Hunting and Trapping Opportunities For Winter in Pennsylvania
December 11, 2008
HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe reminds hunters and trappers that they still have a mixed bag of seasons from which to choose after the statewide firearms deer season concludes on Saturday, Dec. 13. They include seasons for deer, snowshoe hare, ruffed grouse, squirrel, cottontail, pheasant, coyote, beaver and other furbearers, crows, doves and waterfowl.
The statewide late archery and flintlock muzzleloader deer seasons run concurrently from Dec. 26 to Jan. 10. Also, in Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 2B, 5C and 5D, bowhunters can participate in additional archery season for antlerless deer from Dec. 15-23.
In addition, all hunters with WMU 2B 5C or 5D antlerless deer licenses can use any legal sporting arm to harvest antlerless deer from Dec. 15 to 23, and from Dec. 26-Jan. 24.
The small game seasons are as follows: squirrel, Dec. 15-23 and Dec. 26 to Feb. 7; ruffed grouse, Dec. 15-23 and Dec. 26 to Jan. 24; rabbit, Dec. 15-23 and Dec. 26 to Feb. 7; and snowshoe hare, Dec. 26-Jan. 1. In addition, pheasants (males and females) will be open from Dec. 15-23 and Dec. 26 to Feb. 7, in WMUs 1A, 1B, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4D, 5C and 5D.
Hunters who participate in any of these seasons must have a general hunting license, which provides Pennsylvania hunting privileges through June 30. Depending on the deer season hunters are participating in, they also must meet additional licensing and fluorescent orange requirements.
All antlerless deer taken by hunters in the late archery and special regulations area antlerless seasons must be tagged with an unused WMU-specific antlerless deer license harvest tag or a Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) antlerless deer permit harvest tag.
Flintlock muzzleloader season participants may harvest an antlerless deer with either a WMU-specific or DMAP-specific antlerless deer license/permit or general hunting license deer harvest tag. Buck hunting in the late seasons is governed by antler restrictions and limited to only bowhunters and flintlock muzzleloader hunters who possess an unused general hunting license deer harvest tag.
During the flintlock season, only single-barrel long-guns .44 caliber or larger and flintlock handguns .50 caliber or larger with a flintlock ignition system are permitted. The firearm must be an original or reproduction of a gun used prior to 1800. Peep sights and fiber-optic inserts are permitted, as well as iron, open “V” or notched sights. A flintlock ignition system consists of a hammer containing a naturally-occurring stone which is spring-propelled onto an iron or steel frizzen, which, in turn, creates sparks to ignite the gunpowder. Flintlock muzzleloader hunters may use “any single projectile” ammunition.
Hunters are reminded that firearms limitations for special regulations counties – Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia – remain in effect for the extended antlerless season in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D. Those restrictions do not apply to those portions of Beaver, Berks, Butler, Lehigh, Northampton, Washington and Westmoreland counties contained in WMUs 2B and 5C, where firearms deer hunters may choose to use a rifle, shotgun or crossbow.
Hunters using archery or muzzleloader licenses, and hunting with those special sporting arms, are not required to wear fluorescent orange clothing while afield, but are encouraged to do so where the seasons overlap with late season firearms deer hunters. Special regulations area hunters must wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange clothing, unless they possess an archery or muzzleloader license and are hunting with a bow, flintlock or crossbow.
Those hunting in the late seasons also may take coyotes with either a general hunting license or a furtaker license, 24 hours a day, from July 1-June 30, including Sundays, as per specifics listed on page 86 of the 2008-09 Hunting and Trapping Digest. The bag limit is unlimited, and hunters may use electronic calls and can pursue coyotes without wearing fluorescent orange in most instances. Also, trappers can take an unlimited number of coyotes until Feb. 22.
Trappers also may use cable restraints for foxes and coyotes from Jan. 1 through Feb. 22. In order to participate in this season, trappers must have passed a mandatory cable restraint certification program, which was developed and implemented with the assistance of the Pennsylvania Trappers Association. For information on courses, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us
) and click on the “Hunter Education” link in the right-hand column and choose the month of interest to find the nearest course.
Furbearer hunting seasons continuing through the winter months, include: red and gray foxes, until Feb. 21, including Sundays; raccoons, until Feb. 21; bobcats, for those with special permits, until Feb. 21; and skunks, opossums and weasels, until June 30 (certain restrictions apply during the spring gobbler season, so please refer to page 86 of the 2007-08 Digest).
Furbearer trapping seasons include: beavers, Dec. 26-March 31 (bag limits depend on WMU, which is outlined on page 86 of the 2007-08 Digest); minks and muskrats, until Jan. 11; raccoons, skunks, opossums, foxes and weasels, until Feb. 22; and bobcats, for those with special permits, until Feb. 22.
“Trappers seeking new locations to place sets are encouraged to contact any of the agency’s six region offices for contact information for landowners looking for relief from nuisance beavers,” Roe said. He also recommended trappers review the various “Field Officer Game Forecasts” available online (www.pgc.state.pa.us).
Crows may be hunted on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until April 5.
Dove hunters also will have late season opportunities when dove season reopens Dec. 26-Jan. 1. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset, and the daily limit is 15.
Waterfowl hunters have plenty of hunting opportunities to pursue from December into March. Hunters can take Canada geese and white-fronted geese during the following upcoming seasons: Atlantic Population Zone, Dec. 19-Jan. 24; Southern James Bay Canada Goose Hunting Zone, Dec. 15-Jan. 28; and Resident Canada Goose Zone, from Dec. 22-Feb. 28. Statewide snow goose season runs until March 10.
Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers may be hunted in the Lake Erie Zone until Jan. 3; in the North Zone, until Jan. 9; in the Northwest Zone Dec. 10-Jan. 9; and in the South Zone until Jan. 15.
For details on waterfowl bag limits in each of the zones, please consult the Pennsylvania 2008-09 Guide to Migratory Game Bird Hunting, which is available on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) in the Quick Clicks Box under “Waterfowl Brochure 2008.”
In addition to a regular Pennsylvania hunting license, persons 16 and older must have a Federal Migratory Bird and Conservation Stamp, commonly referred to as a “Duck Stamp” to hunt waterfowl. Regardless of age, hunters also must have a Pennsylvania Migratory Game Bird License to hunt waterfowl and other migratory birds, including doves, woodcock, coots, moorhens, rails and snipe. All migratory game bird hunters in the United States are required to complete a Harvest Information Program survey when they purchase a state migratory game bird license. The survey information is then forwarded to the USFWS.
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Bow Hunters Encouraged to Donate Deer to State Hunger Programs of North Dakota
November 18, 2008
People who love to bow hunt can pursue their passion and help feed those who are hungry at the same time. The North Dakota Community Action Partnership’s Sportsmen Against Hunger program is encouraging hunters to donate bow-harvested deer to the program.
Anyone with an animal to donate should contact a local Community Action Agency or Ann Pollert at 701-232-2452 for a list of participating Sportsmen Against Hunger processors.
The list is also posted on the state Game and Fish website (158Kb PDF) and the North Dakota Community Action Partnership website (www.capnd.org). This program is currently accepting bow-harvested deer only.
“According to Game and Fish, North Dakota issued about 17,000 bow tags for deer hunting this year,” Ann Pollert, coordinator of the program said. “Meat is a valuable staple for our food pantries and we encourage bow hunters who have harvested an animal they don’t need to donate it to this program. We will use it to help feed the hungry.”
Pollert also said sports clubs and even non-hunters can support this program through financial donations to cover processing costs.
“This program is a win-win for everyone, but funding for processing the meat is the bottleneck,” Pollert said. “Emergency food providers could accept over 71,000 pounds of venison - that’s about 1,400 animals. But with current funding, we aren’t able to come even close to that amount.”
Background on Sportsmen Against Hunger
In 2004, the North Dakota Community Action Partnership (NDCAP) began working with community wildlife groups to develop a venison donation program to help address statewide hunger problems reflected in needs assessments completed by the seven Community Action agencies across the state.
Sportsmen Against Hunger (SAH) is a statewide venison donation program designed to help low income individuals meet their basic food needs. Community Action agencies, along with wildlife groups, service clubs and other sponsors raise funds for venison processing. Processed venison is then distributed throughout the state to food pantries and other emergency food outlets.
When it was launched in 2004, the program accepted 115 donated deer. Last year 381 deer were donated to the program.
The North Dakota Department of Commerce Division of Community Services provides funding to the Community Action Agencies and also supports Sportsmen Against Hunger with funding for processing.
Lead Contamination Issue
Last March, the North Dakota Department of Health recommended that North Dakota food pantries not distribute any more venison donated in 2007 because of evidence that some of the meat contained lead fragments, likely from ammunition used by hunters to kill the deer.
During the last part of May, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in conjunction with the North Dakota Department of Health, conducted a study in North Dakota to try to determine whether blood-lead levels were associated with wild game consumption. More than 700 state citizens participated in the study. The report is expected to be released mid-October.
The SAH program is currently accepting bow-harvested deer only, and will determine if the program will accept rifle-harvested deer once the CDC preliminary report is completed and presented to the Department of Health.
Food pantries should be aware that deer harvested with a bow will have no occurrence of lead fragments and pose no possible health risk to consumers.
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Practice Should Be On Bowhunters To-Do List
September 26, 2008
MADISON – Twenty minutes of daily practice with a bow and arrow will not only improve a hunter’s aim but also muscle strength – two factors state hunting safety specialists call crucial to a safe and successful outing.
“Hunting with a bow and arrow is not like riding a bike. You forget over the year and you can get hurt if you venture out without taking time to review and practice those skills,” said Tim Lawhern, Department of Natural Resources Hunter Education administrator, and a bow hunter himself. “Shooting with archery equipment is not something that comes back to you just like that. Specific muscles are called into action in archery, and those muscles must be conditioned through practice.”
But, Lawhern adds, before hunters practice they must inspect their equipment.
“Inspect the bow limbs, string, handle and other parts. If there is anything not in excellent condition, take your bow to any archery shop for repairs or parts,” he says.
Once the equipment is ready, Lawhern recommends starting to practice immediately.
“This will help bow hunters get their arm, shoulder and finger muscles accustomed to the task for shooting and help improve accuracy,” he said.
“Two weeks before opening day, your first shot in practice is your gauge of whether you are ready to go into the field,” he said. “If your first shot is on target, you’re set.”
If a hunter’s practice time is limited, Lawhern says take closer shots than normal. “For most, that is less than 20 yards.”
Another valuable practice tip is to do your sessions from the same set-up you will use while hunting. “That includes a tree stand while wearing heavy clothing,” he said. “That means practice from an elevated position in your back yard – and wear your hunting clothes.”
Other safety tips from Lawhern include:
Use arrows tipped with broadheads.
Get a fall restraint device, such as a harness, and use it.
Use three points of contact while climbing into and out of tree stands.
Never climb into a hunting location with bow and arrows – raise and lower the equipment with a haul line.
More information about hunter safety and bow hunting safety is available on the DNR Web.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Lawhern, DNR Hunter Education Administrator – (608) 266-1317
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Master Archer Byron Ferguson Returns to Stonewall Resort State Park For West Virginia’s Celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Days September 27 and 28
September 16, 2008
Roanoke, W.Va. – Master archer Byron Ferguson will return as part of the 2008 line-up during West Virginia’s Celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Days at Stonewall Resort State Park September 27 and 28. The event, which draws nearly 20,000 outdoor enthusiasts each year and is the biggest outdoor-oriented event in the state, is sponsored by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and the West Virginia Wildlife Federation.
Ferguson first amazed the crowd at the 2007 Hunting and Fishing Days event. “We’re proud to have him back this year,” said Jerry Westfall, event coordinator for DNR. “Byron is able to do the nearly impossible when it involves the bow and arrow.”
Ferguson took an interest in the longbow at the age of 12, first shooting out candles in the pitch dark to hone his skill. He is able to shoot coins out of the air, split playing cards, and even shoot an arrow through a wedding ring in mid-air.
When asked why he prefers the longbow, Byron replied, “It’s because of the romance that is tied to the weapon. Longbows are traceable to the cavemen and have been praised in songs, poems and stories since the dawn of mankind.”
Byron Ferguson is expected to be a show favorite again this year, attracting not only avid bow hunters and archers, but also the whole family. He has taken his talents around the world, performing in eight foreign countries and on dozens of television programs. Additional information is available from Ferguson’s Web site at www.byronferguson.com.
The public is invited to attend the 2008 West Virginia’s Celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Days at Stonewall Resort State Park on September 27th and 28th between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m on Saturday and 9 a.m. and 5.p.m. on Sunday. A complete show listing and schedule are available on the Division of Natural Resources Web site at www.wvdnr.gov.
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Archery Deer Season Opens Sept. 13 in Wisconsin
September 4, 2008
MADISON — Bow hunters will get the first opportunity to harvest Wisconsin’s premier big game animal this year when the archery season for deer starts on Sept. 13. With a projection of between 1.5 and 1.7 million deer in the state, odds are good that the bow hunters will harvest game.
“In all areas of the state with the exception of a number of units in the north deer are plentiful, said Jason Fleener, a Department of Natural Resource wildlife biologist. Last year’s winter was “severe” in some units in the north central part of the state. Historically this has resulted in a reduction of about 20 percent in fawn-doe ratios.”
As a result, those units are being dropped from the Herd Control Unit status and the antlerless quotas for the units were reduced.
With most all other units in the state over deer population goals, bow hunters should have a better chance to see some deer.
Fleener advises bow hunters to plan their hunt according to the particular unit being hunted. In some units hunters can harvest an antlerless deer which will qualify them for an Earn-A-Buck (EAB) deer. Earn-A-Bucks units are found primarily in the southwest and southeast parts of the state.
All hunters in Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Florence, Forest, Iron, Langlade, Lincoln, Oneida, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, Vilas and Washburn counties are asked to participate in the chronic wasting disease surveillance this year. The northern region needs to collect samples from 500 deer from each county as part of its disease surveillance program.
“We need hunter cooperation to help insure a healthy deer herd in the north,” said Northern Region Wildlife Expert, Mike Zeckmeister, ‘and that is what these periodic disease checks do.”
The early archery deer season runs from Saturday Sept. 13 through Nov. 20. The late season starts on Dec. 1 and runs to Jan. 4, 2009. Archery harvest in all CWD, EAB and most Herd Control units are restricted to antlerless-only between Oct. 16-19, and in all units statewide Dec. 11 - 14, except non-quota units and most state parks. Bow hunters are reminded to wear blaze orange any time a gun deer season is in effect, including the statewide Oct. 11-12 youth gun deer hunt.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Fleener - (608) 261-7589
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Deer, Pronghorn Archery Seasons Open Aug. 29 Throughout North Dakota
August 21, 2008
North Dakota’s deer and pronghorn archery seasons open Friday, Aug. 29 at noon, and hunters should refer to the 2008 deer and pronghorn hunting guides for season information and regulations.
The pronghorn archery season runs through Oct. 5, while the archery deer season is open through Jan. 4, 2009.
Bow hunters are reminded of a few proper etiquette guidelines for using tree stands: do not erect or use tree stands on private property without landowner permission; follow all regulations of the managing agency when using tree stands on public hunting areas; do not use the tree stand of another hunter without that hunter’s permission; and do not remove or tamper with a tree stand without the owner’s or landowner’s permission.
Tree stands are private property, and theft constitutes a criminal violation that should be reported to the local sheriff’s department.
The Game and Fish Department made available 149,400 deer gun licenses to hunters this fall. Bowhunters are reminded that those individuals with additional concurrent season doe licenses can use these during the archery season in the designated hunting unit.
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Grand Valley, Colorado Special Opportunity Hunts
July 29, 2008
Bow hunters in the Grand Valley are being given a unique opportunity to hunt deer in some special areas, while also aiding the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) in limiting habitat damage caused by game.
The DOW is currently accepting applications for several limited access hunts on land operated by the DOW, Bureau of Reclamation, and Western Colorado Wildlife Habitat Association. Property and hunting access for these special hunts at the Tilman Bishop State Wildlife Area, Grand Junction Wildlife Area, and Orchard Mesa Wildlife Area will be granted only to a limited group of bow hunters. Hunters applying for the first three special access permits MUST already have an archery deer license in the proper game management unit (Unit 40 for Grand Junction Wildlife Area, Unit 41 for Bishop and Orchard Mesa). Two additional hunts will be allowed during the regular rifle season to hunters holding valid rifle tags in the proper unit who are willing to hunt these properties using ONLY ARCHERY EQUIPMENT.
Completed applications are due at the DOW Northwest Region Office by 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 1. A random draw for the limited number of access permits will be held on Aug. 4. Only a limited number of permits are available, and hunting dates are limited to allow only one hunter per week on the properties. The limited nature of these access permits will assure a unique hunting opportunity, but hunters must adhere to very specific rules.
Hunting outside of the special access areas is NOT affected by the special hunts. Hunting regulations for areas outside of the special access areas can be found in the DOW’s 2008 Big Game brochure or on-line at www.wildlife.state.co.us.
Applications and a copy of hunting rules are available at the DOW Northwest Region Office, 711 Independent Avenue, Grand Junction. For more information, call (970)255-6100.
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