HuntingNet.com Forums - Archer' s lose agian in PA!

HuntingNet.com Forums (https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/)

- Northeast (https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/northeast-26/)

- - Archer' s lose agian in PA! (https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/northeast/32257-archer-s-lose-agian-pa.html)

Archer' s lose agian in PA!

Now we have to add more clothing to our stash, and wear it more often. It' s hard enough to stay invisible with all the camo and scent control clothing, but now we have to wear blaze too![:o] A whole lot of money was wasted on good camo that' s now useless. I very much approve of safety[:-], but based on accident reports in archery season it doesn' t seem that archers are being shot by squirrel hunters....more are falling out of trees because they' re too proud to wear a safety belt![:' (] Now, this isn' t supposed to take effect until the October meeting for the 2004-2005 season. How does one fight it? Start sending letters!

Quote:

Release #45-03 JUNE 24, 2003

DETAILS FINALIZED FOR UPCOMING ELK SEASON
BOARD GIVES PRELIMINARY APPROVAL TO FLUORESCENT ORANGE RULES
GRANT APPROVED TO ASSIST WILDLIFE NUISANCE RESEARCH
BOARD TAKES OTHER ACTIONS
HARRISBURG - The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to three measures that finalize the details for elk hunting. Among the proposals adopted, the Board eliminated the cap on the number of nonresident elk licenses that may be awarded; established a preference system for those who apply for, but do not receive elk licenses in 2003 and subsequent years; and made it unlawful to drive or herd elk.

For the 2001 and 2002 elk hunts, based on previous year' s nonresidents license sales, nonresidents were limited to receiving up to 2 and 5 elk licenses, respectively. However, in the 2001 elk hunt, only one nonresident application was drawn, and in the 2002 elk hunt only four nonresidents applications were drawn. Beginning with the 2003 elk hunt, nonresidents will no longer be limited.

Establishment of a preference system for the elk license drawing is something that previous applicants supported. Beginning with the applications submitted for this year' s drawing, individuals who are not awarded either an antlered or antlerless elk license in 2003 will be given preference in future drawings. Consecutive applications will not be required to maintain previously earned preference points, but applicants will only be awarded preference points for each year in which an application is submitted. Once a hunter is awarded an elk license - either an antlered or antlerless elk license - their preference points will revert to zero.

Lastly, based on certain situations involving elk hunters and guides driving elk from one management zone to another, or out of safety zones, the Board made it illegal to drive or herd elk. This measure is intended to address concerns voiced by a few landowners in the elk range.

On April 30, the Game Commission began accepting applications for the public drawing of 100 elk hunting licenses (20 for antlered elk, 80 for antlerless elk) to be made available for this fall' s season through " The Outdoor Shop" on the agency' s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). The public drawing is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27, and the elk season is set for Nov. 10-15.

For those who prefer to complete a mail-in form, the agency also has posted a printable application on its website. In addition, applications will be included in the 2003-2004 Pennsylvania Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, which is provided to each license buyer.

A $10 non-refundable fee must be submitted with the application. On-line applications must be accompanied by a credit card payment (VISA, MasterCard, Discover or American Express accepted), and must be submitted by Sept. 12.

Forms submitted through the mail must be accompanied by a check or money order (do not send cash) for $10 made payable to " Pennsylvania Game Commission," and must be received in the Game Commission' s post office box by Aug. 22. Mail-in applications may be printed off the website, completed and mailed to: Pennsylvania Game Commission, Elk License Application, P.O. Box 61890, Harrisburg, PA 17106-1890.

" By law, only one application per year is permitted per person," Ross said. " If a person submits more than one application in any given year, all of his or her applications will be declared ineligible and the individual will be subject to prosecution. All application fees are non-refundable."

Because the application period opened before the 2003-2004 hunting licenses go on sale July 1, individuals are not required to purchase a resident or nonresident general hunting license to apply for the drawing. However, if they are drawn for one of the elk licenses, hunters then will be required to purchase the appropriate resident or nonresident general hunting license and attend a mandatory orientation program sponsored by the Game Commission before being permitted to purchase the elk license. The elk license fees are $25 for residents and $250 for nonresidents.

Ross reminded those considering submitting an application for one of the 100 elk licenses available for this fall that the $10 fee from the first 10,000 applications received will go toward a special partnership project to improve habitat in the elk range.

On Oct. 26, 2001, the Game Commission and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced their agencies would dedicate up to $600,000 over three years to fund habitat improvements for elk and other wildlife throughout the elk range in northcentral Pennsylvania. The two agencies also called upon sportsmen' s groups, conservation organizations, businesses and individuals to match the state' s funding commitment, to generate a combined investment of $1.2 million over three years.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has agreed to spearhead efforts to raise additional funding from other contributors, which the state agencies would then match. Dave Messics, Northeast Regional Vice President for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, noted other organizations supporting the challenge are: Dominion Resources; Sinnamahoning Sportsmen' s Club; Safari Club International, Lehigh Valley Chapter; Pennsylvania Wildlife Habitat Unlimited; the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation; the Homewood Hunting Club; and the Happy Hunters Hunt Club.

Ross noted that the Game Commission' s $300,000 pledge would be generated from the first 10,000 applications received for the elk license drawing for the elk hunts in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

The Game Commission has posted on its website a new feature offering a look back at the 2002 elk season. To view the new section, go to the agency' s homepage (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and click on the " PA Elk Hunting Headquarters" icon.

BOARD GIVES PRELIMINARY APPROVAL TO FLUORESCENT ORANGE RULES
The Board of Pennsylvania Game Commissioners gave preliminary approval to a slate of regulatory changes that is designed to reduce the ongoing confusion associated with interpreting hunter fluorescent orange requirements. The changes will consolidate and streamline the hunter orange requirements - currently found in the Game and Wildlife Code and nine different subsections of Title 58 - as well as simplify which hunters must where what amount of orange clothing when.

" Our fluorescent orange requirements have been amended so many times over the past decade that our wildlife conservation officers, the court system and hunters have had a difficult time interpreting them," said Mike Dubaich, Game Commission Bureau of Law Enforcement director. " This revision - which does include important changes to what have been standard hunter orange requirements - will make it easier for to hunters to interpret and follow hunter orange requirements. It also will eliminate loopholes some hunters used to circumvent requirements. That will improve enforcement and hopefully augment hunter compliance with the orange regulations."

With four exceptions, the proposed hunter orange regulations would require hunters to wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange clothing on the head, chest and back combined - visible in a 360-degree arc - when they hunt, or assist to hunt any game or wildlife, or move to or from a hunting location, from one hour before legal hunting hours to one hour after legal hunting hours, outside of any motorized vehicle.

The four exceptions are:

You may hunt waterfowl, doves or crows without wearing fluorescent orange clothing;

You may hunt groundhogs wearing only a solid fluorescent orange hat, except during big game seasons, when you must wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange on the head, chest and back combined;

You may move about or relocate during the spring gobbler season while wearing a solid fluorescent orange hat. When in a stationary calling position, no fluorescent orange clothing is required; and

You must wear a solid fluorescent orange hat when moving about or relocating - and you may remove the orange hat when stationary - during any archery season, unless the archery season runs concurrently with any firearms season for big game or squirrel. However, during any overlap with the previous listed seasons, bowhunters are required to wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange clothing on the head, chest and back combined - visible in a 360-degree arc - when they hunt, or assist to hunt any game or wildlife, or move to or from a hunting location, from one hour before legal hunting hours to one hour after legal hunting hours, outside of any motorized vehicle.

Probably the biggest changes in the preliminarily-approved new hunter orange package are those for fall wild turkey hunters, and muzzleloader and archery deer hunters. In each case, hunters will be required to wear more orange clothing than they have in previous years. After-Christmas flintlock hunters and fall turkey hunters would be required to wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange at all times. Archers, for the first time in years, would be required to wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange clothing while on stand during the overlap with firearms big game seasons and the general small game season.

The new regulations will permit hunters to continue using camouflage fluorescent orange clothing - if they so desire, unless otherwise specified. They also will not take effect until the 2004-2005 hunting seasons, if they are adopted by the Board of Game Commissioners at the October meeting.

GRANT APPROVED TO ASSIST WILDLIFE NUISANCE RESEARCH
The Pennsylvania Board of Commissioners today approved a grant of $30,770 to the Wildlife Management Institute as Pennsylvania' s share in the Northeast Wildlife Damage Management Research and Outreach Cooperative.

The cooperative was formed in 1999, at the direction of the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agency Directors. Its goals are to develop cost-effective public and private solutions to wildlife damage conflicts through shared expertise, facilities and expenses between state and federal wildlife agencies, the Wildlife Management Institute, universities and agricultural experiment stations and cooperative extension systems.

Since its formation, the cooperative has completed products related to the management of white-tailed deer in the suburbs; managing Canada geese in urban environments; managing nuisance bears and beavers, and a guide to the management of human-wildlife conflicts.

Calvin DuBrock, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management director, serves on the cooperative' s steering committee. The Northeast Wildlife Damage Management Cooperative website is www.wildlifecontrol.info/NEWDMC.

BOARD TAKES OTHER ACTIONS
In other action today, the Board:

Gave final approval to a regulation allowing the holders of any of the appropriate licenses or stamps to cooperate while hunting antlered or antlerless deer;

Gave final approval to a regulatory change to apply all recently enacted State Game Lands use regulations to Game Commission-owned administrative lands, such as game farms, regional offices and the Harrisburg headquarters;

Gave final approval to a request from Presque Isle State Park, Erie County, to remove regulations regarding special deer hunts in the park. The park now will use existing seasons and bag limits to control deer populations;

Gave final approval to a regulatory change to clarify that permits for dog trials other than bird dog trials may be issued by the Game Commission;

Gave final approval to create a permanent " Hunter ID" number for use only by those persons who do not have a valid Social Security number;

Gave preliminary approval to put into regulation procedures under which the Game Commission will co-sign federal migratory bird depredation permits for the purpose of reducing nuisance and damage problems from waterfowl, as well as a listing of those migratory bird species which are excluded from permitting by standing federal depredation order. Previously, the Game Commission had been operated under these procedures by way of a statement of policy developed in 1995;

Gave preliminary approval to a measure to prohibit the release of any captive held or captive bred game or wildlife into the wild. The proposed regulation was presented as a means to prevent the spread of animal-borne diseases, and to protect Pennsylvania' s native wildlife and habitats. The proposed regulation includes an exception for lawfully acquired mallard ducks, ringneck pheasants, bobwhite quail and chukar partridge for dog training or hunting purposes.

Approved the creation of a seasonal propagation area of nearly 20 acres around a Partners for Wildlife wetland restoration project on State Game Lands 188 in Beaver Township, Snyder County. Human disturbance during the breeding, nesting and brooding season is negatively impacting waterfowl production capability on this area. The propagation area will be closed to public access from March 1-July 15 each year.

Confirmed the dates for the next Board meeting to be Oct. 6 and 7. The Board also confirmed the January 2004 seasons and bag limits meeting for Jan. 25, 26 and 27. On Sunday, Jan. 25, the Board will gather public comment on 2004-2005 hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits.