Story, Rumor, or Fact?

For months, folks have complained that the PGC has been releasing coyotes in an effort to reduce the deer population. Some have even accused them of releasing mountain lions.

There are stories about this all over the place.

In December, 2004, the Commission and the insurance companies canvassed the news in an attempt to debunk the myth, claiming it would be absurd and no one ever comes forward with any proof.

Some proof:

An Amish farmer along 944 in Cumberland County complained to the PGC a mountain lion was killing his sheep. They came out and investigated. Their conclusion: “Sir, you don’t have a mountain lion.” A week later the farmer shot the mountain lion. The very sad news: there was a PGC ear tag on it.

A taxidermist near the Hazelton area reported getting about 100 deer in this past season, and also 50 some coyotes. Very unusual, the deer number was way down and the coyote number was a huge increase. Making it even more unusual, some of the coyotes had ear tags. He contacted the PGC and was told the Commission does not release or tag coyotes, that it must be from Prudential. Prudential, as in insurance company.

One camp, convinced the coyote problem was destroying the local deer herd, set up a camera right near one of the coyote dens. In 19 of the 20 days, the mother coyote brought a dead fawn back to her pups.

When I shoot my coyote this year, I’m going to tell the taxidermist to leave the ear tag in place, it will make for a better story.

6 Comments on “Story, Rumor, or Fact?

  1. “Some proof:

    An Amish farmer along 944 in Cumberland County complained to the PGC a mountain lion was killing his sheep. They came out and investigated. Their conclusion: “Sir, you don’t have a mountain lion.” A week later the farmer shot the mountain lion. The very sad news: there was a PGC ear tag on it.

    Yes, and my uncle’s best friend’s son saw a mysterious black truck with cages in the back driving along a wooded state game lands. Two guys jumped out wearing PGC jackets and released coyotes inthe the woods and took off….

    From what I hear, there is a secret task force at the PGC dedicated to stocking mt. lions and coyotes.

  2. Oh c’mon Fuzzie… mtn lion off 944 let along with a PGC tag? Me thinks you are trying to stir up trouble.

  3. I’m originally from PA and departed that great Democratic state, with glee, in 1974. I really loved the state but the police and that stinking Commywealth attitude left me no choice. Of all the time I had spent in the woods hunting and camping I had never heard a coyote howl, and I now know from living in California what they sound like, ever! As far as the Mountain Lions it’s a good thing. They only kill sick animals and as you know, only strengthens the herd. They should come in very handy when WDC comes to PA, and it will. The game commissions response to eradicating the plague is to kill off entire herds to curtail the spread. Obviously doesn’t work very well if they fear it’s arrival. I don’t know if PA is like California about having night-vision scopes on your rifles, but if you are allowed, get a bleating fawn tape and go out and slam ten a night, they won’t hold up to the pressure. Remember there was once Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania and they killed them off for fear they would decimate the deer herds; they never did, and they were “thinned”. OH yes, I now live in Commyfornia!!! TIME TO MOVE AGAIN………..

  4. IN 1992 A FRIEND AND I SAW 5 COYOTES. TWO ADULTS THREE PUPS. PEOPLE TOLD US WE WERE CRAZY . THE NEXT FALL I CALLED IN AND SHOT MY FIRST COYOTE. PEOPLE SAID IT WAS A WILD DOG, NO COYOTES IN PA. THE NEXT YEAR I CALLED IN ANOTHER AND SHOT IT. PEOPLE STARED TO BELIEVE. IN THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS THE FUR BUYER I KNOW HAS HANDLED OVER A THOUSAND COYOTES. NO EAR TAGS FOUND!!!!!!
    PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THEY ARE BEING STOCKED ARE TOLD LIES OR MAKE UP LIES.NO ONE HAS EVER PROVIDED PROOF OF THIS INSURANCE CONSPIRACY.
    THOSE OF YOU NOT SEEING DEER GET OUT AND SCOUT.BLAME THE PEOPLE YOU KNOW WHO ARE SLOBS AND POACHERS, NOT HUNTERS, WHO KILL MORE THAN THEY ARE LEGALY ALLOWED.
    I PROBABLY MADE A LOT OF YOU ANGRY BUT THE TRUTH HURTS.

  5. I can assure you there are lots of ‘yotes around – they dine on my sheep and lambs. Yet many neighbors, some of them farmers, still don’t believe coyotes are in the area (south-central PA). I’ve chased coyotes out of the fields and find scat regularly.

    If killing coyotes would reduce predation, I’d do it. But since coyotes are population dependent reproducers and breed to make up for deficiencies in numbers, coyote populations remain stable and we lose fewer lambs if we don’t kill them. The big white dogs help a lot, too.

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