PABowhntr

Cableguy,

I think we are on the same page here and I do agree with your suggestion. Starting archery a good two weeks earlier than the normal starting date would give archers the uninterrupted environment that is essential for the sport to be productive and effective.

Something else I just thought of......Are there any " overlaps" during the regular deer firearms seasons?

cableguy119

No I don' t believe there is a single overlap of the regular firearms season. Everything else is pretty much closed except furbearer, coyote, racoon and fox.
And they will never mess with the goose that lays the golden egg.

I am sure PGC will protect the rifle season and dare not tinker with it being the only season in session. And with sales of archery licenses down 42,464 since 1998 It doesn' t show that archers are a growth area for them and muzzleloading is sure to get a huge jump in licenses with the initiation of the early season. Although If enough archers inquired about the possibilty of opening it a few weeks earlier so that we can enjoy the time afield it could happen. It won' t happen overnight but it could if requests persisted long enough.

thndrchiken

I have to tell you from the perspective of hunting PA as a nonresident, the inclusion of percussion caps and inlines muzzle loaders will probably do more to generate money for the PGC and the counties involved for the additional permits. I personally love to get out in the woods while there is still color and your not having to bundle up. That would bring up another question though, with the new antlerless zones going into effect what will the changes be for acquiring doe permits?

PABowhntr

Do not get me wrong, I like the idea of the early muzzleloader season and agree with it from a deer management perspective though I would personally like to see it in the last week of October instead of the 3rd week though.

I would also not mind seeing a one week crossbow season to be held the week after archery ends and two weeks before rifle begins.

mauser06

PAbowhunter.. i know that feeling of being able to take a doe liek that....but mine was during the youth rifle season....nice big 8pt...i seen him both days i was out 2 years ago...man i wish i coulda taken him...but thats ok..just seeing him at 40 yards was more than enough for me...i was looking for a doe following him lol..he stuck around for about 10 minutes..than the wind changed and he ran off blowing away...and stopped at 65yds and still couldnt figure out what was wrong with the area..then went below us on a bench...nice buck..does seem hard to come by during that season...but maybe its because we hunted out normal spot that my dad always buck hunted and thats what normally in that area..my dad is getting an inline or a percussion for that season....i will be carrying a bow...good luck to you guys...im sure it will be a nice season...always a nice time of year to be hunting...

cableguy119

I like the idea of the early muzzleloader season as well my concern with placing it late in October would be that the closer to the peak rutting time it is that bucks spend the energy breeding does only to have them shot. If it is to be a management tool, I think we are slightly better off having it early in october hopefully in theory that the does taken during that time aren' t bred.
It still doesn' t guarantee a bred doe won' t be taken in rifle or late muzzleloading season but at least it provides a pool of harvested does with a higher probabilty that are not pregnant.

PAhunter86

Sometimes, it seems like the PGC is more about generating money than it is generating a quality hunt. I know it is expensive to manage all the wildlife in a state like PA. At least the peak-time for the rut is only for archers

PABowhntr

Cableguy,

I understand your reasoning but tend to disagree with it slightly for two reasons. One, from most of the studies I have seen that were done on PA deer most of the actual breeding occurs within the very last few days of October into and including most of the first 2/3rds of the month of November. Having the early season in the third week or October, not to mention the fourth, should still, theoretically, be early enough for bucks not to waste too much energy.

Second, the early you put it in the month of October the more it has an impact on the effectiveness of the archery season for the reasons I mentioned early. I tend to look at it as " Taking some tylenol because you have a headache but then banging your head off the wall a few time afterwards." In other words, it might prove beneficial but then it will hurt other game management methods unless those methods are given an alternative time frame.

PAhunter86,

You might want to revise that statement to read something along the lines of " only for archers on unpressured public or private land." as I cannot use any form of rut hunting specific techniques in the area that I hunt because of all the pressure created from the small game hunters. Gun hunters might as well be allowed to hunt during the rut in my area as the impact that small game hunters have is just as detrimental in the sense of having an undisturbed environment.

Not trying to be argumentative at all but rather pointing out another facet of how the overlapping of seasons affects the areas that I hunt.