pa game commission
 

the pa game commission is thinking about moving the rifle deer season to the same week of thanksgiving. they also said that bear and deer will be hunted the same time. the big reason for this is the deer herd grew by 20 percent in 3 years. im not for this move at all. one reason is its puting rifle season a little to close to the rut, second reason is i like to spend thanksgiving with my family and friends, and then go deerhunting. what does everyone feel about this issue. remember, they are just talking about it, nothing is in staone...

RE: pa game commission
 

That' s a tricky one. I have to agree with spending Thanksgiving with my family but I am usually home by Thursday anyway so I wouldn' t miss it. The only good thing I guess is that I could hunt Bear and deer again and not have to take so much vacation. Overall I think I would have to vote against it. I think all those hunters in the woods for rifle would really hurt the bear population. 75% of those that hunt deer normally wouldn' t even think of buying a bear tag but if this would come into effect that number would jump drastically. Sounds like they may be trying to make more money off of bear liscenses than anything. Just my opinion.

RE: pa game commission
 

I had heard this as well. Where I am in the Poconos, they say that the deer herd is too big for the land to support them. Also, I' m all for extending the number of days to hunt. I work as many of us do and can not hunt during the week, therefore I would like to see them implement Sunday hunting during Rifle season. Also, it would be nice to have opening day either the Saturday before Thanksgiving or the Saturday after.

That' s my opinion if it' s worth two cents.

Tomster

RE: pa game commission
 

I was always wondering why they don' t have the rifle season open during the rut. It sure would up the odds of shooting a mature buck.

Scott Meier
White Oak Lodge

RE: pa game commission
 

Sorry I left this out....

By me there are associations that do not allow hunting on their property. The deer stay on these lands during rifle season since they know they will not get shot at and multiply. What they should do is sponser some kind of hunts in these lands to kick out the deer.

This is a big problem in the Poconos.

Tomster

RE: pa game commission
 

I hadn' t heard the proposal you are talking about. In the past they have discussed moving the muzzleloader season before rifle (instead of after it) in an effort to decrease the herd and increase interest in the sport. But, they have always decided against it. I wouldn' t be surprised if nothing happens. I think, being the owner of a muzzleloader, it would be a good move. I have little interest of trying to muzzleload after x-mas when the deer are real gunshy. It' s too cold, the deer don' t move and the trees no longer present any cover for hunters.

The commission needs to understand that it is not the " short" length of the season that is causing the increase in the herd. It is the urban sprawl that is taking away valuable hunting lands and the cost of the licenses increasing to the point that people don' t see the value of getting their kids involved. The heaviest concentration of deer are in the big city suburbs where it is difficult to obtain permission to hunt.

If they are going to increase the rifle season, they should consider doing it for seniors, disableds and youth, only. Maybe even females. But for the most part, the set up is fine the way it is. If they are interested in decreasing the herd they should require a hunter to " earn" a buck license. The biggest problem is that most hunters are only interested in harvesting a buck - I know lots of them.

RE: pa game commission
 

Tomster,
I have to agree. I would like to see the season open on a Saturday as well and even be allowed on Sunday. I just don' t like the idea of being able to shoot a bear during deer season. By moving Rifle up to coincide with bear they really aren' t going to change the harvest number of deer. The season will stay the same length, the same amount of hunters are going to hunt and the only difference will be that it is a week earlier. What WILL be affected is the bear population. There will be 10 times more hunters in the woods with bear tags. The population is going to take a hit and I think that is the real reason for them talking about moving the season. I know people say by moving the season closer to the rut we will be able to take bigger bucks but believe me there are going to be just as many big bucks running through the woods a week later with 50 gazillion guys martching around all day.

RE: pa game commission
 

Boy this is a tough one to answer. I have to say I have always been a fan of moving the buck season up to coinside with the rut, however this I feel would sorely reduce the bear population. I think opening up Sunday hunting would solve both problems. If the bear season fell the first weekend of November more guys would hunt bear It' s warmer and a full weekend to hunt. Then the deer season could open up the week of thanksgiving. I agree most deer hunters are done there hunting by the first Thursday anyway so thanksgiving would not be a problem.

RE: pa game commission
 

No I wouldnt vote it in... Maybe start it the friday after thanksgiving :)

RE: pa game commission
 

Willie, they " moved" the muzzeloader season to 3rd week of Oct about 4 years ago, which by my calandar, is before the rifle season. 7 hunting days in the warmth of October, no freezing fingers, much foliage.

RE: pa game commission
 

NY' s southern tier rifle season starts the 17th. I would love to hunt then with a rifle. Other years, it starts Thanksgiving week, due to calandar. I think more people are off from work the Friday/Saturday after Thanksgiving, which might be a good time to start season. However, I seriously dispute PGC' s deer herd count, at least on public forest land. This is a far more serious problem, as I feel we are headed to a two-tierd system, the haves and the have-nots. Those that hunt private or leased land are fareing much better in success rate than those of us that hunt our SGL' s and state forests. I believe that the WMU' s are much too big in area to control the deer herd, which is what they were designed to do in first place.
In the recently concluded bow season, hunting in a state park, averaging 4 - 5 days a week, morning and/or evening. I saw a total of 8 does and 2 bucks. During the early muzzeloader season, I hunted 6 days am and pm. I killed one doe with my in-line and missed one buck with my bow. There are people who see that much action in a single day on private land.

RE: pa game commission
 

They don' t want to move it to the week of Thanksgiving-they' re talking about extending it starting that week of Thanksgiving and continuing for the usual 2 weeks after.

RE: pa game commission
 

I agree with MikeE51848, all I hunt is gamelands and there arent much deer. I didnt get out like I use too but I was out about 60 hours this year and saw 2 doe and 2 buck. The gamelands are hurting.

RE: pa game commission
 

Not for it,The deer herd is down on public land,but thats what the PGC wants.It is what they want , Not what the hunter wants. The private lands still have a good deer herd. The only program that has a chance to work as far as private land is The greenbacks. some landowners would probably open their land to a limited amount of hunters for the money. I broke down this year and paid a landowner,the only place close to home to hunt with deer ,even though I have 5000 acres of gamelands within 5 miles of me. It was 150.00 for thw bow seasons only,no guns.

RE: pa game commission
 

i wish they would extend the archery season, 7 weeks is not long enough. especially when your working 55hrs a week![X(]

RE: pa game commission
 

No I think deer rifle season is when it should be.

I am sure one of the factors is the continued increase in bear/people instances, but I don' t want to see deer season moved up a week. Move bear season back one week and have it run concurrently with deer season like it is now in the one area.

RE: pa game commission
 

MikeE..sorry, I was aware of the early muzzleloader. But it is doe only. A while back they were talking about allowing muzzleloaders to take a buck prior to Thanksgiving. They have not yet allowed that. That is what I was referring to.

RE: pa game commission
 

I think the DMu' s are pretty realistic. It is too hard to micro manage deer. I live in wyoming county and hunt Bradford county. They divided these areas by the agricultural northern areas of the northern Tier and the Mountainous Southern half. I thought this was right were they should have done it based on my knowlege of the area and deer herds. You gotta look it as, overall it is a much better system. They can never make it perfect for absolutely everyone in the state. Geographically based on my area I think they did the correct thing.

As for the season I also would like to see a week or 2 additional achery season based on what i saw here the last week of the rut (unbelievable!!)

If they move it to the week of thanksgiving it would screw up the tradition of " Deer Camp" . How would you approach it as far as vacation goes ? We usually take the entire week off, which we could not do if it started the week of thanksgiving. So would you hunt the first Monday and come back up for the 2nd week???

As far as hunting it would be unbeleivable. I dont know about you guys but i usually see some SLAMMER bucks during bear season, as the tail end of the rut is still on. NY guys get it good as far as hunting at a great time of year with a shotgun. Imagine going out the week of Nov 17th with a rifle in PA.......Imagine the Taxidermy bills!!!!!!!!!

Besides look at most every other state that gets to hunt during the rut.......PA is the exception. As far as I am concerned the more huntin time the better.!!

RE: pa game commission
 

They say there are too many deer..HAHA rightttttt...All the game commision wants is the money, they even admit that they are selling less and less license every year. Combinding deer and bear season will only bring in more money because most people will buy a bear license just incase they see a bear.

RE: pa game commission
 

Is the price of hunting one more week of deer worth the destruction of the black bear species. I VOTE NO!
I also must add that the increased hunting pressure during the rut would hurt the natural breeding cycle and leave too many doe unbred or bred late, which would increase fawn mortality rate in harsh winters to come.

RE: pa game commission
 

I agree with extending the archery season another week. I think the rifle season should be left the way it is now. I do agree with allowing hunters to hunt both deer and bear at the same time but bear should only be a week long, not the full 2 weeks. So far I think Gary alt' s plan is working because I have been seeing more deer and more big bucks. I also like the October 18-25 season for doe with the muzzleloader. This is a good idea because the deer we are shooting aren' t pregnant as they usually are in the rifle season. Plus it makes bucks move more in search of does during the rut. I am all for Sunday hunting because it gives guys with very little time for hunting another day to hunt. I also like spending thanksgiving with family.