolves in Pennsylvania? The Northeast? by Billybob

Billybob — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:28:48 +0000

i was near a creek in my neighborhood and i saw 2 large wolf/fox/coyote things. one was large and gray while the other was smaller and red and they were playing together. the next week i was approched by the large grayish wolf about 3 feet at the shoulder and it chased me whil growling. i was down by the creek another time and looked into a bush and saw a smal gray wolf similar to the one that attacked me. there was also a large deer sozed carcus in the den too. what kind of wolves do you think they are?

Comment on $5 gasoline? by Brian Ertz

Brian Ertz — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:25:04 +0000

nationalize the private oil industry - it’s time we had all the influence in the board rooms rather than them having all the influence in the halls of congress and the white house.

Comment on Fragmentation of the conservation movement by Brian Ertz

Brian Ertz — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:55:40 +0000

this is an apt observation that is equally applicable all over the country. It seems that “iconic” or “charismatic” campaigns are more compelling than systems. Of course, there are legitimate concerns with a lot of the nationals that some would suggest might be bloated with resource but struggling to really hit the ground with it.

I hope that Pennsylvania finds a model organization that is able to put the pieces together harmoniously and hit the ground running. The whole country is in need of that