Hunting & Trapping Digest 2008-2009 - (Page 7) Updates: Following are the highlights of just some of the new and exciting changes for the 2008-09 hunting and furtaking license year. As always, be sure to thoroughly read this entire Digest before venturing forth on your adventures in Penn’s Woods. Separate antlered and antlerless deer season openers in four WMUs is the big news for 2008. A 5-day antlered deer only season in WMUs 2D, 2G, 3C and 4B begins on Dec. 1 and ends on Dec. 5, followed immediately by seven days of concurrent, antlerless and antlered hunting from Dec. 6-13. The change is to evaluate the impact of season length on hunter success rates, for possible future use as a management tool. There has been a change on how a deer killed by mistake is handled. Be sure to read the section on “How to Handle Mistake Kill.” Also new this year is a regulatory change that removed the fluorescent orange requirements for the spring gobbler seasons. Hunters are no longer required to wear a fluorescent orange cap while moving. Several WMU boundaries were changed for this year. See the WMU pages elsewhere in this Digest. WMU 4D has been added to the list of WMUs where those who receive one of the limited number of permits can hunt or trap one bobcat. Also new is to guarantee permits to those who have earned a certain number of preference points and to allow nonresidents to participate in the drawing for bobcats. An additional Saturday has been added to the Junior Pheasant Hunt, giving youngsters some additional hunting opportunity. The season opens on October 11 and ends on October 18. The Game Commission, in cooperation with the Fish and Boat Commission, is in the process of developing and implementing the Pennsylvania Automated Licensing System (PALS). PALS will eventually replace the existing manual process of buying a hunting license, and we hope to have the system up and running next year. Please bear with us as we work to make improvements to the licensing system. WILL YOU BE HUNTING BIG GAME OUT OF STATE? IF SO, BE SURE TO READ THE CWD PAGES ELSEWHERE IN THIS DIGEST You’ll notice again in this year’s Digest that there are color borders on some of the pages. These correspond to the color designations assigned to species on the 2008-09 Hunting Seasons and Bag Limits pages, that is: brown for small game; orange, turkey; black, bear; blue, elk; red, deer; and yellow, furbearers. We think it will enable you to more easily find a particular section that you’re looking for. A new page by the Boone & Crockett Club stressing hunting ethics has been added, and speaking of the Boone & Crockett Club, the Game Commission resumed with its big game measuring program and held official measuring sessions for deer, bears and elk in all six regions of the state. Stay tuned to see results of some of the outstanding big game trophies being taken in Penn’s Woods. Two hunting hours tables are provided this year — one for big and small game and the other for migratory game birds. Also, be sure to check out the Hunting & Trapping Annual in the middle of this Digest for a host of information about wildlife management and Game Commission programs. We hope you like the changes and additions, and the expanded hunting and trapping opportunities. — Bob D’Angelo The Pennsylvania Game Commission administers several million acres of private land open to public hunting through its Farm Game, Safety Zone and Forest Game programs. Please remember to ask permission before hunting or trapping on lands enrolled in these programs or any other private land. It’s even a good idea to get written permission from the landowner. A hunting license does not give you permission to trespass on private property. In fact, recent legislation allows a wildlife conservation officer to issue a citation for trespassing on private property while hunting if the individual is in violation of the Game & Wildlife Code or regulations, similar to how the state’s seat belt law works. Common courtesy will go a long way in keeping these properties open to hunting and trapping. Besides sharing some of your harvest, another way to show your appreciation is with a thank-you note. Cut this note out — or feel free to copy it — and give it or send it to the landowner who granted you permission to hunt or trap. Dear Landowner: Thank you for allowing me on your property. Because of your generosity, I’ve been able to enjoy Pennsylvania’s rich hunting and trapping heritage. If you ever have any reason to contact me, feel free to do so. From:
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