You make a change
Pennsylvania
If you could make any change in the hunting regs what would you like to see being done differently.
Make realistic deer management zones. Today's zones don't represent the carrying capacity of the different habitats within the zones nor hunter access.
Christmas eve was a month age Doug. LOL. Sunday hunting. Let the land owner decide. Real science, less politics.
First, I'd like to see all of the special regulations areas go unlimited antlerless tags. Second, all of the special regulations areas are earn a buck period. Third, a state wide ban on spotlighting, and FO when any archery season is in. Every Sunday is open for every season state wide. Lastly, deer and bears are no longer to be driven on any property state wide.
unlimited doe tags in southern tier, cut doe tags in north central zones by 75%, eliminate DMAP tags on state forest and state game lands, eliminate early muzzleloader seasons, keep two gobbler tags (especially for a guy like me that spends two weeks in PA in the spring, very rarely fill two but keeps me hunting), control/eliminate cross bows. Ok, thats my wish list Santa...
Every Sunday open statewide.
Elk drawing non residents percentage draw is less than 5%. The drawing is LIVE and not a "reveal ". Pa mountain lion license is free for seniors.
John...spot on except for the FO. I'm curious about that?
FO, ok. I believe that any season archery is in we as archers should not be required to wear FO, any time, any season. Ever. Why should we be required to wear that "look over here sign " while bowhunting? I hunt places near people, homes, (outside of the safety zones) that I don't need to advertise where I am to the multiple "Karen's " bordering those properties. I am legally on the side I have permission for and those people don't need to see that FO. Karen's in the wild are terrible!!! Why advertise? If I was firearms hunting, yup. I am bowhunting.
Mandatory reporting. NR elk tag price increase and quota % cap.
^^^^+1^^^^ make the cost of the elk tag match the rest of the country, and 1 lifetime bull draw and done as well.
Ok I have a few.
No power optics on archery equipment.
Of course Sunday hunting.
An early season archery for velvet buck. This should be done by a draw and cost 10.00 to get in the draw. Tag numbers say, 5k state wide. Cost if you draw 25.00 res and 100.00 nonres for tag. You kill a velvet buck thats your buck for the year. $25 X 4500= $112000. Cap nonres at 10% (500).. That nonres at $100 would bring in $50K. MUST" have 4 points on one side. The draw system for this is already out there, so state don't need to get one. (res tag)>$112000+(non res)>$50000 say 25k folks get in the draw at $10 thats = $250000 total. so $112000 + 50000 + $250000 = $420000 Less vendor fee
Ed
Ed, the earlier season velvet buck is a great idea!!!! Scopes... yeah without them some would figure out how terrible they actually are.
John...I mis-understood. Again....spot on with the FO
Sundays first and foremost. Distant second is the no power optics on any archery equipment.
FO, a true male and female Karen attractor.
I understand the frustration with bow hunters having a F/O or B/O vest on when bowhunting in any firearm season. We the same issues out this way also. Out my way it's 300 Sq. Inches on the upper part of your body, plus a hat.
Extend late season flintlock for the whole month of January in all units ... for rifle season go back to 3 days of doe season in some areas , just the 3 Saturdays you could shoot does ...
Extend late archery and flintlock statewide to end on the same day as the extended firearms ends in the SRAs. Cap non resident elk tags to 5%. Increase the cost of NR elk tags. Allow semi automatic rifles for big game. Add a new antlered tag for the early muzzleloader season that requires an application and a draw for very limited tags. No limits on antlerless tags in the SRAs. Allow small game to continue uninterrupted through big game seasons. Add a special three day archery only gobbler season the week prior to the youth day. I support full Sunday hunting but the PGC doesn't control that.
Make it legal to hunt every Sunday for every season.
Early/mid September archery opener and leave archery season in until season ends in late January.
I like that archery turkey idea. That is a good one.
How about a limited spring bear season, like Canada. I guess some states do it here in the US, right?
Open the SRA season second week of August, make it EAB.
"I like that archery turkey idea. That is a good one."
I was talking to a commissioner about that quite a few years ago. I even reached out to Nebraska game and fish who has a early archery only season to check on participation and harvest information statistics. The idea was a early 3 day season during the workweek would have basically no impact on the resource but offer those that like to hunt spring turkey with arrows a unique experience without the hunting pressure of the regular season. Usually archery turkey hunters are far less mobile and play the waiting game. Having a few days to do it would be great. When that commissioners term expired, the idea died. I brought it up again wit the newer commissioners but few actually are willing to talk directly with sportsman these days which is a shame.
A early spring archery only gobbler season been on my radar for a while. A while back we discussed that here.
But I'd take the velvet season over the early turkey. I get out spring turkey about every morning before work the first week or so.
"Extend late archery and flintlock statewide to end on the same day as the extended firearms ends in the SRAs."
Agree. "Cap non resident elk tags to 5%. Increase the cost of NR elk tags."
Agree 10X.
"Allow semi automatic rifles for big game."
Neutral to no.
"Add a new antlered tag for the early muzzleloader season that requires an application and a draw for very limited tags."
No and hell no. There is already a season for scoped single shot rifles. It's called rifle season. Now if you want to allow *flintlocks* the last three days of regular archery, Wednesday , Thursday, Friday, I'm all in.
"No limits on antlerless tags in the SRAs."
Not sure if it makes a diff because of private and access.
"Allow small game to continue uninterrupted through big game seasons."
Neutral.
"Add a special three day archery only gobbler season the week prior to the youth day."
Agree.
"I support full Sunday hunting but the PGC doesn't control that."
I thought the legislature gave control to the PGC on Sunday hunting, but they are too cowardly to move forward.
I wholeheartedly agree with the Semi auto additions. No, nope, nada, never ever.
No power optics in archery season Crossbows heavily regulated or not allowed in regular archery season except by seniors or handycaped. Or use in 2 week inline muzzleloader or rifle season. 3 day doe season during gun season Cut way back on doe liecence in Central part of the state. Ban spotlighting Increase licence across the board for NR Definitely Sunday hunting There are a lot of good ideas also on here that I like.
Eliminate crossbows during regular archery season except for those over 65 and disabled, or be used in rifle season, only.
Archery to continue up to the day before rifle season.
Allow Sunday hunting all season, for in season species.
Late season archery/muzzleloader should begin the day after rifle season ends and conclude in mid January.
In this state I can't see why spotlighting is still a thing? It's a poaching tool and for those that own private property that have it happen how is that not trespassing.? I don't care about your traditional pilgrimage every year to go look on neighbors properties for deer, it's still trespassing where you don't have any right to be. Shut that nonsense down. Driving game, another thing that needs stopping. Maine at least got that right.
Maybe there should be a list of suggestions compiled of some of the most suggested and have it presented at the game commission meeting by our leaders. I know it would be falling on deaf ears. Just a thought. What do you think.
Many of these suggestions make a lot of sense but, overall, the list has to be well thought out and not a general wish list. Sunday hunting isn't up to the PGC. Crossbows aren't going away. The PGC is always looking for more hunter participation, not less until game populations warrant it so expanding seasons may have a chance.
I know they cannot manage deer effectively with the WMUs they now have but I question they would split more out unless there is compelling evidence presented (which I do believe exists).
