Time For PGC To Reach Out

Mature Doe Looks For Danger

 At this point the Pennsylvania rifle deer season is one-half over.  Both antlered and antlerless deer are legal game in our area, but except for opening day and Saturday, there seems to be little hunting--at least away from the state game lands.  This was not the case in the old days, when opening day sounded almost like a battle and hunting pressure was heavy at least through Wednesday of the first week, and picked up again on Saturdays.

Doe season was traditionally held on the Monday and Tuesday immediately following buck season and at times was extended if bad weather caused a low doe kill.  Eventually the PGC settled on a three day doe season which ran from Monday through Wednesday and a flintlock season for both buck and doe was implemented, which ran for two or three weeks after Christmas.

The three day doe season continued until  buck and doe season were combined under Dr. Gary Alt's deer management plan, which also included antler restrictions. an early black powder antlerless deer season and an early rifle doe season open only to Jr. and Sr. Hunters. (Note that there are a growing number of wildlife management units where both weeks of rifle season are not concurrent buck and doe, be sure to check regulations before hunting).

The first day of doe season was often a blood bath under the old system as everyone that had a doe tag had to try and fill it in the two or three day season.  With a multitude of seasons to choose from the modern hunter has much less incentive to hunt on a particular day.  Many have grown discouraged with deer hunting because of a scarcity of deer either real or perceived,  lack of a suitable place to hunt, or a host of other factors including a lessening of the desire to hunt with increasing age. These factors combined with fewer youth taking up hunting has led to an impending crisis.

Hunter Tags Fawn Killed In Concurrent Season

It is now hard to believe that in my early years with the PGC, some thought that hunting pressure would increase to the point that one would have to select which type of weapon they wanted to hunt with in a given year and hunt only in that particular season, or that perhaps buck tags would have to be restricted in availability in some manner.  Few worried about subjects like hunter recruitment and retention, but today these are important topics to conservation agencies throughout the nation and none seem to be able to come up with suitable answers to these problems--perhaps because ultimately there are none that will work.

In the meantime, the PGC and most if not all conservation agencies, consistently fails to address the  needs and desires of growing numbers of wildlife watchers, and photographers, or include them in the management of our wildlife. Instead of ignoring or reacting to this growing, potential constituency with hostility, it is time to reach out to the non-consumptive user and find ways to incorporate them into the funding base and the decision making process. 

Originally posted at Pennsylvania Wildlife Photographer by Willard Hill.

PGC Makes Significant Changes In 2010-11 Hunting Seasons

Photo by W.Hill

 For many years, fall hunting seasons in Pennsylvania followed a relatively stable pattern with small game season starting on the last Saturday in October or the first Saturday in November and continuing until the end of November.  This was followed by two weeks of buck season, which in turn was followed by two days of antlerless deer season and seasons and regulations were statewide in scope. This situation was already changing by the mid-1960s, when  a two week early squirrel and grouse season was introduced. In time this trend snowballed with the introduction of spring gobbler season, flintlock deer season, expanded archery seasons, early muzzleloader deer season,  jr. and sr. citizens rifle antlerless deer season, special seasons for mentored youth hunts, and the list goes on and on. 

Even with all of the changes: however, it was pretty much a given that there would be two weeks of squirrel and grouse season in October, followed by general small game season for all of November until the Saturday before rifle deer season. (there were notable exceptions, such as turkey seasons, which could vary depending on the management unit).

This week the Pennsylvania Game Commission in Harrisburg gave final approval to seasons and bag limits for 2010-11 and there are several significant changes.  These changes are so all encompassing that all who hunt in Pennsylvania are well advised to study the seasons and bag limits very closely.  Do not assume that anything is as it was before.  Seasons also vary quite a bit by management unit so it is important that hunters pay close attention  to this aspect also.

Here are the seasons and bag limits as published by The Pennsylvania Game Commission (Source PGC Website)

ADOPTED 2010-11 HUNTING SEASONS AND BAG LIMITS
SQUIRRELS, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license, and mentored youth – Oct. 9-15 (6 daily, 12 in possession limit after first day).
SQUIRRELS, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Oct. 16-Nov. 27; Dec. 13-23 and Dec. 27-Feb. 5 (6 daily, 12 possession).
RUFFED GROUSE: Oct. 16–Nov. 27, Dec. 13-23 and Dec. 27-Jan. 22 (2 daily, 4 possession).
RABBIT (Cottontail) Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license: Oct. 9-16 (4 daily, 8 possession).
RABBIT (Cottontail): Oct. 23-Nov. 27, Dec. 13-23 and Dec. 27-Feb. 26 (4 daily, 8 possession).
PHEASANT: Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license – Oct. 9-16 (2 daily, 4 in possession). Male pheasants only in WMUs 2A, 2B, 2C, 4C, 4E, 5A and 5B. Male and female pheasants may be taken in all other WMUs. There is no open season for the taking of pheasants in any Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas in any WMU.
PHEASANT: Male only in WMUs 2A, 2B, 2C, 4C, 4E, 5A and 5B – Oct. 23-Nov. 27. Male and female may be taken in all other WMUs – Oct. 23-Nov. 27, Dec. 13-23 and Dec. 27-Feb. 5 (2 daily, 4 in possession). There is no open season for the taking of pheasants in any Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas in any WMU.
BOBWHITE QUAIL: Oct. 23-Nov. 27 (4 daily, 8 possession). (Closed in WMUs 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D.)
HARES (SNOWSHOE RABBITS) OR VARYING HARES: Dec. 27–Jan. 1 (1 daily, 2 possession).
WOODCHUCKS (GROUNDHOGS): No closed season, except: Sundays; during the antlered and antlerless deer seasons; and during legal hunting hours of the spring gobbler turkey season.
CROWS: July 2-April 10, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. No limit.
STARLINGS AND ENGLISH SPARROWS: No closed season, except during the antlered and antlerless deer seasons and during legal hunting hours of the spring gobbler turkey season. No limit.
WILD TURKEY (Male or Female): Wildlife Management Units 1A, 1B and 2A (Shotgun and bow and arrow) –Nov. 13-19 and Nov. 25-27; WMU 2B (Shotgun and bow and arrow) – Nov. 6-19 and Nov. 25-27; WMUs 2C, 2D, 2E, 4A, 4B and 4D – Nov. 13-19 and Nov. 25-27; WMUs 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C and 4E – Nov. 6-19 and Nov. 25-27; WMU 5A – Nov. 16-18; WMUs 5B, 5C and 5D – CLOSED TO FALL TURKEY HUNTING.
SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with required license, and mentored youth – April 23, 2011. Only 1 spring gobbler may be taken during this hunt.
SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): April 30-May 31, 2011. Daily limit 1, season limit 2. (Second spring gobbler may be only taken by persons who possess a valid special wild turkey license.) From April 30-May 14, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon; from May 16-31, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.
BLACK BEAR (Statewide) Bow and Arrow only: Nov. 15-19. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR (Statewide): Nov. 20, and Nov. 22-23. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
ELK (Antlered or Antlerless): Nov. 1-6. Only one elk may be taken during the license year.
ELK, EXTENDED (Antlered and Antlerless): Nov. 8-13. Only one elk may be taken during the license year. Eligible elk license recipients who haven’t harvested an elk by Nov. 6, in designated areas.
Elk, Special Conservation Tag (Antlered or Antlerless): Sept. 1-Nov. 6. One elk tag for one antlered or antlerless elk will be auctioned at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation annual banquet.
DEER, ARCHERY (Antlerless Only) WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D: Sept. 18-Oct. 1 and Nov. 15-27. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER, ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless) WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D: Oct. 2-Nov. 13 and Dec. 27-Jan. 29. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER, ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless) Statewide: Oct. 2-Nov. 13 and Dec. 27-Jan. 15. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER (Antlered and Antlerless) WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 2F, 3A, 3B, 3D, 4A, 4C, 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D: Nov. 29-Dec. 11. One antlered deer per hunting license year. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER (Antlered Only) WMUs 2C, 2D, 2E, 2G, 3C, 4B, 4D and 4E: Nov. 29-Dec. 3. One antlered deer per hunting license year. (Holders of valid DMAP antlerless deer permits may harvest antlerless deer on DMAP properties during this period.)
DEER (Antlered and Antlerless) WMUs 2C, 2D, 2E, 2G, 3C, 4B, 4D and 4E: Dec. 4-11. One antlered deer per hunting license year. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER, ANTLERLESS (Statewide): Oct. 21-23. Junior and Senior License Holders, Disabled Person Permit (to use a vehicle) Holders, and Pennsylvania residents serving on active duty in
U.S. Armed Services or in the U.S. Coast Guard only, with required antlerless license. Also included are persons who have reached or will reach their 65th birthday in the year of the application for a license and hold a valid adult license, or qualify for license and fee exemptions under section 2706. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER, ANTLERLESS MUZZLELOADER (Statewide): Oct. 16-23. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER, ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK (Statewide): Dec. 27-Jan. 15. One antlered deer per hunting license year, or one antlerless deer and an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER, ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK (WMUs 2B, 5C, 5D): Dec. 27-Jan. 29. One antlered deer per hunting license year, or one antlerless deer and an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER, Antlerless (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D): Dec. 27-Jan. 29. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER, ANTLERLESS (Military Bases): Hunting permitted on days established by the U.S. Department of the Army at Letterkenny Army Depot, Franklin County; New Cumberland Army Depot, York County; and Fort Detrick, Raven Rock Site, Adams County. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
ADOPTED 2010-11 FURBEARER HUNTING SEASONS
COYOTES: No closed season. Unlimited. Outside of any deer or bear season, coyotes may be taken with a hunting license or a furtaker license, and without wearing orange. During any archery deer season, coyotes may be taken while lawfully hunting deer or with a furtaker license. During the regular firearms deer and any bear seasons, coyotes may be taken while lawfully hunting deer or bear, or with a furtaker license while wearing 250 square inches of fluorescent orange. During the spring gobbler season, may be taken by those with a valid tag and meet fluorescent orange and shot size requirements.
RACCOON and FOXES: Oct. 23–Feb. 19, unlimited.
OPOSSUM, SKUNKS & WEASELS: No closed season, except Sundays and during legal hunting hours of the spring gobbler season. No limits.
BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4D and 4E): Dec. 18-Jan. 8. One bobcat per license year, but all licensed furtakers may obtain one permit.
ADOPTED 2010-11 TRAPPING SEASONS
MINK and MUSKRAT: Nov. 20–Jan. 9. Unlimited.
COYOTE, FOXES, OPOSSUM, RACCOON, SKUNKS and WEASELS: Oct. 24–Feb. 20. No limit.
COYOTE and FOXES (Statewide) Cable Restraints: Dec. 26-Feb. 20. No limit. Participants must pass cable restraint certification course.
BEAVER (Statewide): Dec. 26–March 31 (Limits vary depending on WMU).
BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4D and 4E): Dec. 18-Jan. 9. One bobcat per license year, and all licensed furtakers may obtain one permit.
FISHER (WMUs 2C, 2D, 2E and 2F): Dec. 18-23. One fisher per license year, and all licensed furtakers may obtain one permit.
ADOPTED 2010-11 FALCONRY SEASONS
SQUIRRELS (combined), BOBWHITE QUAIL, RUFFED GROUSE, COTTONTAIL RABBITS, SNOWSHOE OR VARYING HARE, RINGNECK PHEASANT (Male or Female combined): Sept. 1-March 31. Daily and Field Possession limits vary. (Migratory game bird seasons and bag limits for falconers will be set in accordance with federal regulations in August.)
No open season on other wild birds or mammals. Waterfowl and Migratory Game Bird seasons will be established in accordance with Federal Regulations this summer.

For more information read PGC News Release#038-10 ,which elaborates somewhat on the information given above.