You didnt miss it...It took three releases to cover everything and I still can't find anything about the shotgun only areas
I'm kind of in favor of the change they're trying with deer season in those 4 WMU's....time will tell
2008 Press Releases
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Release #007-08
GAME COMMISSIONERS PROPOSE 2008-09 SEASONS AND BAG LIMITS
HARRISBURG - The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave preliminary approval to hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits for 2008-09.
The public may offer comments on all proposed 2008-09 seasons and bag limits, as well as other Board actions, between now and the Board's next meeting, April 21-22, at which time the Board will finalize seasons and bag limits for 2008-09.
Also, the Board will take action on setting antlerless deer license allocations for the 22 WMUs at its April meeting. Deer harvest estimates for the 2007-08 seasons will be available in mid-March.
Following are several articles on meeting highlights.
CHANGES PROPOSED FOR 2008-09 DEER SEASONS
The Board of Game Commissioners gave preliminary approval to a slate of deer seasons for the 2008-09 seasons, which retains nearly all of the opportunities provided in the past to address the goals of the agency's deer management plan.
The only substantial change for the deer hunting seasons is a proposal to have a five-day, antlered deer only season in Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 2D, 2G, 3C and 4B starting the Monday after Thanksgiving, followed immediately by seven days of concurrent, antlered and antlerless deer hunting. The proposed package retains the two-week (12-day) concurrent, antlered and antlerless season in the remaining 18 WMUs. The change to the four WMUs is to evaluate the impact of changed season length on hunter success rates for future use as a new management tool.
"The goals of the deer management plan have not changed," said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. "The proposed changes to these four WMUs will give us another 'tool in the toolbox,' as we move forward with our deer management plan."
Roe noted that the four WMUs chosen were because: WMUs 2G and 4B have ongoing deer research in them; WMU 2D is an area where antler restrictions are set at four points on one side, and is where the agency previously had deer research conducted; and WMU 3C is an area where antler restrictions are set at three points on one side, and is an area of the state where no extensive deer research has been conducted.
"Antlerless deer harvest versus number of days of opportunity, or the overall season length, will be evaluated following this year of five days of antlered deer and seven days of concurrent seasons," Roe said. "Also, we will conduct annual surveys of hunters to address other aspects of the program.
"In the future, stakeholders may be able to provide input by sharing whether they'd like more opportunity via time, such as two weeks or more, or more people involved through perhaps more tags and shorter seasons."
Additionally, the Board specifically directed staff to prepare a four-year study to determine the impact and effectiveness of the proposed five-day antlered/seven-day concurrent season on the deer management plan before additional WMUs may be considered for this season configuration.
As part of the 2008-09 deer season frameworks, the Board proposed to continue to permit the use of crossbows statewide for hunting bear and elk and during any of the firearms deer seasons - including the regular firearms deer seasons, the early muzzleloader season and the late flintlock muzzleloader season - and in all deer seasons in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D, which are the most urbanized areas in the state.
Statewide, hunters using crossbows during the early muzzleloader season or late flintlock season must have a muzzleloader stamp in addition to their general hunting license and appropriate WMU antlerless deer license. Late-season hunters with a muzzleloader stamp, but using a crossbow, are permitted to take an antlered deer or an antlerless deer anywhere in the state with their unused antlered deer tag, just like other late-season flintlock hunters.
In WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D, hunters planning to use a crossbow during the archery seasons must purchase an archery stamp in addition to their general hunting license and appropriate WMU antlerless deer license.
Disabled hunters must obtain a permanent or temporary disabled hunter permit to use a crossbow during the statewide early or late archery seasons outside of WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D.
The Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) that addresses landowner deer management objectives within Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) remains in place.
"DMAP provides a tool to harvest antlerless deer on specific properties to lessen deer impacts for landowners and the habitat," said Calvin W. DuBrock, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management director. Fees for DMAP permits are $10 for residents and $35 for nonresidents.
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