Sep 22, 2018 4 min read

Lord knows, as do many of my readers, that I have often disagreed with the Pennsylvania Game Commission. I consider it a privilege to be writing this today as I have all of the days behind me and have always refused to be nothing more than a rubber stamp for the commission.

When I think they are wrong, I say so but in a like manner, when I agree with them, I also will speak out. Thanks to Chet Krcil of the Washington County Sportsmen and Conservation League, who informed me that a bill that would neutralize the game commission and place most important decisions in the hands of the politicians, is floating around Harrisburg.

HB1483 is an abomination and would do irreversible damage to scientific game management as we know it. Seems someone with a bit of pull wants to create a group to make decisions, such as when we can hunt, and where and what we can bag. It would seem to matter little who would be a member of this committee, outdoorsperson or not, but their word would become law.

As I look at it, there are few things worse than allowing politics to enter the commission. I might not agree with everything they do, but the premise of the independent game commission being eliminated strikes terror in me. Even today, while the Game Commission remains independent, there is a tremendous pressure from the political part of Harrisburg to enforce pet projects or some other self-serving idea. Let’s keep it as is; we might complain and moan but things can get worse. Talk to your representative and relay your displeasure with HB1483.

• It has come to my attention that Game Commission officer Rich Joyce has retired. This leaves Dan Sitler in charge of the north and the south sections of Washington County. This will continue until there is another trainee or officer available to replace Rich. Just in case Rich is reading this, you can’t really be replaced. Good luck to you and good health during the upcoming years.
• Archery season opened about a week ago with little activity and almost no fanfare. Probably, the cause of the quiet is all the heat and humidity. Hunters aren’t all that dumb and we know deer do not like to move about when it is hot. Really, it is not that much different from getting me to take out the garbage when the temperature is so hot and the air is on and the television has on Gunsmoke reruns. I find a cool spot and hunker down.

Not only has archery activity been slow but the spotting of deer has been kind of quiet. At least it is when looking for buck. I have spotted many doe with youngsters but not as many bucks as last year at this time. Again, it might be the heat. We will find out if my observations are correct soon when the early prerut begins.

Have you noticed how hunting with a bow has become easier over the years? When the archery season was put in, we hunted with our bent pieces of wood called bows. Then came the recurve and we all got one. Now, the compound is all you see.

Today’s bows are capable of hitting a target at 100 yards. Bow sights that self-correct for angles and electronic riggings on arrows make tracking them a snap. Couple that with the longer season and warm weather, is it any surprise that almost 40 percent of the buck harvest is taken in archery season? Take it from an old archer, it is definitely easier today.