NEWS, SPORTS, COMMENTARY, POLITICS for Gloucester City and the Surrounding Areas of South Jersey and Philadelphia

James Rettig, Jr. , age 56, of Bellmawr
Gloucester City Mayor and Council Approve 19 Resolutions and Five Ordinances

Hunting and Fishing: New Bow Hunting Law, Peregrine's Comeback, Suspect Arrested for Illegally Killing Bear, "Pot" Farmers Arrested

The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife has announced that the bowhunter perimeter bill has been signed

Hunting-and-fishing by Governor Christie and is now law. The new law changes the area for bow hunting around an occupied building to 150 feet, and will assist in providing a means of accessing and controlling deer populations.

The minimum distance from an occupied building where a bowhunter may have a nocked arrow is now reduced from 450 feet to 150 feet. Carrying a bow with a nocked arrow within 150 feet of an occupied building or 450 feet of any school playground is prohibited. Any portion of the school grounds (including fields used for sports), that could be used for play or recreation, is considered to be part of a playground.

The owner or lessee of a building-and persons specifically authorized by the owner or lessee in writing (written permission must be in possession while hunting)-may hunt within 150 feet of the building. Persons authorized to hunt within 150 feet of a building must hunt from an elevated position to shoot down toward the ground. Shooting into a safety zone is prohibited.

See the 2010 Hunting Issue of the NJ Fish and Wildlife Digest ( http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/dighnt10.htm ) for more information regarding safety zones. Hunters should be completely familiar with safety zone regulations before taking to the field.

PEREGRINE’S COMMONWEALTH COMEBACK CONTINUES

Use of more cliffs would complete this bird’s marvelous recovery

By Joe Kosack

Wildlife Conservation Education Specialist

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG – The peregrine falcon has firmly reestablished itself in the Commonwealth 50 years after its near extinction. But the Pennsylvania Game Commission wants more from peregrines before it will remove them from the state endangered species list.


It’s not that the Game Commission considers the preponderance of peregrine nests on building ledges and bridges to be inconsequential in the big picture. Just that biologists believe lasting peregrine population stability is directly related to reclaiming the cliffs where they’re less susceptible to the unique mortalities associated with living on manmade structures directly over large rivers and above cities.


Back in 1964, as America was reaching into space with Gemini, the peregrine falcon finally lost its grip on what remained of its fading existence in the eastern United States. That year, extensive fieldwork throughout the eastern United States – which once supported an estimated 350-400 nesting pairs of peregrines – failed to turn up one occupied nesting territory. The fastest animal on Earth was gone east of the Mississippi to the Atlantic. In 1975, North America’s population was 324 nesting pairs, which was 80-90 percent below historical levels.


DDT was the biggest problem peregrines and many other birds – from bluebirds to bald eagles – faced. Its widespread use began shortly after World War II and continued into the mid 1960s. DDE, a metabolite of the pesticide, bioaccumulated in a bird’s body from eating contaminated prey and induced it to lay calcium-deficient, thin-shelled eggs that broke when sat upon. As North America’s peregrine population continued to collapse, and Rachel Carson helped America understand how that was happening, it became clear that DDT and other organochlorine pesticides had to go. They were banned in the United States in 1972.


The Peregrine Fund and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service didn’t wait long to start a recovery. They began releasing captive-bred peregrines into the wild in 1974 and continued for 14 years. Releases occurred throughout the continent, including in Pennsylvania and neighboring states. In 1980, captive-bred peregrines nested successfully for the first time in New Jersey. Pennsylvania found its first three peregrine nests in the late 1980s on large bridges near Philadelphia and Chester. Since then, the species has reestablished its presence slowly in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and continues to push into new areas of the state annually. The continental population of peregrines currently numbers more than 3,000 nesting pairs. They were removed from the federal endangered species list in 1999.


Twenty-three of the 29 known active nests in Pennsylvania successfully fledged young peregrines this year. The number of total active nests and 23 nests fledging young are both records for Pennsylvania’s ongoing recovery period. This year, 62 young falcons have fledged. A record 68 peregrines fledged from Pennsylvania nests in 2009.


The peregrine’s great horned owl problems and proclivity for using manmade structures certainly seem related. Early attempts to release captive-bred peregrine chicks from historic Pennsylvania nesting sites were thwarted by great-horns, which killed the young peregrines. As peregrines began to nest on the bridges near Philadelphia and Chester, biologists took note. Many of these birds came from nest towers built to reintroduce them, and it’s possible they looked for similar structures when they became nesting adults. Biologists also believe peregrines are fond of urban skylines because they rarely harbor great horned owls.


This year, 54 young were banded in Pennsylvania, two as late as July 13. The latecomers were from a nest in Columbia, Lancaster County; the pair started nesting four years ago and finally succeeded this spring. A breakdown of young banded by county is as follows: Allegheny, 13; Philadelphia, 7; Luzerne, 5; Berks, 4; Clinton, 4; Dauphin, 4; Bucks, 3; Delaware, 3; Lancaster, 2; Lehigh, 2; Montour, 2; Northampton, 2; Lycoming, 1; and York, 2.


Three times this past spring, the state Department of Transportation has helped Game Commission employees access peregrine nests on bridges crossing major rivers. On the Interstate 81 bridge north of Harrisburg, William Huehn, a PennDOT crane operator, found a nest with eggs during a routine inspection. PennDOT immediately shut down operations near the nest until it could lower on the crane Dan Brauning, Game Commission Wildlife Diversity Program chief, to inspect the nest site. Later the nest was found to be abandoned; two of the three eggs were missing. The third never hatched.


PennDOT also provided crane assistance to Brauning at the McElhattan Bridge in Clinton County to band four young peregrines. PennDOT also lowered Allegheny County Wildlife Conservation Officer Beth Fife on a crane to a nest under the Westinghouse Bridge in Pittsburgh, where she banded three youngsters, all males.


Other partners who provided cranes and crews to operate them this spring were the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission on the Scudder Falls Bridge in Yardley, Delaware County, and the PPL Corporation for the Eighth Street Bridge in Allentown, Lehigh County.


At the Route 322 bridge over the Susquehanna River at Clark’s Ferry, Perry County WCOs Steve Hower and Jim Brown and biologists Brauning and McMorris combined efforts to confirm a new nest. WCO Hower and McMorris both later verified there were three young falcons, they were too old to band and that one had fledged.


Peregrines aggressively defend their nest sites. In fact, it’s rare when peregrines abandon an established nest. “Once peregrines are successful at a site, they are very site-faithful,” McMorris said.


One pair that puts up with a lot and continues to hold on to its nesting claim is the pair on the 15th floor of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg. The 12-year-old female there is the oldest currently nesting in-state. It’s a distinction she received only recently.


The Harrisburg female has been a belligerent bird intolerant of ledge visitors for years. Each year, her rage seems to exceed the previous year’s steely performance at banding time. Despite the intrusions, she stays on. There’s little doubt she’ll go down fighting before ever being pushed away.


The state’s former falcon matriarch – a 14-year-old female – on the Gulf Tower was deposed by a younger female after she laid two eggs in the scrape this spring. Her mate stayed on with the new female, and then more drama ensued on the 37th floor ledge.


The Gulf Tower nest has been Pennsylvania’s most productive nest over the past two decades. Since 1991, it has fledged an amazing 68 peregrines.

Peregrine falcons are undoubtedly one of the bird world’s most fascinating members. But during their heyday in the early 1900s, few Pennsylvanians knew of them. There really weren’t that many of them. To birders, they were a must-see species. But others saw them differently, as “duck hawks” and “chicken thieves.” In addition to its perception problems, the peregrine falcon really didn’t receive any type of protection from the early 1900s until they were protected – along with other birds of prey – by an amendment to the Migratory Bird Treaty with Mexico in 1972. Prior to their population’s collapse after World War II, peregrine nests were raided for eggs and young.


Today, their reputation is more complimentary, countless Pennsylvanians are interested in their exploits, and their future is brighter than it has been in half a century. American painter and turn-of-the-century birder Gerald H. Thayer saw a century ago what many people are just coming to learn today about peregrines.


To learn more about this Pennsylvania endangered species and others, visit the Game Commission’s website at www.pgc.state.pa.us and select “Endangered Species.”

WAYNE COUNTY RESIDENT CONVICTED OF ILLEGALLY KILLING BEAR

DALLAS, Luzerne County - Raymond Carl Kresge Sr., 66, of Gouldsboro, Wayne County was found guilty of unlawfully possessing a 600-pound male black bear, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) Jim McCarthy, who investigated the case and filed the charges on June 21. District Judge Bonnie L. Carney, of Hawley, fined Kresge $1,500 plus and costs of the conducting DNA analysis.


On Sept. 29, a large male black bear was found unceremoniously dumped in the State Game Land 312 parking lot on Route 507, Gouldsboro. The bear was killed by a single gun shot to the head. It is believed to have been killed a day or two prior to being found, and evidence and information was obtained from the scene.


On Oct. 30, Lehigh Township Police officers stopped Kresge on a moving violation, for which he was charged with driving without a license. After noticing what appeared to be bear hair on the bumper, Lehigh Township Police notified the Game Commission Northeast Region Office. After confirming that bear hair was on the bumper of the truck, Game Commission officers impounded the vehicle and obtained a search warrant. Once the warrant was secured, additional evidence was found and sent to Dr. Jane Huffman, Northeast Wildlife DNA Lab at East Stroudsburg University, for testing.


WCO McCarthy said the DNA tests confirmed that the dead bear had been in the back of Kresge’s truck.


Facts from the Pennsylvania Game Commission: Under a new structure of fines and penalties that take effect on Sept. 7, those convicted of illegal possession of a black bear would face a misdemeanor charge carrying penalties of up to $3,000 in fines and the possibility of up to six months in prison. The increase in fines and penalties are the result of Gov. Rendell signing into law House Bill 1859, which was sponsored by House Game and Fisheries Committee Chairman Edward Staback.

WASHINGTON COUNTY PAIR CONVICTED OF GROWING MARIJUANA ON SGL

BOLIVAR, Westmoreland County – Two Washington County residents recently pled guilty to charges filed by Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) Dan Sitler for growing marijuana on State Game Land 117 in Smith Township, Washington County.


Joshua M. Morrissey, 35, of Cuddy, and Robert N. Hoff, 32, of Cannonsburg, each pled guilty to one felony count under Title 35 - The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, Section 780-113 (a) (30) - for the manufacture, delivery, possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, and one count of Title 34 (Game and Wildlife Code) for the unlawful planting of marijuana on State Game Lands. District Judge Gary Havelka, of Burgettstown, sentenced Morrissey and Hoff to 23 months of probation and 90 days of house arrest with an electronic monitoring device for the felony drug conviction, and $300 fine for the damage to SGL 117.

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WCO Sitler consulted the Washington County District Attorney’s office and the Washington County Drug Task Force on this case.


On June 7, Washington County Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) Daniel Sitler and Deputy WCO James Lorch, while on routine patrol on SGL 117, encountered two individuals who were acting suspiciously during the brief conversation.


“After this odd exchange, we decided to try and determine what they had been doing while visiting SGL 117,” WCO Sitler said. “We back-tracked where they had been and soon discovered 21 marijuana plants planted in thick vegetation along a Game Commission food plot.”


Following this discovery, the officers used video surveillance technology to establish the connection between the suspected individuals and the marijuana plants.


“The Game Commission has a long history and tradition of passing down our investigative techniques from one generation of Wildlife Conservation Officers to the next through our training structure,” said Scott W. Tomlinson, Game Commission Southwest Region Law Enforcement Supervisor. “In recent years, we’ve been able to incorporate new technologies, such as the use of newly-developed surveillance equipment, to our list of tools used to solve these types of crimes.


“As similar sites have been known to be booby-trapped, this type of activity poses a safety threat to both the public that use our State Game Lands, and agency employees, such as Food and Cover Corps workers, who work there on a daily basis developing food plots and wildlife habitat.”


Read more: http://www.typepad.com/site/blogs/6a00d8341bf7d953ef00d8345158b569e2/compose/preview/post#ixzz0xHkVdwb2

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