Open Season: 2022 Hunting Guide

Photo provided

Renowned wildlife biologist Gary Alt will speak at a Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative event Oct. 30 at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

KQDC DEER SEASON 'KICKOFF' TO FEATURE BIOLOGIST GARy ALT

Biologist Gary Alt will be the featured speaker at the annual Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative season kickoff program on Oct. 30.

The KQDC Deer Season Kickoff is free and open to the public. The Deer Season Kick off is held at the campus of Pitt-Bradford in the Frame-Westerberg Com mons Mukaiyama Univer sity Room. Doors open at noon for attendees and the program will run until 4 p.m.

John Dzemyan, local deer hunter, naturalist, and historian will also

speak at the event.

Alt’s presentation will feature how deer manage ment in Pennsylvania has evolved over 125 years, and what he believes is needed today to ensure healthy deer, good deer habitat, and deer hunting continue to be an import ant part of Pennsylvania outdoor traditions.

Alt still hunts deer in northeastern Pennsylvania with friends and family near where he grew up.

“Deer hunting is a trea sured tradition,” he said.

Alt was the bear biolo gist for the Pennsylvania Game Commission from

1977 until 1999; during that time frame he de veloped new seasons and management methods which resulted in restoring the black bear population from its declining levels in the 1970s. Bear harvest went from a low of a few hundred bears per year to over 2,000 bears per year by the year 2000.

Today’s bear harvest continues to now exceed 3,000 bears per year. Alt traveled the state doing educational programs about Pennsylvania’s Black Bear, and was featured in the award-win ning video documentary,

“On the Trail of Pennsylva nia’s Black Bear”.

In 1999, Alt was ap pointed to run the Deer Management Program by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. He instituted new, field-based research programs to gather data on deer survival, fawn recruitment, habitat con ditions, hunting seasons and hunter activity. The research resulted in nu merous changes to Penn sylvania’s deer seasons, deer harvests and longterm goals.

Alt traveled the state

carefully, move 100 yards down the ridge staying out of sight and hook back to the edge, repeating the process.

When you’re tired sit down where you can see well and wait an hour or as long as possible. Repeated often enough this strategy can often pay dividends. When you begin getting tired and impatient, please, please, stop, rest and carefully begin again. I’ve found the moment you become careless is the time success is at hand.

I’ve spooked so many deer by giving up and hurrying ahead. Now I’ve learned my lesson, don’t become impatient. Success may only be careful steps away.

Bucks like cover at all times. One of their favorite strategies is moving along a thick edge, so they can see out into the more open timber, but only be a jump away from safety. If you discover a rub and scrape line along such an edge it’s a potential gold mine. Hunting such a location takes little preparation.

You’re on the ground so be sure the wind is blowing from the cover out into the open woods. Find a blow down, fallen tree or other cover and wait.

If time is limited the first hour of daylight and the last hour of the eve ning are the prime times to hunt. If hunting on your day off stay put the whole day or as long as the wind holds true. A little exploration may reveal a trail or faint road running back into the cover some distance. A great spot for

a clear shot if the buck is deeper into the thicket.

If time is really short you don’t have to be far from the road to enjoy success. A power or gas line crossing a highway or dirt road offers a hunter plenty of opportunity. Park down the road 100 yards, walk up to the line and move a short distance off the road, get a good rest and wait. Again, the first and last hours of daylight are prime, but deer move at all times of the day. Even a 15- or 30-min ute wait may pay off. Again, you’re making the best use of your limited resources and covering a large area of ground.

This nice 9-point was shot just as dusk deepened the shadows. Watching the edge of a clear cut for an hour after work paid off as this buck checked his scrape line.

I’ve also had success moving quietly up a creek bottom while watching a steep side hill. As always, watch the wind. But even if the wind is blowing up the sidehill it doesn’t necessarily mean the deer will smell you before you can shoot. The wind and sidehills are anything but predictable. That sidehill

may your best opportunity in a limited time span close to home or work.

Clear cuts offer an other opportunity. Watch the wind and, keeping on the downwind side, walk the edge looking for trails and rubs. If you come to a heavily tracked trail and scrapes, why, take a seat

and keep alert.

I hope this short essay encourages you to hunt as often as possible and for short time periods if that is all that’s available. I’ve shot gobblers and big bucks only minutes into the hunt.

Honestly, you just nev er know.

Photo by Wade Robertson

PA. AND Ny HUNTERS REmINDED OF CWD PROTECTIONS

The Pennsylvania Game Commission reminds hunters about regulations prohibiting the movement of high-risk carcass parts from deer, elk and other cervids to control the po tential spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

These regulations will impact hunters going out of state this fall or hunting within Disease Manage ment Areas (DMAs) and CWD Established Areas (EAs).

Hunters are prohibited from importing high-risk parts or materials from cervids harvested, taken, or killed in any state or country outside Pennsyl vania. In years past, the prohibition applied only to those parts from animals taken in states and prov inces known to have CWD.

In addition, area hunters may not transport an unbutchered deer or high-risk deer parts from Pennsylvania into New York state.

Hunters in Pennsylva nia are prohibited from moving high-risk parts outside of any DMA or EA. That includes moving high-risk parts from one DMA to another DMA. These regulations also ap ply to deer killed in vehicle collisions and picked up for consumption.

Presently, Pennsylva nia has one EA, which is a subsection of DMA 2 in southcentral Pennsylvania.

High-risk parts in clude the head (including brain, tonsils, eyes, and any lymph nodes); spinal

cord/backbone; spleen; skull plate with attached antlers, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; cape, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if root structure or other soft tissue is pres ent; any object or article containing visible brain or spinal cord tissue; unfin ished taxidermy mounts; and brain-tanned hides.

Game Commission CWD biologist Andrea Korman explained the regulations.

“CWD is a threat to deer and elk in Pennsyl vania, so the Game Com mission's goal continues to be to prevent further introductions of CWD into our state and to prevent spread within the state,” Korman said. “The move ment of high-risk carcass parts is a potential avenue through which CWD could be spread, and one that can be prevented.”

The regulation banning the importation of highrisk parts into Pennsylva

nia or New York from any state or province — re gardless of whether CWD is known to exist there — serves two purposes.

It takes into account the wide range of testing and surveillance in other states — not all monitor the disease the same way — and simplifies things for hunters, who no lon ger have to comply with different rules in different areas.

The regulation specif ic to the EA reflects the state of the disease there. Pennsylvania’s EA has produced about 90% of the all wild-deer CWD cases in Pennsylvania to date.

Hunters who take a deer within the EA must either butcher it and dis pose of the high-risk parts within EA boundaries, or take it to a processor with in the EA. Those who want to have the deer mounted must cape it to remove all high-risk parts or take it to a taxidermist within the EA.

The same rules apply

to deer taken within any of the DMAs.

“Much is still unknown about CWD, so limiting exposure of all species to this known pathogen is essential,” Korman said. More information can be found at www.arcg. is/1G4TLrOpens In A New Window. Visitors to that site can find statistics on CWD, maps and boundary descriptions of the EA and each DMA, and more.

That site also lists the location of CWD testing bins. Hunters who harvest a deer within the EA or any of the DMAs can place its head in one of those bins. Heads should be double-bagged, with ant lers removed, and placed in a bin with the harvest tag legibly filled out and firmly attached to the ear. The Game Commission tests these deer for CWD for free and makes re sults available to hunters. Hunters can check their test results by calling the CWD hotline (1-833-IN FOCWD), emailing info cwd@pa.gov, or by visiting the results lookup page at www.arcg.is/1G4TLrOpens In A New Window.

Pennsylvania first detected CWD in 2012 at a captive deer facility in Adams County. The Game Commission has since tested more than 118,000 wild, free-ranging white tails and more than 1,700 elk for CWD.

To date, CWD has been found in about 1,000 deer. It has not been detected in Pennsylvania’s elk herd.

NEW yORK STATE'S HUNTING SEASONS FOR 2022-23

Small game and goose seasons as well as archery season for both deer and bear are well underway in the Southern Zone of New York — while additional seasons are coming soon.

Next up for many hunt ers is the fall turkey sea son, which is set for Oct. 15-28. One bird of either sex may be taken, with le gal hunting hours between sunrise and sunset.

Duck hunting season also starts Oct. 15 in West ern New York and runs through Nov. 6. It picks up again Nov. 26 and tuns through Jan. 1. (Consult the New York DEC's sea

sons and regulations for more specific information.)

Woodcock, which migrate through the area in the fall, may be taken Oct. 1-Nov. 14.

While archery season for deer and bear started Oct. 1, hunters wanting to use a crossbow during the archery season may go afield with the implement beginning Nov. 5 and run ning through Nov. 18.

The regular gun season for deer and bear in the Southern Zone starts Nov. 18 and runs through Dec. 11. The muzzleloader and late archery season (cross bows may be used) starts Dec. 12 and runs through

Dec. 20. After time off for the Christmas holiday, an extended late season runs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.

New this year are that daily hunting hours for deer and bear have been extended to 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset.

Some other regulations to remember:

• Hunters must wear a fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink hat or vest when hunting deer or bear with a firearm.

• 12- and 13-year old hunters may hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow in counties that passed a local

law to participate in the opportunity. See Junior Big Game Hunting for a map of participating counties.

With 16 species of furbearers in New York, there are many opportuni ties for furbearer hunting and trapping.

Coyote hunting is underway, while one Oct. 25 other furbearers, such as bobcat, raccoon and fox, call all be hunted. Season dates and zone boundaries for all furbearers can be found on DEC’s website and in the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide.

PENNSyLvANIA’S HUNTING SEASONS FOR 2022-23

In Pennsylvania, squirrel hunting season has been underway since Sept. 10, while the more broad small game season that includes cottontail rabbits and grouse starts Oct. 15 and runs through Nov. 25, the day before the open ing of the firearms deer season.

Pheasant season — any birds found in the North ern Tier are stocked — is Oct. 22-Nov. 25 and then Dec. 12-23 and Dec. 26Feb. 27. Junior hunters have Oct. 8-15 to hunt pheasants.

Rabbit season picks up again Dec. 12-23 and Dec. 26-Feb. 27, while addi

tional days to hunt grouse are Dec. 12-23. Squirrel hunting is Dec. 12-23 and Dec. 26-Feb. 27.

Pennsylvania has several opportunities to hunt deer, with the current archery season running through Nov. 18 and then Dec. 26-Jan. 16.

An early muzzleloader season for antlerless deer is Oct. 15-22 and a special firearms season for ant lerless deer for junior and senior hunters, mentored youth, active-duty mili tary and certain disabled permit holders runs Oct. 20-22.

The regular firearm season for both bucks and

antler less deer is Nov. 26-Dec. 10. The flintlock muzzleloader deer season is Dec. 26-Jan. 16.

For bear, statewide archery season is Oct. 15-Nov. 5 and a muzzle loader season is Oct. 15-22. As with deer, a special firearms season for junior and senior license holders, active-duty military and certain disabled persons’ permit holders runs Oct. 20-22.

The regular firearms bear season is Nov. 19-22.

While only permit holders who received their tags this past August may hunt elk, the seasons for archery in Pennsylvania

are Sept. 10-24, firearms Oct. 31-Nov. 5 and late season Dec. 31-Jan. 7.

Pennsylvania has three Sundays that are open to hunters this fall.

On Nov. 13, you can archery hunt for deer or go after small game and forbearers, such as coyote. On Nov. 20 hunters can hunt bear and small game as well. Deer hunting is open on Nov. 27, the day after the statewide Satur day opener.

In all cases, consult the Pennsylvania Game Com mission seasons guide for more specific information about dates and bag limits.

yOUNG HUNTERS, mAKE SOmE mEmORIES

By WADE ROBERTSON

If you haven’t taken a young kid fishing or hunting, you’re missing a great experience. I never appreciated the patience my father had with me un til I taught my daughters and other kids the basics.

But seeing the joy on their faces and the excite ment the outdoors can generate in their lives is especially rewarding. You can actually be more con cerned with their success than they are, strange as that may sound.

I remember a day long ago when my father and I rose early in the morning and drove to the Allegheny River valley. To say I was excited was an understate ment. I had an old Ste vens single-shot, 30-inch barreled, 12-gauge, with a full choke. After watching me miss multiple rabbits, grouse and woodcock with that tight full choke, dad grabbed the hack saw and cut the barrel off to 24 inches and soldered a BB on for a sight. With the cylinder-bored gun and Remington high brass, 1 1/4 ounces of 7 1/2s, the pattern evenly covered a 30-inch circle at 30 yards.

Tomorrow was the day I’d get to try my customized shotgun out for the first time on game.

After parking we slowly worked our way into the bottom, sitting down in the predawn darkness. The fog was thick that morn ing, visibility limited to

Passing on knowledge to the young is a rewarding experience for both parties. Here Nick Colley shows off his first deer. I was fortunate to share in his success and we still feel something very special when we reminisce about that very special day.

25 yards, but I could still hear back then. As it grew lighter the birds began to peep, drops of conden sation plopped onto the fallen leaves and the wind gently rustled the over head leaves. Suddenly, I stiffened, looking intently to my left. Claws scratched on bark, a dimly seen limb bent and leaves clashed as an unseen squirrel leaped to a far branch. Other scratches cut the silence, drawing closer.

My heart was pounding in my mouth, my entire body quivering. I was star

ing intently at the sound sources, but a gray squir rel in the fog is simply in visible at any distance. In front of me a big hickory grew. Where the squirrels headed for it?

“Don’t move,” Dad murmured quietly, his eyes shining brightly, hand firm on my shoulder. Then the squirrels appeared as if by magic, suddenly silhouett ed against the brightening sky. Dad glanced at his watch as I stared quiver ing at two grays climbing the hickory. He nodded, shooting time.

“Raise your gun slow ly,” he advised in a whis per. “Squeeze the trigger and follow through.”

My entire attention was fixed on a big gray at the end of a branch grabbing a nut. Nothing else existed around me at the instant, just a circle of light with the squirrel in the middle. I raised the shotgun, aimed and kind of squeezed. The 12-gauge roared and the squirrel dropped. I started to

Photo by Wade Robertson

ELK HUNTS CONTINUE IN PA. AS NUmBERS CONTINUE TO GROW

For hunters fortunate enough to score a per mit late this past summer, Pennsylvania’s 22nd slate of modern-day elk hunting seasons got underway with the two-week archery period in September.

That will be followed by a general hunting season on elk from Oct. 31 to Nov. 5 and then a late season from Dec. 31 to Jan. 7.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission issued 178 elk hunting licenses this year: 60 antlered and 118 antlerless. For the one-week general season, 31 antlered and 70 antler less tags were allocated. In the archery season, which was open only in some of the state’s Elk Hunt Zones, 14 antlered and 15 antlerless licenses were issued. There were 15 antlered and 33 antlerless licenses available for the late season.

That’s almost six times the 30 licenses issued for the state’s first mod ern-day elk hunt in 2001.

Act 111 was signed into law in 2000, creating an elk hunting license, and fees and procedures for apply ing for the special permit.

The Game Commission in April 2001 approved an elk hunt for later that year. More than 50,000 individu als submitted applications to be part of Pennsylva

nia’s first elk hunt in more than 70 years. Just 30 hunters were selected for licenses, and 27 shot elk.

Pennsylvania’s elk hunt has continued every year since, drawing about 20,000 applicants annually.

Hunters killed 99 elk during Pennsylvania’s elk hunting seasons last fall, according to the Pennsyl vania Game Commission.

Each application for the elk-license drawing costs $11.97, meaning a hunter can enter the drawings for all three seasons for $35.91.

The Game Commission

allotted 187 total tags over the three seasons last year. In the early season, archers killed 23 elk, 13 of them antlered; hunters harvested 84, 30 of them antlered, in the general season; and 37 elk, 10 of them antlered, were taken in the late season.

Native elk were extir pated from Pennsylvania by the 1870s.

To re-establish the large herbivores in the state, the commission brought more than 170 elk from Yellowstone National Park to Pennsylvania. For decades they didn’t fare

too well and generally declined.

But improved and expanded habitat manage ment and increased under standing of elk habits and movements in Pennsylva nia, and the involvement of additional partners like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Penn sylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, have turned things around for the elk.

The current popula tion is estimated at about 1,200 animals living in Elk, Cameron, Clinton, Clear field and Potter counties.

A bull elk stands watch over his harem of cows in a field near Benezette in Elk County.

DEC WILL STOCK PHEASANTS THROUGHOUT WNy

Pheasant hunting season in Western New York opens Saturday, Oct. 15, and the Department of Environmental Conser vation (DEC) will release approximately 4,900 adult ring-necked pheasants on Region 9 lands open to public hunting.

Stocked pheasants will be provided by DEC’s Reynolds Game Farm in Ithaca. A complete list of pheasant release sites statewide is available on DEC’s website, including an interactive map show ing pheasant stocking locations.

The Day-old Pheasant Chick Program provides additional pheasant hunt ing opportunities through a partnership between DEC and sportsmen, 4H Youth and landowners that are interested in rearing and releasing pheasants. Birds from this program are raised to adulthood

and released before the season opens and disperse widely, presenting a great er challenge for experi enced hunters.

Hunters are reminded to ask permission from private landowners before hunting on their lands. Many of these release sites are available for hunting because of the cooperation of private landowners. Good landowner/hunter relations are critical to ensure that these areas remain open to hunting in future years.

To ensure the safety of hunters and DEC staff while pheasant stocking is occurring, pheasant hunting will not be allowed on Fridays at Carlton Hill Multiple Use Area, or on Thursdays at Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area and Clear Lake Wildlife Management Area during October and November.

Hunters are also

encouraged to review the 2022-23 New York State Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide before going afield, and to be sure of their targets and beyond when hunting. The guide identifies boundary restrictions and other important information. "Rooster only" and "roost er and hen" boundary descriptions are located on page 43 of the guide. Information regarding pheasant hunting sites and permits is available on DEC’s website.

Hunters should also note that dogs are not allowed within the desig nated area on the Multiple Use Areas for any purpose during the 48-hour period immediately preceding opening day of the fall pheasant season as posted on Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area, and Harwood Lake Multiple Use Area.

Hunters wishing to

hunt pheasants in Allega ny State Park are remind ed that they must pick up a free hunting permit at the Administration Build ing near Red House Lake before hunting in the park. No small game hunting is allowed in Allegany State Park during the regular big game season that runs Nov. 19-Dec. 11.

PHEASANT STOCKING AREAS IN ALLEGANy COUNTy

• 469 in Hanging Bog WMA along New Hudson and Brown Road.

• 107 in Klipnocky State Forest, NE corner Gas Springs Road and Roots Road.

• 217 in Keeney Swamp WMA, Route 15B off the north parking area.

PHEASANT STOCKING AREAS IN CATTARAUGUS COUNTy

• 322 in Conewango Swamp WMA between Route 241 and Conewango Creek.

• 322 in Allegany State Park's Red House area off Wolf Run Road and Upper Bay State Road; a free ASP hunting permit is necessary from the Administration Building.

• 294 in Harwood Lake MUA; a special permit is required for opening day, Oct. 15.

• 315 in the Allegheny Reservoir WMA in the Bone Run area off Onoville Road.

File photo

A male ring-necked pheasant. The DEC is stocking pheasants throughout Western New York for the season opener on Oct. 15.

Waterfowl and upland game bird hunters are urged by wildlife officials to take precautions against potential bird flu contamination this hunting season.

HUNTERS, BACKyARD BIRD FEEDERS WARNED OF BIRD FLU POTENTIAL

The Pennsylvania Game Commission urges hunt ers to take precautions against exposure to bird flu by properly handling any birds they kill during hunting seasons under way or about to open.

Although the initial warning was directed to hunters, a commission spokesman subsequently acknowledged that many of the same precautions apply to birders with back yard feeders.

As the 2022 outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza continues — as evidenced by the 30 Canada geese found sick or dead recently at Griffin Reservoir in Lackawanna County — and the annu al fall migration is well underway, the commission urged hunters to:

• Harvest only healthylooking wild birds.

• Wear gloves while handling any wild birds.

• Wash your hands with soap and water or an alcoholbased hand sanitizer immediately after handling wild birds.

• Dress harvested wild birds in the field.

• Change clothing as needed, especially if visibly soiled or if any wild birds made contact with clothing.

• Change clothing, including footwear, before coming in contact with any pet birds or domestic poultry.

• Wash all equipment, tools and work surfaces with soap and water, then disinfect with a 10 percent household bleach solution.

Allow to air dry or rinse after 10 minutes of contact time.

With the exception of handling freshly killed birds, birders handling bird feeders should follow the same guidelines.

The commission noted that while only one case of HPAI in humans has been reported in 2022, the virus can infect humans.

HPAI has been de tected in 47 wild birds out of nearly a thousand collected from nearly all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties for testing this year.

That may seem like a small proportion, but the commission pointed out that the disease is presumed to be spread statewide and beyond, and likely has killed thousands

of birds in Pennsylvania.

In addition to the im pact on wild birds, HPAI infected 17 commercial poultry flocks and one backyard flock in Penn sylvania, leading to the culling of more than 4.2 million birds.

Because the recent deaths of the Canada geese indicate the disease is still present in the state, the commission urged the continued reporting of domestic bird illnesses of deaths to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at (717) 772-2852, and sick or dead wild birds to the commission at (833) PGCWILD or online using the Wildlife Health Survey tool at www.pgcapps. pa.gov/WHS.

File photo

AN OUTDOOR PARADISE DURING FALL IN THE TWIN TIERS

By WADE ROBERTSON

It was still pitch black when I reached the narrow ridge. My red head lamp revealed a large fallen oak which provided the perfect place to await the coming dawn.

A thrill of anticipation ran through me: today was the opening of fall turkey. This ridge was covered in acorns with scattered beech nuts as well. Two flocks of turkeys and a bachelor group of gobblers prowled the area and my hopes were high.

The sky lightened when my failing ears heard a few yelps and clucks. The flock was roosted close by. Then the whining of wings, the thud of bodies and crunch ing leaves. Then silence.

I pulled my face mask down and called twice and shut up, pointing the 12-gauge down the trail. Ten minutes passed when, to my amazement three big gobblers stepped onto the trail. I shifted the shot gun slightly and squeezed.

The 20.5-pound bird had a 9-inch beard and 1-inch spurs. I couldn’t believe my good luck and lugged the gobbler back to the car to grab my .22 Magnum. Time to hunt squirrels.

Living in the Twin Tiers is a great blessing. With fall upon us we have

a regular smorgasbord of hunting and fishing pos sibilities surrounding us. With the New York-Penn sylvania line so close, each of us has another bag of game available to the avid outdoorsmen. It’s wonderful.

The abundance of mast this year has confused things a bit, at least with the deer I’ve been watch ing. With the acorns and apples falling in earnest, the deer have been very difficult to pattern — there is simply so much food they are wandering

aimlessly about. Bucks are usually unpredictable but even the does stopped their summer patterns early. The trail cameras revealed several very nice bucks at night, but again, no pattern, just random sightings.

Well, they’re in the area and that’s what counts.

I simply love to hunt squirrels and with a good acorn crop I have high hopes of a great season. Some hickory trees are loaded and others are not, it depends on whether the trees had nuts last year.

The lack of late spring frosts and our recent late summer rains produced good-sized nuts and squir rels love that.

Hickory, smooth barked and shaggy, along with oak and beech are favorite squirrel food and concen trations of those trees usu ally provide the best hunt ing. Hickory trees favor the Allegheny River valley and its larger tributaries. They have a tendency to grow at lower elevations and prefer less crowded

Photo by Wade Robertson

Fall is a great time to fish. The Twin Tiers are loaded with opportunities for both hunting and fishing. These two nice largemouths found a large spinner bait slowly rolled over weeds hard to resist.