Changes in the PA 2008/2009 Hunting Regulations

The other day I got my PA hunting and furtakers license. As I read through the PA Hunting and Trapping Digest book I noticed several things that are different from previous years. This is the list of changes I noticed (it is possible I will see some thing I did not see another year too), this list is most likely not all of the changes that were made. To be on the safe side before you take my word for a law change, go look it up in your book to be sure---because it is possible that I might mistype something. I put "" marks in were I copied something from the book, I also included the page number so you can look it up.

1. New animals added to mentored youth hunting. Page 15 In addition to being able to take squirrels and spring turkey youth hunters can now take groundhogs and antlered deer.
2. Hunting turkeys with dogs in the fall season is now allowed. Page 36 "Dogs can be used to hunt turkeys during fall season but not during the spring."
3. Fluorescent Orange is no longer required in spring turkey season. Page 36 "Spring Season: Fluorescent orange is no longer required but is recommended when moving through the spring woods." I think it might be a good idea to still wear at least an orange hat while moving, you might be a safe hunter and always positively identify your target but the guy over the next hill might not be. This was actually in effect for this past spring season, but was not in last years book because it was a change made later on.
   
4. Antlered firearms season only then antlered and antlerless firearms season together for WMUs 2D, 2G, 3C, and 4B. Page 50 Antlered only from December 1-5, then antlered and antlerless deer season together from December 6-13.
5. Opossums, Skunks, and Weasels may not be hunted on sundays. Page 82 "Oppossums, Skunks, and Weasels may not be hunted on Sundays and prior to noon during the spring gobbler season and, along with Foxes and Raccoons, not during the regualr antlered and antlerless deer season from a half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset."
6. A person appling for a bobcat permit with six preference points now automaticly gets a permit. Page 85 The idea of this seems to be so that someone does not keep trying for the permit year after year, but by chance never draws one.
7. Pretty much anything can be used to attract coyotes (except living bait). Page 86 "Recent regulation change now allows any natural or manmade nonliving bait and any electronic or mechanical device to be used to attract coytes for hunting or trapping. The law allowing trappers to use any natural or manmade nonliving bait to attract coyotes still does not permit the bait to be visible from the air. Those hunting coyotes, howerver, may hunt over bait visible from air."
8. Tigher regualtions over shooting Feral Swine (pigs). Page 92 Previously from the way this section was phrased it sounded like you could do pretty much anything as far as hunting the Feral Swine went. They still want you to shoot them, but now they pretty much want you to check with your township or county first.

If you see any thing I missed, phrased wrong, or just want to talk about new law change please fell free to write a comment.

Success in the first week of rifle season

Well, I had a first week of deer season with a lot of walking, but it paid off. On the Friday of the first week I shot a 4 point buck.

I shot the buck on a very steep hill side that has three or four benches on it. I was standing on the highest bench that is right below the top of the hill. My Father and brother were driving the hill side towards me.

As I was standing on the bench, I saw a deer with antlers, walking towards me on the same bench as I was on. As soon I saw it I pulled my gun up on it before it ever saw me. Since I had both my buck tag and my doe tag, I did not bother to confirm it had antlers nor did I bother to count points. I just put the crosshairs on the deer's chest and fired at it from about 40 yards away. The deer did an instant crash dive down the hill. As it ran down the hill there was to much brush to see it well, but it looked like it tripped on a bush and fell down. Then I saw from behind a tree the deer sticking just its head out. I tried to find the deer in my scope twice; then right before my third try I saw the deer fall over. I walked down the hill to where the deer was, it was still alive but not mobile so I gave it one more bullet to finish it off.

To clarify for anyone wondering I am a junior hunter, (hunting his last year as a junior hunter) other wise I would not have been able to shoot this four point buck by PA law.

Hunting in the Jr. Deer season

Well, I have spent three days hunting in the Jr. Deer season as often as I could.

I saw nothing the first day. A small buck walking through the fog in the morning on the second day (why did I bring my rifle instead of my bow). The third day in the evening guess what? I saw ANOTHER buck out in the field I was watching, rifle in hand of course.

So much for the Jr. Deer season, I guess I will have to go back to bow hunting now that Jr. Deer season is over.

So far this fall I have seen around 10 bucks and 3 does (one of which may have been a buck). Seems like the antler restriction is working as far as killing less bucks goes.

Now all I need to do is to get into bow range of one of those bucks.