The Pennsylvania Game Commissioners, at their quarterly meeting in April, voted to increase the number of antlerless deer licenses available to hunters this year by 147,000.
The commissioners …
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The Pennsylvania Game Commissioners, at their quarterly meeting in April, voted to increase the number of antlerless deer licenses available to hunters this year by 147,000.
The commissioners said that 1,095,000 antlerless deer licenses will be allocated statewide for 2023-24, which is up more than 15% from the 948,000 licenses allocated for 2022-23.
The commissioners did not vote on allocations for each wildlife management unit separately, as it had in the past. The new commission president Kristen Schnepp-Giger said, “This board intends to reconsider its role in this process, and, given that the allocations are an anticipated part of the April meeting, wishes to clarify its position are moving forward.”
Kristen went on to say, “If board member opinions enter the decision-making process, and allocations change because of them, science no longer is guiding wildlife management. To preserve the integrity of a process that relies on science-based management to achieve population objectives, this board will be discontinuing the practice of annually approving the number of antlerless deer and elk licenses to be allocated.”
Kristen also stated, “This will allow the appropriate experts within our agency to prepare and finalize allocations that are in accordance with the goals set forth in the agency’s deer and elk management plans. There is no law or regulation that requires the board to consider approved allocations. Because scientific management is a principal the board believes in, it only makes sense to stand by the results of scientific work, including the development of license allocations.”
“Commissioners intend to stand by allocations developed by staff for the 2023-24 license year. We considered them final and intend to now, and in the future, allow the science-based allocations developed by staff to move forward without requiring a vote from the Board of Commissioners”, she said.
Commissioners also agreed to allocate 144 elk licenses, 65 antlered and 79 antlerless for the 2023-24 elk seasons.
The one-week general elk season to run from October 30 to November 4. 30 antlered and 42 antlerless tags were allocated. In the archery open early season, only in select Elk Hunt Zones, to run from September 16 to 30, 18 antlered and 8 antlerless licenses are available. And there are 17 antlered and 29 antlerless licenses available for the December 30 to January 6 late season.
To help combat Chronic Wasting Disease, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is issuing over a million (1,095,000) antlerless deer permits for this coming deer season.
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