Oct 20, 2002 5 min read

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners gave preliminary approval to hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits for 2002-2003, including antler restrictions for deer hunting, a second elk hunt, expanded bear hunting opportunities in the Pocono Mountains, and a youth pheasant hunt. Following are several articles on meeting highlights. The public may offer comment on these proposals between now and the next meeting of the Board of Game Commissioners, April 8-9, at which time the Board will set final seasons and bag limits for 2002-2003.

The Commissioners gave preliminary approval to new deer hunting seasons and bag limits for 2002-2003 that are the same as last year’s with two additions: antler restrictions have been proposed for the upcoming seasons, and junior hunters may use their general license tag to take an antlerless deer in any county of the state.

“Of all the things that could improve our deer breeding ecology and increase the number and size of bucks in the herd, nothing would do it as quickly and dramatically – and be accepted by hunters – as changing our antler restrictions,” said Dr. Gary Alt, Game Commission Deer Management Section supervisor. “Our traditional antler restriction required bucks to have two or more points on one antler or a spike three or more inches in length. By increasing the number of points required to be legal, we could protect a significant percentage of younger bucks by allowing them to live longer. This should increase enormously the number of bucks living at least one more year, and, in the long term, hunters will likely see more and larger bucks than they have ever seen before.

“To suggest that antler restrictions are just about ‘trophy hunting,’ is unfair and less than accurate. In fact, the issue is much more important than that. By increasing the number and the age of bucks in the deer population, a much more natural breeding ecology than we have ever seen in our entire lives would be established; one where dominate bucks compete for breeding rites rather than any buck, regardless of age, being able to breed.”

Under the proposal given preliminary approval by the Board, hunters in the counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Erie, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, Washington and Westmoreland will be required to abide by a four or more points to one antler restriction. In all other counties, hunters will have a three or more points to one antler restriction.

The Board gave preliminary approval to define a “point” as “an antler projection at least one inch in length from base to tip, the brow tine and main beam tip shall be counted as points.” Also, the Board gave preliminary approval to define “protected deer” as “a deer not defined as an antlered deer or antlerless deer.” These definitions must be approved at a subsequent Board meeting before taking effect.

An antlerless deer will remain defined as “a deer without antlers, or a deer with antlers both of which are less than 3 inches in length.”

Alt stressed that over the past 70 years, hunters have overharvested bucks and underharvested does, which has led to an imbalance in the ratio of bucks in prime breeding age (between 4 and 8 years of age) to does. In fact, in some areas, the ratio between bucks age 3.5 years or older to does age 1.5 years or older is 1-to-22.

Game Commissioner Stephen L. Mohr offered an amendment, which was later approved, to allow junior license holders the option to use their general license tag to legally take an antlerless deer in any county during any deer season. While junior hunters still may apply for an antlerless license, this new option will allow them to take an antlerless deer during any deer season without having to first purchase a county-specific antlerless license. However, if a junior hunter takes advantage of this new opportunity to use the general license tag for an antlerless deer, they no longer are eligible to take an antlered deer.

The remaining deer seasons and bag limits for 2002-2003 are the same as last year. Following is an overview of the preliminarily approved seasons.

l A concurrent rifle deer season from Dec. 2-14. In order to harvest a doe during the concurrent seasons, all hunters, except juniors, must possess a valid county-specific antlerless deer license for the county in which they are hunting.

l A firearms antlerless deer season from Oct. 24-26, for junior or senior license holders, Disabled Person Permit (to use a vehicle) holders, or Pennsylvania residents serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Services, who possess the appropriate county-specific antlerless deer license. Also included are persons who have reached or will reach age 65 in the year of the application for a license and hold a valid adult license, or qualify for license and fee exemptions under section 2706. Junior license holders have the option to use their general license tag to legally take an antlerless deer in any county during this season.

l A muzzleloader season for antlerless deer from Oct.19-26. The flintlock muzzleloader season, which is set for Dec. 26-Jan. 11, continues to be an antlered or antlerless season, provided the hunter possesses the appropriate licenses.

l Archery seasons will be Oct. 5-Nov. 16, and from Dec. 26-Jan. 11.

l Antlerless deer hunting in the Special Regulations Areas counties (Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia) will be Dec. 26-Jan.11.

Alt noted that a plan to hold a three-day rifle antlerless deer season in October for any properly licensed hunter was postponed. After further discussions among the members of the Deer Management Section, it was decided to pull back on this option until newly-defined deer management units are in place.