Expanded youth hunts approved
The Board of Game Commissioners gave preliminary approval to an expanded youth pheasant season for 2005. In the past, the youth pheasant was a two-day event. Under the package given preliminary approval, the Board established the 2005 youth pheasant season as Oct. 8-14. This matches the extension granted to the youth squirrel season last year by the Board. In addition, the Board gave preliminary approval to a change in regulation that will enable the agency to hold special youth-only waterfowl hunting days at both the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area on the Lebanon/Lancaster county line and at the Pyamtuning Wildlife Management Area in Crawford County. The change, which must be approved in April, would allow for a special drawing of applications submitted by junior license holders prior to the regular drawing for goose blinds.
An application for this drawing will be included in the 2005-2006 Pennsylvania Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, which is provided to each license buyer, and on the Game Commission’s website. Only one application will be accepted per junior hunter.
The exact dates of the special youth-only hunt will be decided later this year.
Other recent Game Commission initiatives to promote youth hunting opportunities include: a youth spring gobbler season (initiated in 2004); a youth pheasant hunt (2002); a youth waterfowl hunt (1996); special antlerless deer harvesting opportunities (1998); and youth field days (early 1990s). Also, as part of the license fee increase approved in 1998, the General Assembly created a junior combination license that packages regular license privileges with archery, flintlock and furtaking opportunities for $9, compared to the regular junior license price of $6.