New Crossbow Deer Hunting Rules per the PGC
As a former resident, I was surprised. I didn't think the PGC would take the heat. But economics did play a role.
Here is the official PGC news release:
Pennsylvania Game Commission
2009 Press Releases
Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency
Release #013-09
BOARD APPROVES EXPANDED USE OF CROSSBOWS
The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to expand the lawful use of crossbows to include both the archery deer and bear seasons for the 2009-10 seasons. The Board amended the proposal by including a sunset date for the expanded crossbow use that will require a future Board to vote on the measure again before June 30, 2012.
Under the new regulation, a crossbow must have a peak drawn weight of at least 125 pounds, and a bolt must be equipped with a broadhead that has an outside diameter or width of at least 7/8 inches with at least two cutting edges on the same plane throughout the length of the cutting surface, and shall not exceed three inches in length.
Also, before giving the measure final approval, the Board adopted an amendment to prohibit the use of magnifying scopes for archery equipment and crossbows during the archery bear and deer seasons. The use of non-magnifying scopes – such as those that provide a red dot for sighting purposes – will continue to be legal.
The proposal given approval also would remove the lawful use of crossbows during the October muzzleloader or late flintlock muzzleloader season. Other changes made by the proposal simplify and make the language of the regulations easier to understand.
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As they said in my younger days, nothing much changes when you have a million hunters in orange, trudging through Penn's Woods.
I'm sure there was some fear in the increase of deer harvests because hunters would use a more "modern" weapon. Plus the fact there are hundreds of thousands of licensed PA deer hunters who do not hunt during the archery season. I am also sure the sunset provision is a fall back line, by the commission, if crossbow hunting proves too successful.
Economically, the PGC has not had a recent license price increase. They say the buying power of the last increase and license fee has fallen 30 % in purchasing value. And revenue from forest cuttings will decrease in the present recession.
While a doubling of archers hunting in Penn's Woods will increase the total hunting fees, I'm sure some of the commissioners are wary of the archery deer harvest.
Of course, PA deer hunters are a mild manner lot, who would never protest an increase in an archery hunting season harvest. Of course not!