There are four main quarterly meetings that the PGC commissioners are required to have where the set game laws and take comment on problems people are seeing with wildlife in Pennsylvania.

The January meeting is usually when they propose seasons. If you want, or don’t want something, this is the best time to make your case. Once it is proposed, it is very possible it will become law in the April meeting. The April meeting is when the seasons are set. The June meeting is to clean up any loose ends and sometimes finalize the items that they couldn’t resolve in April. The October meeting is when they discuss things that will probably propose for the next January meeting.

The January meeting is on a Sunday afternoon and therefore is the easiest meeting for people to attend. I like to see people I sometimes never get to see all year and see for myself how the system works. I generally take notes and try to tell others what went on. Many people are under mistaken impressions of these meetings and I would be too if I had to rely on what some people say on the message boards. For example, the belief that it is just a dog and pony show and their minds are already made up is very wrong. I have seen a comment made by a good speaker sway how I was sure a vote was going to go just a few minutes before that comment and that changed history in Pennsylvania. That can be a scary thing. Almost like a Steelers game where you thought you were winning and there is an interception and run back for a game losing touch down.

AR and concurrent are pretty much behind us and this meeting was much more laid back than most. Even the USP spokesman was evenhanded and reasonable. He did ask that acid rain be considered as a primary damager of our forests and that there is a disparity of deer densities between public and private land. I also believe that the PGC should create a panel to look at acid rain. The three main areas being the history (when was it first measured, where does it come from and what has the level and impact been since it was first noted), what can realistically be done about it and finally where would the funding to correct it come from? That should bring some closure to this issue.

I would say the two main issues discussed were DMAP and reindeer. Yes reindeer! Everyone supported DMAP. The biggest difference being whether the PGC should require these lands be open to public hunting to obtain these extra doe tags. Some felt that if you didn’t require it, more would post their lands and lease or charge money for a DMAP doe tag. Others felt it was un-reasonable to require landowners open their lands. Many had posted them because of littering and damage to their property by hunters they didn’t know. I side with the people that want DMAP for all landowners and that they open their lands should not be a requirement. After the litter I have seen on the SGL’s this year, I appreciate landowners wanting to invite whom they chose to hunt their property. Even hunting clubs should get these tags if needed.

The reindeer farmers pointed out that reindeer where more like cows than deer. They could not survive in the wilds if they escaped. And there has never been a documented case of a reindeer getting CWD. They asked they be exempted from the importation ban, even if it is just a 30-day permit. Most of their income is derived during the Christmas season by showing the animals and right now if they take them to another state, they aren’t allowed to bring them back home. Made sense to me.

Bob Hildenbrand, President of PATHA opposed the October gun season once the herd was balanced. Asked for a 4 point restriction be placed in SRA’s also. Asked for an archery turkey and bear season and that we stop the practice of requiring bag tag hunting licenses.

The UBP’s spokesman, Ed Wentzler stated that they wanted to see the harvest data and see how the new season went before making suggestions or requests. The steady hand plan.

Andy Bensing asked that they consider allowing archery season from 9/15 to 1/31, as it is a low impact style of hunting. He offered that the extensions be for doe only if the bucks harvests would create problems.

Jen Sager represented herself and ask asked that a longer bow season for whitetails be allowed. She suggested that they could eliminate the October gun season and get the same result by extending the archery seasons for doe only harvests. She wants bowhunters to be allowed to hunt turkeys all season long, as the harvests would be minimal while the recreation value would surely boost archery license sales.

Several spoke in support of Dr. Alt and the PGC for the recent deer management changes.

One lady asked that they help curb the excessive hawk and goose problem her area saw. The commissioners told her that was under federal jurisdiction and they had tried on the hawks and no one will even discuss that with them and they may get some help on the goose situation.

The Chief Law Enforcement officer stated that the rumors of $500 dollar fines had been greatly exaggerated. That in fact they were ½ what they were last year. Only 23 people out of 1873 people that had submitted deer as mistaken kills for AR violations had received the $500.00 fine.

Dr. Alt was in the audience; killing another rumor that he had taken a job in Texas or Colorado!

It was great to go there- despite the long drive. I got to see many celebrities including Dutch, Flintnocker, DFA, DennyF, Shooter, Muldoon, Bowdad, Os&ihsi, RC, Huntinggal and sister, and the Walking Dead! Sorry if I forgot anyone. Dead lines you know!