Jan 17, 2015 3 min read

Over the holiday, while speaking with my mother, she brought up the subject of mountain lions in Pennsylvania.

She said she saw a photo of somebody in my hometown who shot a mountain lion in the state.

I told her it was a hoax.

But she insisted it was true and others saw mountain lions in the area around my hometown.

I fired up my smartphone, did a quick search on Google and asked her if the photo I found, which had a number of different individual hunters standing next to the same truck and mountain lion, was the one she had seen?

As it turned out, that was the case. The guy put himself into the photo next to the mountain lion, which was shot somewhere out west.

Photoshop is a great tool and fantastic for use in these kind of hoaxes.

I bring this up because in upper Manhattan last week, a coyote was captured in a park.

The coyote was sighted numerous times the past two weeks and was finally caught using tranquilizer darts. It was then examined and shipped off to what officials called an appropriate wilderness area in the Bronx.

This is not the first time a coyote was captured in New York City. Officials also captured and released a coyote in the city in 2013.

Much like the mountain lion hoax, many in this state still believe the Pennsylvania Game Commission trapped and stocked coyotes here at some point.

This theory overlooks the fact coyotes, one of nature’s great survivors, will travel great distances to find a handy stock of food – even New York City.

• Frazier-Simplex Rifle Club maintained its spot in first place in the Pittsburgh and Suburban Rifle League with a 1,473-1,460 win over Green Valley.

John Husk led the way for Frazier-Simplex (9-1) with a 297. Craig Lindley fired a 295, Mackenzie Wagner and Sylvia Drystadt had 294, while Cyril Walther shot a 293.

Logan Charles led Green Valley with a 296.

Dormont-Mt. Lebanon remained within striking distance with a 1,483-1,436 win over Murraysville.

Amy Smith fired her league-best fourth 300 of the season for Dormont-Mt.Lebanon (8-2). Rick Janoski added a 297, Dean Trew 296 and Tom Gerner and Matt Piatt 295 each.

Jack Graw, who won high junior honors for the week, paced Murraysville with a 297.

Frazier-Simplex and Dormont-Mt. Lebanon, which have split their first two matchups, have two remaining against each other this season. The first will come Jan. 28 at Dormont-Mt.Lebanon, with the final match scheduled for March 11 at Frazier-Simplex.

• The Washington County Sportsmen and Conservation League Outdoors Show will take place at Washington Crown Center will take place Feb. 6-8.

Along with the numerous vendors, there will be a free fish pond for kids, George Block and company will be measuring deer, a wandering magician and a sporting dog show.

Outdoors Editor F. Dale Lolley can be reached at dlolley@observer-reporter.com.