Aug 28, 2011 4 min read

Fayette County Wildlife Conservation Officer Brandon Bonin has been on the job since Mid-March.

Game Law enforcement in these parts has never been easy job and has always had trying and rewarding times.

Somewhere between those poles lies frustrating, and that is where Bonin finds himself when its comes to ATVs on state game lands.

“ATVs are my pet peeve,” Bonin said. “People who ride the machines have to know about the machines they are riding. They need to know that a certain amount of responsibility goes with owning an ATV. It is their responsibility to know where they are riding.

“When they ride on game lands, they know where they are, but many try to say they did not know they were on the game lands.

“When we catch them, some just quietly pay their fines and others are just obnoxious because I’m out there.

“Yes, ATVs are my pet peeve right now.”

ATV users don’t get the message, and many are repeat offenders.

Bonin said that first offense can cost riders $100 to $200 in fines, and fines for repeat offenders can increase by an additional 50 percent each time, but Bonin said they he has been taking it east on them for now and has not gone for the increased fines.

A great deal of damage is caused by ATV riders. They tear down gates and signs that say riding motorized vehicles is prohibited and attempt to hide them under brush and claim they never saw the signs.

These riders not only cause destruction, but they area also responsible for a great deal of trash that has be be cleaned up.

“They go around mud puddles, which causes the puddle to become even larger,” Bonin said. “The riders area s big source of litter, as they usually have a cooler of beer with them and leave the bottles and cans everywhere.”

Bonin pointed out that in addition to littering, offenders can also be fined for consuming alcohol on the game lands.

While all game lands have illegal activity, Game Land 51 is particularly vulnerable.

He is determined to apprehend, arrest and fine those who operate ATVs on game lands.

Bonin, a native of Cambria County, said that he had an easy time of learning his way around his district.

The bucks are still in velvet, but illegal late night activity has already begun.

“We’ve been doing night patrol for about a month,” Bonin said. “There is a lot of activity, spotlighting and shooting.”

While on patrol Bonin has been seeing good numbers of deer, noting that they have been most active in the late night and early morning hours.

He said that one field he checks every night has deer, sometimes was many as 15 a night.

“I’m seeing a lot of average bucks,” he said, “But, there are a couple out there that would go on the wall.”

Bear complaints have been common since he arrived, but most were minor. He said that he has seen six bears since he has been here. With the corn in milk stage he expects a spike in bear complaints shortly.

When asked about turkey reproduction, Bonin said, “It was a wet spring, but a lot of hens must have re-nested for it seems there are two different size classes of young birds.”

As far as the coyote population is concerned, Bonin said that he saw one while on night patrol, but hears mixed reports. “Some say they have lot around, buy I haven’t seen them. I just see tracks now and then.”

Bonin said that he has been seeing some squirrels, but nothing to get too excited about.

Pheasant hunting will again be a put-and-take activity with most action coming on stocked birds. Some excess game farm birds were turned out in April with pre-season stockings set just before the youth hunt.

One small game species did get Bonin’s attention. “I saw a lot of young grouse,” he said. “I’ve seen more young grouse than anytime in my life.”

Many of those sightings were on Game Land 51. Grouse populations are said go to up and down in 10-year cycles.

Reports have been noticeably better in the past few years, so hopefully this is the year grouse hunter have been waiting for.

When asked to assess this year’s mast crop, Bonin said, “There was a good berry crop for the bears. Now that it is cooling off, nuts should be falling, so it will be easier to get a better idea of how they did.”

It won’t be long until the fall hunting season’s get under way, and from all indications the southern district of Fayette looks like a good place to start.

Herald-Standard Outdoors Editor Rod Schoener can be reached online at rschoener@heraldstandard.com.