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Game Commission’s deer-hunting change makes little sense

4 min read

Last week in this column, I wrote about the week during the deer rut that was given to the archers, adding onto the longest hunting season in the state. I, like many others, are asking why we are adding this week to what is already a long season? I mentioned a few statistics and tried to reason things out. This week, I’d like to share with you the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Briefing Paper and some points of it that led to this passing.

The paper stated that its purpose was to document issues surrounding statutory and or regulatory changes being requested. This meant someone wanted to change the laws pertaining to the archery season’s length. It states this: The paper was developed by Rosenberry, Fleegle and Wallingford and it states “archers enjoy the longest sporting arm-specific fall season. Fall archery season provides 37-38 days of either sex hunting compared to 7 antlerless-only days for muzzleloaders and 13-16 days for firearms hunters. In recent years 37-40% of the total antlered harvest occurs in the archery season.” This brief next states, “archers like the current archery season. 80% were satisfied with current seasons and regulations.”

The most concerning part of this short precise well-written brief states that long-term biological impact of extending archery season is more uncertain. Greater participation and increasingly more effective technology (like we discussed in my last column) could combine to increase antlered harvest prior to the peak of breeding.

The last point I would like to mention here is a list of potential action they came up with:

  • Conduct formal process, public engagement and make season change recommendations – which was not done.
  • Retain current archery season structure – again not chosen.
  • Start statewide archery season in mid-September, before the rut – not done.
  • Extend archery season 4-5 days. Bingo! That’s the one they did try.

Remember when antler restrictions were implemented? I didn’t think they would work, for they put more pressure on the larger bucks. They also are messing with the gene pool, leaving the inferior bucks to breed. It is like cattle, butchering the prized bull. Now we are going to put more pressure on the larger bucks by taking them out during the rut. It seems counter-productive. The numbers today are archery bucks (18%) and rifle (13%). I would bet hunting the rut changes that archery number significantly. Last week, I told you the percent taken overall. Let’s watch that number increase.

The briefing goes on with some great research and talks about the economic and political points affected by choosing to extend the season or not. The hunter needs to look up this briefing and be aware of it. The next-to-the-last paragraph states: “Wildlife resource impact: Less participation in firearms season would negatively impact ability to manage deer abundance.” Lest I be accused of piecing and quoting parts of this important briefing paper, I would advise all those interested to call or write to the Pennsylvania Game Commission and request a copy and let them know how you feel.

I know how I feel. I won’t be out scouting trophy bucks for rifle season much this year. It will be a waste of time. The chance of them being there by the time I get out is small. They will already be taken by the archers. I also can’t help but wonder what the motive is to give everything to the archers despite what their own biologists and scientists recommend. Really, that’s what our own state archers who said they were happy with things the way they are, said too. There are 700,000 rifle hunters in the state, and we are the backbone of the deer hunters. I would never argue with encouraging archery in Allegheny and Philadelphia Counties.

The timing of the Game Commission passing this new season law also worries me a bit as a writer. When it was first announced, it was competing with the COVID-19 virus and not covered much. Many hunters were unaware that changes were being made. The virus took up the newspaper space, as it should, and not how we hunt deer, but was that a coincidence? I don’t know, you decide.

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