Pennsylvania Game News - October 2022 - 22

in what pattern. Then, stay in a line and
don't dart out in front or lag behind. And if
by chance heavy cover or something else
takes you out of view of the others in your
group, talk to stay connected with others.
Do that and every hunter involved will
know and can stick to his or her safe zones
of fire, thereby avoiding mistakes like
swinging on birds that flush back through
the line or shooting toward hunters positioned
to stop running birds.
Be just as vigilant when it comes to
your dogs. If you always know where
they are, there's no reason to ever shoot
toward them.
Avoid the temptation to approach a
dog on point with your shotgun already
mounted, too. That's not only an unsafe
way to carry a gun while moving, but also
causes you to lose some of your peripheral
vision. That can be a real problem when
members of a group unwisely gather
around a dog on point. Take turns, letting
one member of your party approach the
dog at a time, mounting the gun only
when standing still, steady, and ready for
the bird to flush.
When things slow down - you're
taking a break, waiting for your dog to
bring a bird back or otherwise not hunting
- open your shotgun's action and unload.
Keep the muzzle pointed up, away from
any dogs or other hunters.
SEEN & SAFE
Finally, be sure to wear lots of orange,
maybe more even than the 250 square
inches the law requires. That's less than
the area covered by three sheets of regular
printer paper. A full orange vest for you -
and perhaps an orange vest for your dog
- might be the better option in busy fields.
After all, there's little evidence orange
spooks pheasants. So why not opt for
safety and visibility to other hunters?
22
SAFETY & STOCKING
The Game Commission stocks more
than 200,000 pheasants for hunters each
year. And the sight and sound of them
leaving the stocking truck can really get
the blood pumping.
But those release sites are not the
place to hunt them.
Legally, the area immediately around
a Game Commission pheasant-stocking
truck is a safety zone. It's unlawful to
discharge a firearm within 150 yards of
a Game Commission vehicle if its occupants
are releasing pheasants.
Your best bet is to avoid that field
entirely while the stocking truck is present.
Remember, even if you're hunting
birds released previously, swinging in
that general direction can rain shot down
on others from 300 yards away.
To learn about pheasant stocking
locations and the timing of releases, visit
the Game Commission website at www.
pgc.pa.gov. Click on " Hunting " under the
" Hunt and Trap " tab, then look for the
" Small Game " link.
To pursue pheasants, most hunters
need not only a general license, but
also a pheasant hunting permit. Both
are available from license issuing agents
or online at huntfish.pa.gov. The permit
costs $26.97 for adults. Junior hunters
and mentored permit holders under 17
need a free permit. Senior hunters who
acquired their lifetime licenses prior to
May 13, 2017 are exempt from needing
the permit.
Remember to " be safe, be seen, wear
orange. "
Pheasant hunting is such a thrill. The
birds are not only beautiful and exciting,
but tasty on the table, too. You can bet I'll
be out there after them this fall myself.
But we all need to work together to
be sure that everyone who goes out after
them gets home safe. All hunters should
develop the attitude that the only successful
hunt is a safe one. We can make that a
reality if we work together.
http://www.pgc.pa.gov http://www.pgc.pa.gov http://huntfish.pa.gov
Pennsylvania Game News - October 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - October 2022
