Changes for 2010-2011 Pa Hunting Seasons
Voices of the public have been heard and certain board members went to bat. There are some major changes in store for PA hunters and you’ll want to be sure to read the digest this summer/fall when you purchase your hunting license.
- Certain wildlife units will see a shortened DOE rifle season, the first week will be antlered deer only with the second week being combined either sex.
- Many WMU’s will also see a reduction in doe tags. The one that sticks in my memory is 4D being my home, it will see a 20% reduction from last year overall.
- DMAP permits are now included in the allocation. Previously if a WMU had 40,000 regular tags and 10,000 DMAP tags that would’ve meant a total of 50,000 tags. Now, those DMAP allocations are included in the total. For example, if 4D has 10,000 DMAP tags this year, with a doe allocation of 32,000 tags, only 22,000 tags will be available for use on public lands.
- Bear season will now start on a Saturday.
- Archers will have a week long archery bear season.
- Beginning spring of 2011, during the 3rd and 4th weeks of spring gobbler season you will be able to hunt sunup till sundown. The first two weeks will remain till noon only.
There are many other changes but those are many of the major ones, again, be sure to read your digest. We as a group must continue to push for what we want to see or changes that must be made.
Maybe our next big step in catching up with the rest of the states in this country will be Sunday hunting… heres to hopeing! I never understood why you can drink and gamble on a Sunday but not hunt. As pointed out by a memeber of the archerytalk.com forums “If its for religous reasons imagine the anti church crowd telling the church they couldnt worship on any day except Sunday. Bet that shoe doesnt fit so well now does it.”
In conclusion, Im happy to see these changes, I for one might actually give hunting bears a shot now that I have an entire week to do it. The deer situation needed the changes and the turkeys… oh the turkeys… Ill see you Mr Gobbler next week!
