Trending
Prospective hunters who need to become certified before getting their first Pennsylvania license now have yet another option.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission recently announced that completion of the National Rifle Association's free hunter-education online course will satisfy the prerequisite for obtaining a hunter or furtaker license in the Commonwealth.
The NRA course will be offered free of charge in addition to the in-person and online courses currently offered by the Game Commission. In-person courses are back up and running after a year of being available on a limited basis during the pandemic.
Those looking to schedule an online or in-person course can check availability and make reservations from the hunter-education page at http://www.pgc.pa.gov"TARGET="--blank www.pgc.pa.gov.
The Game Commission first made available an online course in 2016, in partnership with Kalkomey Enterprises.
While the majority of new hunters, particularly those who are younger, no doubt will continue to prefer the in-person courses taught by a dedicated team of more than 1,800 instructors across the state, becoming certified online is a convenient option that better fits the schedules of some prospective hunters, Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans said.
"Maintaining Pennsylvania's strong hunting tradition depends greatly upon the continual recruitment of new hunters, and the more options they have to complete the training they need to get a license, the better all are accommodated," Burhans said. "For decades on end, hunter education has provided the foundation for new hunters to make sound and safe decisions as they begin hunting and trapping the Great Outdoors, and we are glad to welcome the NRA into the fold in helping to meet our recruitment needs."
Pennsylvania joins Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia as states that accept NRA Hunter Education as a prerequisite for obtaining a hunting license.
Eagle fledgling rescued
HESSTON -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District staff, and Pennsylvania Game Commission officers successfully coordinated the rescue of a grounded bald eaglet fledgling (or flying away from) the eagle's nest at Raystown Lake Dam, June 29.
Brent Chronister, Raystown Lake's head dam operator, first noticed the eaglet near the dam's spillway and within the proximity of the eagle's nest. Once the eaglet was spotted, Alicia Palmer, Raystown Lake's Natural Resource specialist, and Laney Reasner, Student Conservation Association intern, quickly sprang into action. Mike College, Pennsylvania Game Commission officer, assisted in the rescue and safely captured the fledgling eaglet, who could not fly for unknown reasons.
After the rescue, the eaglet was transported to Centre Wildlife Care where it is receiving necessary care after testing positive for West Nile Virus.
The nest at Raystown Lake Dam has been operational since 1999 and has fledged 37 eaglets since. A mated pair of bald eagles have been nesting at the Raystown Lake dam since its development. In 2019, the pair rebuilt their nest in a new location on a large pine tree above the Hydroelectric Power Plant. The pair has since raised six eaglets.
The eaglets have become a huge tourist attraction to wildlife photographers and nature enthusiasts visiting the area. Since the pair's relocation, visitors have a better eye-level view of the nest from the road on the dam, providing the unique opportunity to watch the eaglets as they grow.
The increased visibility of the nest not only benefits visitors but also helps USACE staff monitor the eaglets as they begin to spread their wings and learn to fly. Throughout the Raystown Lake project, there are currently four Bald Eagle nests.
USACE staff advises the public to prioritize their safety if they come across an injured eagle. Like most wildlife, an injured eagle can be defensive and dangerous.