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.

Audio For Video: Canon 7D Eastern Wild Turkey Gobbling

We have been looking at a lot of still photographs of eastern wild turkeys lately, but seeing is only part of the experience. Most persons who live in rural portions of the eastern United States have heard the male birds gobbling in the springtime, but for those who have not I am posting an extremely short clip today that shows several mature gobblers strutting and gobbling. This action was recorded near to a small mountain stream, which one can hear running in the background. This was filmed with the Canon 7D and the Canon 300mmF4 L lens.


                                         Eastern Wild Turkeys Strut And Gobble from Willard C. Hill on Vimeo.

One should use an off camera microphone if possible to eliminate camera operation noise. I use an Audio-Technica AT897 shotgun microphone attached to a boom pole, which I hang in a convenient tree.

AT 897 Shotgun Mike Mounted On Boompole

Note Shockmount That Can Be Detached From Boom  And Mounted In Accessory Shoe Of Camera

One can attach the mike directly to the camera by detaching the retaining bracket from the boom and sliding the mounting foot in the camera's accessory shoe. The shock mount does help deaden camera noise to a certain extent, but is not as effective as having the mike located some distance away from the camera. The AT897 uses a standard XLR connector which plugs into the rear jacks on the XL-H1 camcorder, or it can plug into the 3.5mm audio in jack of cameras such as the Canon 7D with an adapter.

Adapter Plugged Into 3.5mm Audio Jack Canon 7D

I only use the AT897 when shooting from a blind or other stationary position. The XL-H1 actually has a quite decent shotgun mike as standard equipment and I use this to handle situations when I am moving about quite a bit. I did mount the AT897 directly on the XL-H1 in 2007, which was the first year I used it to film the elk elk rut and  found that it was not noticeably better then the stock microphone, but when filming turkeys from a blind the stock mike frequently rubs against the blind, or picks up other distracting sounds. In this case it is best to have the microphone outside the blind.

I am not quite sure how things will shake out when it comes to recording elk bugling during the rut as the built in microphone on the 7D is not all that great, but I am somewhat apprehensive about carrying the camera with the AT897 mounted in the accessory shoe as it seems it would be easy to snag the mike on an overhanging branch and damage the camera body.