SPLIT ANTLERED/ANTLERLESS SEASONS IN FOUR WMUS TO BE FOCUS OF NEW STUDY
The Pennsylvania Game Commission and U. S. Geological Survey's Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Pennsylvania State University today presented an overview of a new deer research project to the Board of Game Commissioners.
For the 2008-09 deer seasons, the Board approved a change in the firearms deer season in WMUs 2D, 2G, 3C, and 4B. The change made antlered deer legal for the first five days of the two-week firearms deer season, followed by seven days of antlered and antlerless deer hunting. Previously, these four WMUs had a two-week concurrent firearms season for antlered and antlerless deer season.
In passing this change in seasons, the Board directed staff to develop a four-year study for these WMUs to evaluate its impact before considering changes to the two-week firearms deer season length in any other WMUs. It was noted that these four WMUs chosen were for this split season because: WMUs 2G and 4B had ongoing deer research in them; WMU 2D is an area where antler restrictions are set at four points on one side, and is where the agency previously had deer research conducted; and WMU 3C is an area where antler restrictions are set at three points on one side, and is an area of the state where no extensive deer research has been conducted.
Today, Dr. Christopher Rosenberry, Game Commission Deer and Elk Section supervisor, and Dr. Duane Diefenbach, who heads up the Cooperative Research Unit, presented information on the study.
For more information, please visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency website:
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=11&Q=175759
