Windwalker's proposals to the Pennsylvania Game Commission
03-31-2006, 02:31 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,621
Windwalker's proposals to the Pennsylvania Game Commission
I have a few ideas I think the PGC should consider. Lets start with a few law changes.
1) Outlaw spotlighting all together. Everyone in PA knows that poaching at nite is a big problem in PA. Just think of the money the PGC would save in gas. They won't have to be out riding around all nite watching spotters. Just once in a while. Anyone spotting is guilty of poaching.
2) Instead of the PGC setting up Robo-deer to catch road hunters, and wasting all those man-hours waiting for someone to drive by and shoot, do this. Make it a law that ALL guns and bows MUST be cased to transport in a vehicle. If you're caught with an uncased weapon, you're fined. This would help more to limit roadhunting and wouldn't cost a dime.
Coyotes are a problem. I think every hunter will admit that they can reek havok on fawns. I even believe thatSOME of our deer population problems can be blamed on coyotes. Whether you believe they were stocked, always here in high numbers or their population is on the increase, it doesn't matter. We need to deal with the coyote population and get hunters interested in hunting them. Here's an idea.
Every time a hunter bags a coyote they save the tail. The tail can be turned in to the PGC and the hunter will recieve some sort of voucher for $2, $3 or $5( whatever they decide) off of their next years hunting license, for each tail turned in. Shoot enough coyotes and get your license for free. This may spark an interest in coyote hunting. They use to pay a bounty on foxes many years ago, I'm sure they can arrange this Coyote tails for license dollars deal.
Legalize they use of semi-autos for coyotes only. I know many guys that have Ruger 10/22's, AR-15's, AK's, HK's, SKS's, etc... that are just itching to take out and try hunting with. The coyote would be the perfect animat for assualt rifles. ( without the FMJ bullets, of coarse ) Who knows how many coyotes would be taken by someone just out for the fun of hunting with their assualt rifle. Hey, anything to stir an interest is fine with me.
Small game
How about a trap and transfer for cottontail rabbits?
Instruction for building box traps could be handed out to cub scouts, boy scouts, 4-H, sportsmens clubs, etc... Or interested parties could just buy them.
Starting some time in late winter /early spring rabbits could be traps inside city limits and released onto SGL's or co-op farms.Set the traps early enough ascatch them before they have young. They young would be born after they are released. This should give the rabbit population a much needed boost.
My brother has a hard time with rabbits getting in his garden all summer. He is inside city limits so they can't be hunted. They just populate. I've seen as many as 5 together in his small yard. Ever notice all the road kills during the summer in all the small towns?
The PGC or any sportsmans club could possibly ear tag a few and do studies on how many are taken later in the fall, to get an idea of their survival rate after being released. It worked with turkeys why not try it with rabbits. It shouldn't cost the PGC a whole lot because the people building the traps and driving out the check and releasing the rabbits would be footing the bill. All the PGC would need to do, would be make it legal. I've thought of just doing this and keeping my mouth shut.
Pheasants
My father and I use to raise pheasants for fun. Several times they would escape. They woukd hang around for a long time. Sometimes you'd see a hen with chicks.
I think the PGC should release more pheasants in the spring instead of fall. I know they release some in the spring already. I know that habitat isn't the best out there, but they could release only on SGL where they won't have to worry about the nests getting trashed by farmer's tractors when they cut hay.
They could also give chicks to interested individuals or sportsmens clubs to raise and release or buy back in the fall. My father said they use to do that when he was a kid. This may cut some of they expense of raising birds themselves and paying employees to raise them.
What about the deer. I'd love to see the price of a doe license raised to about $10 or $15. And cut the seaso back to 3 days like it use to be.
None of these ideas would cost the PGC very much and would actually save money. These ideasshould make some despertatly needed improvements.
1) Outlaw spotlighting all together. Everyone in PA knows that poaching at nite is a big problem in PA. Just think of the money the PGC would save in gas. They won't have to be out riding around all nite watching spotters. Just once in a while. Anyone spotting is guilty of poaching.
2) Instead of the PGC setting up Robo-deer to catch road hunters, and wasting all those man-hours waiting for someone to drive by and shoot, do this. Make it a law that ALL guns and bows MUST be cased to transport in a vehicle. If you're caught with an uncased weapon, you're fined. This would help more to limit roadhunting and wouldn't cost a dime.
Coyotes are a problem. I think every hunter will admit that they can reek havok on fawns. I even believe thatSOME of our deer population problems can be blamed on coyotes. Whether you believe they were stocked, always here in high numbers or their population is on the increase, it doesn't matter. We need to deal with the coyote population and get hunters interested in hunting them. Here's an idea.
Every time a hunter bags a coyote they save the tail. The tail can be turned in to the PGC and the hunter will recieve some sort of voucher for $2, $3 or $5( whatever they decide) off of their next years hunting license, for each tail turned in. Shoot enough coyotes and get your license for free. This may spark an interest in coyote hunting. They use to pay a bounty on foxes many years ago, I'm sure they can arrange this Coyote tails for license dollars deal.
Legalize they use of semi-autos for coyotes only. I know many guys that have Ruger 10/22's, AR-15's, AK's, HK's, SKS's, etc... that are just itching to take out and try hunting with. The coyote would be the perfect animat for assualt rifles. ( without the FMJ bullets, of coarse ) Who knows how many coyotes would be taken by someone just out for the fun of hunting with their assualt rifle. Hey, anything to stir an interest is fine with me.
Small game
How about a trap and transfer for cottontail rabbits?
Instruction for building box traps could be handed out to cub scouts, boy scouts, 4-H, sportsmens clubs, etc... Or interested parties could just buy them.
Starting some time in late winter /early spring rabbits could be traps inside city limits and released onto SGL's or co-op farms.Set the traps early enough ascatch them before they have young. They young would be born after they are released. This should give the rabbit population a much needed boost.
My brother has a hard time with rabbits getting in his garden all summer. He is inside city limits so they can't be hunted. They just populate. I've seen as many as 5 together in his small yard. Ever notice all the road kills during the summer in all the small towns?
The PGC or any sportsmans club could possibly ear tag a few and do studies on how many are taken later in the fall, to get an idea of their survival rate after being released. It worked with turkeys why not try it with rabbits. It shouldn't cost the PGC a whole lot because the people building the traps and driving out the check and releasing the rabbits would be footing the bill. All the PGC would need to do, would be make it legal. I've thought of just doing this and keeping my mouth shut.
Pheasants
My father and I use to raise pheasants for fun. Several times they would escape. They woukd hang around for a long time. Sometimes you'd see a hen with chicks.
I think the PGC should release more pheasants in the spring instead of fall. I know they release some in the spring already. I know that habitat isn't the best out there, but they could release only on SGL where they won't have to worry about the nests getting trashed by farmer's tractors when they cut hay.
They could also give chicks to interested individuals or sportsmens clubs to raise and release or buy back in the fall. My father said they use to do that when he was a kid. This may cut some of they expense of raising birds themselves and paying employees to raise them.
What about the deer. I'd love to see the price of a doe license raised to about $10 or $15. And cut the seaso back to 3 days like it use to be.
None of these ideas would cost the PGC very much and would actually save money. These ideasshould make some despertatly needed improvements.
03-31-2006, 03:42 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,262
RE: Windwalker's proposals to the Pennsylvania Game Commission
I like to spotlight with my daughter but I could live with it being outlawed.
I don't like the idea of casing a gun.It sound too much like a form of gun control.
Ithink coyotes take their fair share of fawns but there isn't much we can do about them.I hunt them hard as do many of my buddies.Without a good set of dogs,hunters will have a small impact on them.
Trapping rabbits is a good idea.
I'm afraid to say it but any money put into a pheasant program seems fultile.
Raising the price for a doe tag is fine by me..You'll likely see some changes with the deer seasons next month.I predict allocations will be cut even more drastically than they were last year and some units will have fewer days to kill doe.The deer need to be managed by WMU and some of the units need to be seperated.2G is way too big and there's a noticeable difference in the habitat and topography between the northern and southern parts of that unit.
We also need to get the legisature to approve sunday hunting.
Archery season should rununinterupted from opening day until the end of January.
Legal hunting hours should be extended.
Those robo deer area a blast.They should keep them but charge admission for guys to tag along.It's one of the best forms of entertainment around and they hammer the roadhunters.
I don't like the idea of casing a gun.It sound too much like a form of gun control.
Ithink coyotes take their fair share of fawns but there isn't much we can do about them.I hunt them hard as do many of my buddies.Without a good set of dogs,hunters will have a small impact on them.
Trapping rabbits is a good idea.
I'm afraid to say it but any money put into a pheasant program seems fultile.
Raising the price for a doe tag is fine by me..You'll likely see some changes with the deer seasons next month.I predict allocations will be cut even more drastically than they were last year and some units will have fewer days to kill doe.The deer need to be managed by WMU and some of the units need to be seperated.2G is way too big and there's a noticeable difference in the habitat and topography between the northern and southern parts of that unit.
We also need to get the legisature to approve sunday hunting.
Archery season should rununinterupted from opening day until the end of January.
Legal hunting hours should be extended.
Those robo deer area a blast.They should keep them but charge admission for guys to tag along.It's one of the best forms of entertainment around and they hammer the roadhunters.
03-31-2006, 04:05 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Staten Island, NY
Posts: 361
RE: Windwalker's proposals to the Pennsylvania Game Commission
Do you guys think that lawsuit will do anything? I was reading about it in american Hunter the other day. Heard your PCG deer guy quit because of death threats! That's some serious business, do you feel that he improperly managed the herd?
04-01-2006, 07:17 PM
#5
Host of Hosts
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Erie, Pennsylvania
Posts: 5,780
RE: Windwalker's proposals to the Pennsylvania Game Commission
Those are some very interesting ideas. I commend you on the thought put into your ideas. Most people just whine and complain and don't put forth any solutions. Good Job!
I really like to spot deer, but I would give it up to possibly save some of the heard from poachers.
I too don't like the casing of the guns idea. Although mine are usually always in a case, requiring it by law would seem to be more of a gun control measure.
The rabbit idea is really a good one I think.
Coyote hunting does need more participants and voucher for a tail or hide could work. I agree hunters don't have a huge impact on coyotes, but that is only because a small number of people hunt them. If there was an incentive it could make a difference.
I think Pheasants should be continued as a program in Pa. I also agree that if more chicks were available and an instruction program for raising and releasing them was available more people would involve themselves as a hobby and restore some good numbers of Pheasants.
Doe licence fee increase I support. I also would like to see a decrease in the number of days allowed for antlerless deer. I don't know if 3 days like before is a good number, but maybe the first 3 days of regular deer season and the last 3 days of the regular season.
Anyway some good thoughts guys. Keep up the suggestions, maybe we can get someone down state to listen.
I really like to spot deer, but I would give it up to possibly save some of the heard from poachers.
I too don't like the casing of the guns idea. Although mine are usually always in a case, requiring it by law would seem to be more of a gun control measure.
The rabbit idea is really a good one I think.
Coyote hunting does need more participants and voucher for a tail or hide could work. I agree hunters don't have a huge impact on coyotes, but that is only because a small number of people hunt them. If there was an incentive it could make a difference.
I think Pheasants should be continued as a program in Pa. I also agree that if more chicks were available and an instruction program for raising and releasing them was available more people would involve themselves as a hobby and restore some good numbers of Pheasants.
Doe licence fee increase I support. I also would like to see a decrease in the number of days allowed for antlerless deer. I don't know if 3 days like before is a good number, but maybe the first 3 days of regular deer season and the last 3 days of the regular season.
Anyway some good thoughts guys. Keep up the suggestions, maybe we can get someone down state to listen.
04-01-2006, 09:48 PM
#6
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: Windwalker's proposals to the Pennsylvania Game Commission
1. Totally against this, I enjoy spotlighting and there is a nonhunting population who spotlight as well. Making spotlighting isn't going to deter poaching, it's just punishing law abiding citizens and hunters.
2. Totally against this as well. More laws are not the answer, education is. A cased gun or bow isn't going to fix anything. Those willing to break the laws will simply pull there guns from the case and put it back again only punishing law abiding hunters and gun enthusiasts.
Coyotes are a problem but not for the PGC...they want deer numbers down, the coyotes do this for free. Coyotes deserve a place in the hiarchy of the food chain and no matter how many you kill, there will still be coyotes. They breed themselves back to their own numbers and if you don't kill them all you may end up with more yotes than when you started....and the PGC isn't going to spend money paying hunters for successful kills. Hunting them with assault rifles is only asking for trouble not to mention more poaching and accidental shootings.
Small game and Pheasants, your again asking the PGC to spend money they are not willing to spend. They are about making money not spending.
2. Totally against this as well. More laws are not the answer, education is. A cased gun or bow isn't going to fix anything. Those willing to break the laws will simply pull there guns from the case and put it back again only punishing law abiding hunters and gun enthusiasts.
Coyotes are a problem but not for the PGC...they want deer numbers down, the coyotes do this for free. Coyotes deserve a place in the hiarchy of the food chain and no matter how many you kill, there will still be coyotes. They breed themselves back to their own numbers and if you don't kill them all you may end up with more yotes than when you started....and the PGC isn't going to spend money paying hunters for successful kills. Hunting them with assault rifles is only asking for trouble not to mention more poaching and accidental shootings.
Small game and Pheasants, your again asking the PGC to spend money they are not willing to spend. They are about making money not spending.
04-01-2006, 10:33 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,621
RE: Windwalker's proposals to the Pennsylvania Game Commission
How will the small game proposals cost more money?
Assualt rifles are used in the south for coyotes. I've seen some nice looking, tricked out, AR-15 style rifles in some hunting videos. Those guys shoot them on the run.Quick follow up shots! LOL
West Virginia already has the cased weapon during transport law in the books for years. No one has a problem with it there. They also don't allow spotting as do many other states. In my area there's alot of poaching that goes on at nite. We hear gun shots, at nite, all the time.
Assualt rifles are used in the south for coyotes. I've seen some nice looking, tricked out, AR-15 style rifles in some hunting videos. Those guys shoot them on the run.Quick follow up shots! LOL
West Virginia already has the cased weapon during transport law in the books for years. No one has a problem with it there. They also don't allow spotting as do many other states. In my area there's alot of poaching that goes on at nite. We hear gun shots, at nite, all the time.
04-02-2006, 08:30 AM
#8
Host of Hosts
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Erie, Pennsylvania
Posts: 5,780
RE: Windwalker's proposals to the Pennsylvania Game Commission
Instruction for building box traps could be handed out to cub scouts, boy scouts, 4-H, sportsmens clubs, etc... Or interested parties could just buy them
What are your suggestions for change?
04-02-2006, 03:33 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Sackets Harbor, New York
Posts: 2,509
RE: Windwalker's proposals to the Pennsylvania Game Commission
i dont think requiring guns to be in a case during transport would change a thing. Your talking about criminals that are poaching. having to put the gun in a case isnt going to stop a criminal. if they are breaking the law to poach, why would they worry about putting the gun in a case? or like Rob said, they could put it in a case, take it out, shoot an animal, and put it back.
All this would do is inconvenience law abiding hunters.
All this would do is inconvenience law abiding hunters.
04-02-2006, 05:00 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,621
RE: Windwalker's proposals to the Pennsylvania Game Commission
Where I hunt guys like to roadhunt. They drive around looking for deer. When they see one, they get out and shoot or shoot right out the window.Some idiots even ride around with the gun loaded.It happens alot in Greene Co. PA.
I've even heard of guys bowhunting from a van. They ride around until they spot a deer close to the road. They drive past the deer and get the shooter ready.They turn around and go back.The slide the door back and the shooter waits at full draw. when they get to the deer the guy shoots. I even heard one guy brag how he and his buddies always get deer like that and how usually out of the four of them they usually all get a deer in one day.
Ifmy law was passed anda Conservation officer stops your vehicle,and your gun or bow is not cased, then that would be a fine. Havingweapons cased in a vehicle may deter guys from roadhunting for fear of getting caught with an uncased rifle or bow.When they stop your vehicl the first thing they look for is loaded guns. A cased weapon is a safer weapon also.
The way the PGC does it now is they must catch you in the act. I'd bet only one guy in a hundred gets caught. Just think of all the time and money they spend watching the robo-deer. Enacting the law doesn't really hamper the law abiding citizen. Do you feel laws that say your weapon can't be loaded in a vehicle is encroaching on your rights?
Most guys case their weapons anyway.
Oh well, you're entitled to your opinion.
I've even heard of guys bowhunting from a van. They ride around until they spot a deer close to the road. They drive past the deer and get the shooter ready.They turn around and go back.The slide the door back and the shooter waits at full draw. when they get to the deer the guy shoots. I even heard one guy brag how he and his buddies always get deer like that and how usually out of the four of them they usually all get a deer in one day.
Ifmy law was passed anda Conservation officer stops your vehicle,and your gun or bow is not cased, then that would be a fine. Havingweapons cased in a vehicle may deter guys from roadhunting for fear of getting caught with an uncased rifle or bow.When they stop your vehicl the first thing they look for is loaded guns. A cased weapon is a safer weapon also.
The way the PGC does it now is they must catch you in the act. I'd bet only one guy in a hundred gets caught. Just think of all the time and money they spend watching the robo-deer. Enacting the law doesn't really hamper the law abiding citizen. Do you feel laws that say your weapon can't be loaded in a vehicle is encroaching on your rights?
Most guys case their weapons anyway.
Oh well, you're entitled to your opinion.