Hunting & Trapping Digest 2008-2009 - (Page 58) Adult Doe or Fawn? How to Tell the Difference Sooner or later, most hunters are faced with the decision of whether to take or pass up a shot at a button buck or doe fawn. By lawful definition, button bucks and doe fawns are antlerless deer and legal game animals that may be harvested by antlerless license holders. The following tips can be used to distinguish button bucks and doe fawns from adult does in the field: · “Buttons” — The most prominent characteristic used to identify button bucks are the “buttons” found on the deer’s head, between the ears, just barely poking through the hair. When viewed head on, “buttons” often give the forehead a flattened appearance. · Fawns Look Small — Their skeletal growth slows down in autumn, allowing them to pile on fat for winter. At this time fawns are about two-thirds the size of adult does, and weigh about half as much. When sizing up a deer ignore the legs and study the body. Fawns are shorter and more compact, with shorter muzzles than adult does. · Fawns Follow — If the deer doesn’t have antlers, is smaller than the others and appears to be closely following the movements of another, it’s probably a juvenile. · Don’t Shoot Lone Antlerless Deer — If a hunter spots a lone antlerless deer, chances are it’s a button buck. At the end of the day, juveniles are often the first to enter a field to begin feeding. If possible, wait until additional deer show up for size comparison. If the second deer is the same size as the first, there is a good chance that both are fawns. However, as additional deer come into the field, chances improve that an adult will show up. 2008-09 MAJOR SEASONS & BAGS CUT-OUT FOR LICENSE HOLDER SQUIRRELS: Youth Hunt - Oct. 11-17 (6 daily, 12 in possession after first day). SQUIRRELS: Oct. 18-Nov. 29, Dec. 15-23 & Dec. 26-Feb. 7, 2009 (6 daily, 12 possession). GROUSE: Oct. 18-Nov. 29, Dec. 15-23 & Dec. 26-Jan. 24, 2009 (2 daily, 4 possession). RABBIT: Oct. 25-Nov. 29, Dec. 15-23 & Dec. 26-Feb. 7, 2009 (4 daily, 8 possession). PHEASANT: Junior Hunt Cocks only in WMUs 2A, 2B, 2C, 4C, 4E, 5A & 5B. Cocks or hens in WMUs 1A, 1B, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4D, 5C & 5D - Oct. 11-18 ( 2 daily, 4 possession). PHEASANT: Cocks only WMUs: Oct. 25-Nov. 29 (2 daily, 4 possession). PHEASANT: Cocks or Hens WMUs: Oct. 25-Nov. 29, Dec. 15-23 & Dec. 26-Feb. 7, 2009 (2 daily, 4 possession). TURKEY: Fall Seasons (Male or Female) WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 4A & 4B - Nov. 1-15; WMU 2B, 2D, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4D & 4E - Nov. 1-22; WMUs 5A & 5B - Closed to fall hunting; WMUs 5C & 5D - Nov. 1-7. SPRING GOBBLER: (Bearded bird only) Youth Hunt, statewide, April 18, 2009 (1 bird limit). Antler Restrictions: SPRING GOBBLER: (Bearded bird only) statewide, April 25-May 25, 2009 (1 bird limit, except with In WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B second license and then only one bird per day can be taken). & 2D, hunters are required BEAR, Archery WMUs 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B & 4D - Nov. 19-20 (one bear per license year). to abide by four points on BEAR, Statewide: Nov. 24-26. One bear per license year. BEAR: WMU 3C and portions of 3B, 4E, 2G & 3B (See Digest for details) - Dec. 1-6 (one bear per year). one side antler restrictions. In all other WMUs it is BEAR: WMUs 4C, 4D & 4E - Dec.3-6 (one bear per license year) three points on one side. DEER, Archery, Antlerless: WMUs 2B, 5C & 5D - Sept. 20-Oct. 3, Nov. 17-29 & Dec. 15-23. DEER, Archery, Statewide (Antlered & Antlerless) - Oct. 4-Nov. 15 & Dec. 26-Jan. 10, 2009. DEER, Antlered & Antlerless Regular Firearms WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2E, 2F, 3A, 3B, 3D, 4A, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A, 5B, 5C & 5D - Dec. 1-13. (One antlered deer per hunting license year. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.) DEER, Antlered only (Regular Firearms) in WMUs 2D, 2G, 3C & 4B - Dec. 1-5. DEER, Antlered & Antlerless (Regular Firearms) in WMUs 2D, 2G, 3C & 4B - Dec. 6-13. (One antlered deer per hunting license year. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.) DEER, Antlerless, statewide, (Regular Firearms) Oct. 23-25 for Junior and Senior license holders, Disabled Persons Permit holders and PA residents serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Services only, with required antlerless license. Also, persons who have reached their 65th birthday in year of license application. DEER, Antlerless, (Regular Firearms) in WMUs 2B, 5C & 5D - Dec. 15-23 & Dec. 26-Jan. 24, 2009. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license. DEER, Antlerless, Muzzleloader, statewide: Oct. 18-25. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license. DEER, Antlered or Antlerless, Flintlock, statewide: Dec. 26-Jan. 10, 2009. One antlered or antlerless deer with general license backtag and an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license. Legal hunting hours for small and big game are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.Following are the hunting hours for small and big game, except for migratory game birds and several other exceptions noted in the Digest. Don’t forget to add the minutes from the Meridian Map to your starting and ending times. DATES BEGIN A.M. Sept. 14 - 20 6:19 Sept. 21 - 27 6:23 Sept. 28 - Oct. 4 6:30 Oct. 5 - 11 6:37 Oct. 12 - 18 6:45 Oct. 19- 25 6:52 Oct. 26 - Nov. 1 7:00 Nov. 2 - 8 * Ends 6:08 Nov. 9 - 15 6:16 Nov. 16 - 22 6:24 END P.M. 7:30 7:19 7:07 6:56 6:46 6:36 6:28 5:20 5:14 5:09 DATES BEGIN A.M. END P.M. Nov. 23 - 29 6:32 5:06 Nov. 30 - Dec. 6 6:38 5:05 Dec. 7 - 13 6:44 5:06 Dec. 14 - 20 6:51 5:08 Dec. 21 - 27 6:49 5:13 Dec. 28 - Jan. 3 6:53 5:18 Jan. 4 - Jan. 10 6:53 5:20 Jan. 11 - 17 6:50 5:25 Jan. 18 - 24 6:49 5:34 Jan. 25 - 31 6:45 5:42 DATES Feb. 1 - 7 Feb. 8 - 14 Apr. 12- 18 Apr. 19 - 25 Apr. 26 - May 2 May 3 - 9 May 10 - 16 May 17 - 23 May 24 - 30 BEGIN P.M. 6:39 6:32 5:57 5:43 5:37 5:28 5:20 5:14 5:08 END P.M. 5:50 5:56 7:54 8:13 8:20 8:27 8:34 8:41 8:47 2008-2009 HUNTING HOURS TABLE (KEY DATES) + 20 Min. + 16 Min. + 12 Min. + 8 Min. + 4 Min. + 0 Min. * Daylight Saving Time
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