PA ML deer season Oct. 14-21, 2006

[Adam Helmer]

Tioga Flinter,

You have every right to disagree with me. Let us remember that the archers used to have FOUR weeks for deer hunting in PA beginning about October 1. A few years ago the PGC increased that archery season to 6 weeks.

Two years ago the PGC allowed inlines in the week-long October muzzleloader season for whatever reasons. Yes, I can hunt with a flintlock in the regular rifle deer season as can archers, so that is a wash. I think inlines belong in the regular rifle deer season.

If you want to discuss success rates, the PA archers have a 27% success rate as compared to 23% for PA muzzleloaders. It is a no-brainer to reduce the 6 weeks for archers in the Fall by 2 weeks to give traditional muzzleloaders a week of either deer. That would balance the pressure on the deer resource as is possible with modern game management.

I have one other concern: The PA archers harvest many deer, but how many do they wound? I have heard archers say at the local gun club, "I hit two last week and am still hunting." Many deer shot in the two-week rifle deer season hearabouts have arrows in them; I suspect they are the ones who survived an arrow wound and the rest are coyote bait.

Adam