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Hunting and Fishing Opportunities!

Jack Danchak - Columnist
Posted 11/27/19

The Trump administration recently said that it is expanding hunting and fishing in 77 national wildlife refuges throughout the United States. The Interior Department's U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service …

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Hunting and Fishing Opportunities!

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The Trump administration recently said that it is expanding hunting and fishing in 77 national wildlife refuges throughout the United States. The Interior Department's U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service said hunters and anglers can shoot and fish on 2,200 square miles of federally protected land in 37 states.

Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said, “This is the largest single effort to expand hunting and fishing access in recent history.” It's the latest effort by the Trump administration to open public lands to recreation and industry, including oil and natural gas drilling.

President Trump has also scaled back two sprawling monuments in Utah, a move that opened the lands that were cut to potential drilling and mining. The new plan for the monuments will now allow more grazing for animals and recreation.

Hunting and fishing will be allowed at seven national wildlife refuges for the first time and expanded at 70 others. The agency, which also now permits it at 15 national fish hatcheries, said some 5,000 regulations have been eliminated or simplified to match state rules.

Some critics' concerns were that the state and federal officials don't appear to have a monitoring system to see what effect the changes might have, not only on game species but those that aren't hunted, but hunting groups generally supported the changes.

Chief Executive Officer of Ducks Unlimited Adam Putnam said, “The changes will not harm wildlife populations, they simplify regulations by adopting state rules that will draw more people outdoors. It's going to encourage new hunters & anglers to enter the sport and fall in love with the outdoors and become lifelong conservationists.”

PA's Deer season

starts tomorrow

A Saturday opener for the Pa firearms deer season, a first ever on a Saturday, has many hunters excited about Nov. 30 and the weeks to follow. Last year's opener saw rainy weather throughout most of the opening day. But even then, 30 percent of the 2018-19 buck deer harvested was taken on opening day. It was the best day of the season for buck harvest and it's likely that opening day will continue to be the buck harvest of the year.

Supervisor of the Game Commission's Deer & Elk Section said, “We expect this coming Saturday (Nov 30th) to become the biggest harvest day for bucks. The first Monday will play a lesser role, but how much less remains to be seen. The second Saturday, since it is concurrent with the start of the antlerless deer season, will probably become the second biggest harvest day for bucks.”

And there now is a third Saturday in the season to hunt, since the season was expanded from 12 to 13 days to accommodate a Saturday opener that should bring out more hunters.

Pa's Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans said, “Every deer hunter wants to be afield for the opener. They spend days and days, scouting, buying specialized gear and getting their packs ready. When they're sitting in the dark, waiting for daylight and hoping for a big buck to come, most deer hunters couldn't be happier, particularly if their son or granddaughter is joining them. It's a fulfilling experience, regardless of what happens. The deer season is always worth the wait.”

jack danchak is the President of the Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs of Sullivan County.

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