Pennsylvania Game News- June 2009 - 35

Deer seasons similar in 2009-10 THE SLATE of deer seasons for 200910 that the Board approved is much like last year’s. The only significant change was that the late flintlock season for WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D was extended, running from Dec. 26 to Jan. 23. Hunters in WMUs 2D, 2G, 3C and 4B will, again, have a 5-day, antlered deer only season, starting the Monday after Thanksgiving, followed immediately by seven days of concurrent, antlered and antlerless deer hunting. (Hunters with DMAP permits will continue to be permitted to harvest antlerless deer from Nov. 30-Dec. 12 in WMUs 2D, 2G, 3C and 4B.) Antlerless deer license allocations approved THE 2009-10 antlerless license allocation is largely the same as last year’s. The only exception is that for WMU 5C, the allocation was increased from last year’s 92,000 to 113,000. The agency continues to seek a decrease in the populations in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D, the three most developed areas of the state. Based on CAC input, and scientific measurements, the agency is continuing to allow for population increases in WMUs 4E and 5A. In all other WMUs, the agency continues to stabilize the populations. The approved allocations are: WMU 1A, 42,000; WMU 1B, 30,000; WMU 2A, 55,000; WMU 2B, 68,000; WMU 2C, 49,000; WMU 2D, 56,000; WMU 2E, 21,000; WMU 2F, 28,000; WMU 2G, 26,000; WMU 3A, 26,000; WMU 3B, 43,000; WMU 3C, 27,000; WMU 3D, 37,000; WMU 4A, 29,000; WMU 4B, 23,000; WMU 4C, 35,000; WMU 4D, 40,000; WMU 4E, 30,000; WMU 5A, 19,000; WMU 5B, 51,000; WMU 5C, 113,000; WMU 5D, 22,000. JUNE 2009 KATHRYN “CASS” GEARY, second from the right, was honored with the PGC Hunter Education Instructor of the Year at the April Commission meeting. For more on Kathryn’s accomplishments, see the inside back cover of last month’s Game News. With Kathryn are Cheryl Trewella, Southeast Region Information and Education Supervisor; Deleware County WCO Scott Frederick; Executive Director Carl Roe; Commission President Gregory Isabella; and Hunter-Trapper Education Division Chief Keith Snyder. Pheasant season changes to enhance wild recovery project THE BOARD took the first major step toward re-establishing wild pheasants here. The agency’s recently approved “Ring-necked Pheasant Management Plan” calls for restoring self-sustaining and huntable populations of wild pheasants in suitable habitats called “Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas” (WPRAs), and three WPRAs have been defined: Pike Run, Somerset and Central Susquehanna. The agency is working to release wild-trapped pheasants into these areas, with a goal of achieving a density of 10 hens per square mile. To give these wild pheasants the best opportunity to establish reproducing populations, the Board has closed these areas to pheasant hunting, and banned the release of any artificially propagated pheasants — including Game Commission raised pheasants — within these WPRAs. Also, to limit disturbances to nesting hens, dog training of any manner will be prohib35 news2.PMD 35 04/28/2009, 3:53 PM

Pennsylvania Game News- June 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News- June 2009