Pa. takes aim at deer season changes

Officials from the Pennsylvania Game Commission will vote on proposed changes to game law next Tuesday, including changing opening day for the firearms deer season to Saturday from the traditional Monday after Thanksgiving.

The board may also vote to expand the mentored youth and mentored adult hunting programs — if the change is approved, youth up to 16 years of age can participate in the mentored youth program, and those 17 and older can participate in the mentored adult program.

Under the previous framework, there was no opportunity for those 12 to 17 to participate in a mentored program.

According to the proposal changing firearms deer hunting, the season would be a split, six-day antlered deer season (Nov. 30-Dec. 6) and seven-day concurrent season (Dec. 7-14) in 20 Wildlife Management Units.

The list includes WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A and 5B. The package also retains the full-season (Nov. 30-Dec. 14) concurrent, antlered and antlerless deer season in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D.

Bear hunting

The game commission is also considering changes to the black bear season.

If approved, black bear would be legal game on opening day of the firearms deer season. Black bear hunting in WMUs 1B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 5A would be open Nov. 30 through Dec. 7.

In another change to bear hunting, the mid-October muzzleloader (Oct. 19-26) and special firearms deer season (Oct. 24-26) would include bear hunting statewide.

The special firearms deer season is for junior and senior license holders, mentored youth permit holders, disabled individuals with a permit to use a vehicle, hunters 65 (during the year of application) and older, and Pennsylvania residents serving on active duty in the U.S. armed services.

During both those seasons, which are antlerless only, hunters must have the required antlerless license.

The statewide archery bear season would follow the mid-October muzzleloader and special firearms deer season, and the length of that statewide archery bear season would be two weeks, Oct. 28 to Nov. 9.

A September archery bear season would be established, and in most wildlife management units, the four-day extended bear season would be further extended to six days.

Although opportunities for bear hunting have been expanded, hunters may only harvest one black bear.

Other hunting changes

If the firearms deer season starts Saturday, Nov. 30, the fall turkey season would end on Nov. 29. In WMUs 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4D and 4E, the season would be Nov. 2-16 and Nov. 28 and 29.

For those lucky enough to draw an elk tag, there will be a September archery season and a January antlerless season.

Bobcat hunting and trapping will be expanded to include WMU 4B.

Fisher trapping will be expanded to WMU 4A.

The season limit on beavers will be increased from 20 to 40 in WMUs 2A and 2B.

The porcupine season will be reduced by about 10 weeks statewide.