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Cerberusknight77 t1_jdb9o1e wrote

Also, it's cool that the white tailed deer is finally being recognized as our state amphibian

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-Here-There- t1_jdbl15w wrote

“Damn, I hooked something HUGE!”

Mf deer comes flopping out of the Lake.

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phantomjm t1_jdcfi7y wrote

What are you throwing for deer?

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hazeleyedwolff t1_jdcnl1v wrote

Smaller deer. Haven't you ever been fishing?

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phantomjm t1_jdcpf6l wrote

Damn. Now I'm gonna have to buy a deer rod.

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Ready_Fire_Aim t1_jdczpur wrote

Definitely smaller deer as bait. However, one goes fishing for fish. I think the term you're looking for is "Deering". One goes deering for deer. With your deering rod. But you need your deering license, first.

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Blexcr0id t1_jdh15np wrote

What's the creel limit with that antlerless Deering License?

Do I need a special stamp or button to go deering in Lake Erie?

I will say that you've gotta cut a big hole in the ice when ice-deering.

😂

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MrGenerik t1_jdcax6t wrote

There are deer on Presque Isle. Why would they need to be so near the water if they couldn't live in it!?

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MinniesWorld t1_jdcoba2 wrote

That’s an excellent visual, that I will be enjoying the rest of the day

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Evorgleb t1_jdcfgxd wrote

People don't realize that whitetail deer have a lot in common with amphibians. For instance, they are both animals. Deer also have eyes, just like a frog or toad!... I could go on and on but I'll stop because you can get the idea. Deer and salamanders are pretty much the same thing.

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BartlettMagic t1_jdcnfd1 wrote

deer and other amphibians are generally found soaked in some kind of moist or muddy environment for the majority of the year

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ho_merjpimpson t1_jdcuvip wrote

Really, the only way to tell them apart is their warm bloodedness, mammary glands and hair. Otherwise they would be essentially indistinguishable.

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lets_all_eat_chalk t1_jdc3zgs wrote

I remember catching white tailed deer tadpoles as a kid. We'd put them in a jar and watch their little hooves grow.

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Weird_Back1026 t1_jdd3n37 wrote

I think you had to much chalk

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winchester_mcsweet t1_jdd937q wrote

For me it was lead paint chips, they just tasted so sweet, I couldn't help myself! But yes, I also distinctly remember watching white tailed deer in the vernal pools of springtime, magical.

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gggg500 t1_jdbbwkl wrote

I’ve lived in PA my entire life and I’ve never seen a ruffed grouse once. For real.

Also deer are reptiles, not amphibians. /s

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ChickenGreaseLips t1_jdc4gfb wrote

They’re incredible once you do. Will likely scare the piss out of you flying away before you actually see them.

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lager81 t1_jdchazz wrote

Yup I was gonna say the same thing, you'll just be walking along and out of the grass they pop to scare the shit out of you. One time at my cabin we had a "pet" grouse, must of had babies nearby but it would sit on our picnic table and just hang about 5 feet from us as we cooked on the grill lol. It was a really cool bird but sadly we found it dead on the porch, it tried to fly into the cabin, broke a window and I guess it's neck in the process

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ho_merjpimpson t1_jdcvj3h wrote

Crazy. We see them daily when we are upstate. Its remarkable how much they are essentially just tree chickens.

Their mating call is really cool too. A super low toned thump that gets exponentially faster.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0obByQW23k

when you are farther than 60' away all you can hear is the low tone. Travels surprisingly far.

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gggg500 t1_jdcxa9u wrote

Thanks for sharing. I’m almost 30, lived in rural central PA my whole life, gone for tons of walks and been out in nature quite a bit.

One million percent sure I have never seen or heard a Ruffed Grouse. Are they only in certain parts of PA??

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ho_merjpimpson t1_jdd0z4s wrote

Certain parts, yes. But less so that they are only native to certain parts, and more so that only certain parts of the state are undeveloped enough for them to thrive. They not only need forests, but large swatches of forests. Unfortunately most of the state has very segmented patches of forest which doesn't cut it for them.

Best shot at seeing one is going to somewhere up near cherry springs/pa grand canyon/allegheny and finding an area within or adjoining a large section of undeveloped forest and then find a fallow field or an area that was recently logged.

Had one land on my treestand a couple years ago. Couldn't risk getting my phone out to take a photo, but it was literally 2' from my face. Pretty awesome.

More fun facts... They also make super awesome patterns in the snow. They basically dive bomb into soft snow and chill there for a long time and then when they take off, all you see is the pattern of their wings.

https://blog.nature.org/2014/01/16/the-grouse-in-winter/

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gggg500 t1_jdd41zc wrote

Thanks again for the info!! Coolest birds I’ve ever seen besides Bald Eagles are large White Herons and also massive 6-foot wingspan Turkey Vultures down around in the Harrisburg area. I’ve also seen actual Turkey up close in and around Harrisburg too. But I have definitely never seen a Ruffed Grouse. Maybe I will see one someday!! I grew up near Lock Haven and I never once saw a Ruffed Grouse ever. They kinda do look like chickens!

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Razoray20 OP t1_jdynzuj wrote

That’s really very cool. I’m certain I’ve never encountered this bird. Thank you.

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Mor_Tearach t1_jddlry3 wrote

Dauphin here. Never had them until a couple years ago. They're not close, climbing pretty far up a ridge not far from our house heard one. Could not believe it. And yep. 3 years in a row same spot.

Of course we have porcupine now too. Cool stuff balanced out. Those things are a giant pain to have around plus fishers were introduced as a predator. Which means those grouse won't be around long.

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ho_merjpimpson t1_jddr5oi wrote

Don't get me started on porcupines. They have desroyed so much of our stuff, its been a never ending battle. Insult to injury is that they aren't even good eating!

Our attempt to combat them this year is going to be to, instead of protect everything from them, and "exterminate" them, we are going to try to put a salt block out on a stump... Basically a sacrificial anode for our cabin, lol.

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gggg500 t1_jddpd1f wrote

Also random question: do ruffed grouse fly? Like a Robin would? Or are the more like Turkey - can fly short bouts?

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ho_merjpimpson t1_jddqlrx wrote

Closer to turkeys. They fly and can fly decent distances, but they don't just fly around all willy nilly. Its rare to see one in flight when it wasn't you that spooked one.

The one that landed in my treestand got kicked up by my dad.

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Razoray20 OP t1_jdl8by3 wrote

I’m south central PA, I see lots of Turkey and lots of our new state amphibian. Like, 40+ herds of them in the fall in the cornfields.

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Griff82 t1_jdc7hkk wrote

I’m seeing them in Susco quite a bit. They are pretty cool.

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Own-Mathematician336 t1_jddrpuu wrote

Never seen a grouse in pa? City life?

the population isn’t what it was 10-15 years ago but I’ve noticed in the area I live they are coming back with the clear cuts.

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gggg500 t1_jddw4jk wrote

No I grew up in a very small town (Lock Haven). Lived here in central Pa over 30 years. I’ve been in Harrisburg for the last 7 years. Seen bald eagle, 6-foot wingspan Turkey vultures up close, just regular old Turkey flocks up close, those big tall white herons, seagulls, all kinds of other random birds (hummingbirds, blue jays). Just never seen a Ruffed Grouse. Not once, ever.

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Own-Mathematician336 t1_jde3p26 wrote

Damn lock haven is a stone throw from me lol I’m marshcrick area

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gggg500 t1_jde7h7l wrote

Damn! I know at least two people from up in Marsh Crick. That is such a small area up there I almost guarantee you’d know them. I was only ever up in Marsh Crick once myself though. And I had some relatives on my gram’s side who lived there a long time ago (like about 100 years ago). I’ll message you the names maybe you’ll know them lol

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Cerberusknight77 t1_jdb9jii wrote

Really? The great Dane? I didn't know that.

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Scrungo_Mungo t1_jdbokl9 wrote

Right it makes sense considering that lady was just mauled to death by 2 of them hahaha

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paperdolllll t1_jdc8jq8 wrote

We need a state cat.

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the_dorf t1_jdk0cjl wrote

We already do, it's a Nittany Lion lol.

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TheWizardInRedd t1_jdc88br wrote

Bro, that thing is named, "Hellbender?" I'm so stoked that it's our state amphibian, that's a dope ass name.

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qrpc t1_jdd3n39 wrote

It’s also called the “snot otter”

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joelpedro16 t1_jddkxhg wrote

Also given esteemed titles of "water dog" and "lasagna lizards".

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the_dorf t1_jdk0ica wrote

There's a half-marathon and 5k near Knobel's in August that is named after them.

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Tommy_Batch t1_jdbn37i wrote

Today I learned frogs have antlers.

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freshoilandstone t1_jdc6vhh wrote

Only semi-related but my daughter and I went to a lecture given by a Professor from Lycoming College on Eastern Hellbenders. Wonderful little creatures that were believed by local yokels to be responsible for eating all the fish so local yokel community leaders had an actual bounty on them back in the 1920's. Turns out they don't eat fish at all.

​

*edited for too-fast fat fingers

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joelpedro16 t1_jddmj51 wrote

I actually worked for that professor as an intern SCUBA diving and surveying for hellbenders for a summer. I gave my biology capstone presentation on the findings. Awesome animals and sadly as is the way with many things in Pennsylvania, a lesson in conservation.

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Eggbread_69 t1_jdc5fom wrote

TIL the ruffled grouse is mounted to the ground while other PA animals are free floating

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stonehawk61 t1_jdcl4w2 wrote

No wonder I can't get one in hunting season, they're all hibernating in the mud.

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VendaGoat t1_jdbg1ku wrote

When you're lost in the darkness, Look for a Pennsylvanian.

=D

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CrazedMaze t1_jdcfnpf wrote

By firefly, you mean Lightningbug

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SucksToYourAssmar3 t1_jdcj0t0 wrote

I nominate the bouncer at the former pirate Burger King in Pittsburgh's Southside. Straight animal.

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[deleted] t1_jdbwx6m wrote

Ah the lovely White Tailed Deer, my favorite lizard

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the_hoagie t1_jdcfsby wrote

eastern hellbender sounds like something out of an appalachian ghost story

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Bobbyroberts123 t1_jdcjirf wrote

Weird, I don’t see the Spotted Lantern Fly on here?

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Unlikely-Hawk416 t1_jdcsjsx wrote

Mosquitoes aren’t on here? Or your neighborhood street cat?

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BufloSolja t1_jdbvaao wrote

I mean...it IS amphibious.

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Wuz314159 t1_jdc6pwa wrote

Typical that our State Insect is going extinct. Maybe the Spotted Lanternfly next?

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AtBat3 t1_jdf7q4t wrote

Didn’t know what an eastern hellbender was until right now and I don’t want any part of them

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alternatingflan t1_jdjg63g wrote

Those ruffed grouse keep me up all night with their “ribbit….ribbit…..ribbit!”

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Razoray20 OP t1_jdl7oyi wrote

Yeah never seen one myself, hope I never do. They are a nightmare. Really neat though.

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Colonia_Paco t1_jdc9tky wrote

We should nominated the Spotted Lanternfly®️ as a state animal.

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