Game Code changes for 09-10

[Liv2hunt]

First...Hello everyone...great Idea Ron.

Did any bowhunters notice the proposed rabbit season changes for next year. They will open the end of September! I'm sick over this:( I hunt a WMA in the southern trophy zone. I already end my season on the small game opener because the deer become completely nocturnal after the barage of dogs and bird hunters.

2 years ago, I actually wrote the state and tried to get the small game opener pushed back one week so the bowhunters in the trophy zones could have a shot during the peak of the rut. I've been hunting this piece for 10 years, 2-3 times a week from September to the small game season. Its surrounded by fragmite and the big boys will not show their face until atleast pre rut. After several years of attempting to sneak in mid week during the small game season, I just gave up, its like someone hits the switch and shuts down daylight movement. Now this during the regular season:eek:

It just doesn't make sense to me, 20 bowhunters can and do coexist comfortably in this WMA, but 1 guy and a pack of beagles could ruin all their efforts in a few short hours. I drive an hour to get there and hunt well of the beaten path just to ensure I will not be disturbed. Not looking forward to spending 1.5 hours getting to my stand just to hear a pack of dogs yelping.

I have nothing against small game hunters, thats where I started and so will my kids. I also don't want to take anything away from any other hunter. In fact, when I wrote and asked for the extension during the rut, I also asked that the small game season be extended on the other end. I only ask that the state does not infringe on my time or create conflicts where they are not needed. Is there an over abundance of rabbits, are we being overun by them or something? The state is trying its best to get more people involved in bowhunting with the introduction of the crossbow next year....how many will they lose when it becomes a waste of time on public land?

Thanks.....needed to rant on that one

[Reel Nice]

It seems like Pa game Commision does this sh*t on purpose ...What's next?:mad::mad:

[Ron Redington]

First...Hello everyone...great Idea Ron.

Hello back at ya :wave:

Rant on my friend! That's what we're here for :)

[WILL137]

It seems like Pa game Commision does this sh*t on purpose ...What's next?:mad::mad:

I think he's talking about the reg's in NJ

[Liv2hunt]

I think he's talking about the reg's in NJ

Yes, this is in NJ

[PhilCVG]

You aren't the only one with that gripe. I hunted 55 ( Glassboro WMA ) last year and basically saw the deer movement come to a halt as small game approached.

[Liv2hunt]

Yes Phil, I remember talking to you about it on the other barn last year (Baitlobber over there) I'm the one who hunts with Vonhess from time to time. Your conversation about it popped into mind when I read it. The whole idea is misguided and contradicts the very motives set forth by the introduction of the crossbow. I'd like to get some opinions from the beagle owners, because I didn't think they would be interested in running the dogs and harvesting rabbits so early because of the heat, parasites...etc. The trophy zone has definately worked, big time. The area I hunt is even drawing out of staters now. But these older, wiser bucks are learning their lessons and even after 100s of hours in the stand, I only see them show there face during legal hours during pre rut and rut. Even the rut, usually in full swing when small game opens, is not powerful enough to draw them out in daylight on state land after all that pressure. Sure there are exceptions, but 10 years of first hand experience watching the effects proove that they are nothing more than rare exceptions. So many times I've tried to continue the pursuit of a great buck into the permit season, never to lay eyes on him again. I've watched them push there wide racks through the fragmites, grunting furiosly, only to stop dead and not come out until dark. When days before the opener, they carelessly busted out of the edge an hour before sunset, chasing a doe. I sat many nights an extra 45 minutes in the stand just to see if they would come out and they did, so it wasn't my scent, wind direction or any thing about my set up, it was the daylong pressure, noise and scent of small game season. Like I said before, My bowhunting does not currently affect a hunter pursing a different type of game, I only ask that their pusuit does not affect mine (all bowhunters.)

[MEAT-WAGON]

i hunt zone 65 this is a more deer hunter friendly wma 55 is all fields i can see were beagles and bird hunter would be a problem there

[Full Draw]

Yes Phil, I remember talking to you about it on the other barn last year (Baitlobber over there) I'm the one who hunts with Vonhess from time to time. Your conversation about it popped into mind when I read it. The whole idea is misguided and contradicts the very motives set forth by the introduction of the crossbow. I'd like to get some opinions from the beagle owners, because I didn't think they would be interested in running the dogs and harvesting rabbits so early because of the heat, parasites...etc. The trophy zone has definately worked, big time. The area I hunt is even drawing out of staters now. But these older, wiser bucks are learning their lessons and even after 100s of hours in the stand, I only see them show there face during legal hours during pre rut and rut. Even the rut, usually in full swing when small game opens, is not powerful enough to draw them out in daylight on state land after all that pressure. Sure there are exceptions, but 10 years of first hand experience watching the effects proove that they are nothing more than rare exceptions. So many times I've tried to continue the pursuit of a great buck into the permit season, never to lay eyes on him again. I've watched them push there wide racks through the fragmites, grunting furiosly, only to stop dead and not come out until dark. When days before the opener, they carelessly busted out of the edge an hour before sunset, chasing a doe. I sat many nights an extra 45 minutes in the stand just to see if they would come out and they did, so it wasn't my scent, wind direction or any thing about my set up, it was the daylong pressure, noise and scent of small game season. Like I said before, My bowhunting does not currently affect a hunter pursing a different type of game, I only ask that their pusuit does not affect mine (all bowhunters.)


I love to bow hunt and I love to run beagles. I don't like the early season for either bow hunting or running the dogs for the same reason - it's too hot. Nothing worse then shooting a deer on a hot day. Big scramble to cool it off. I usually will skin it quarter it and put it in a refrigerator and take a lot of flak from the wife. I hunt my dogs harder after Thanksgiving thru February. That is only my opinion and small game hunters have the just as much right to hunt public land as bow hunters. Learn to use the pressure to your advantage. My dogs and I have inadvertanly pushed deer to deer hunters many times. Some of the farmers like me to hunt rabbits while deer hunters are on their farms because we will get the deer moving - they don't go far. One of the the big myths with rabbits is that they have parasites until the first frost and are unsafe to eat until after the frost. Rabbits can always have parasites - just cook the meat.

[Liv2hunt]

Full draw, thanks for the response, I wanted to hear from a beagle guy. I fully understand the right of every hunter to use public land and as I stated before, I don't want to take anything from anyone. I'm also not talking about the early season...too hot for me also. The change that is proposed will affect the entire regular bow season and first week or 10 days of bow permit. I also understand the idea of moving deer by running dogs and other hunters working the area. I've seen this and used it on farms and other types of terrain where the pressure actually gets to the bedding areas. Unfortunately, that's not the case on many South Jersey WMAs. They are relatively small parcels of upland/field, surrounded by miles of fragmite swamp. Its the main reason these areas are working so well as quality deer management zones. The deer have a sanctuary in the fragmite and no type of hunting pressure will disturb them from there beds. They have to come out to feed and perform their rutting activity (scrapes, rubs, etc..), but they can easily do that at night. I've hunted many other peices of state and private land where it wouldn't bother me at all because of the reasons you stated. But, If the state and its hunters want to have a chance of success with the trophy zone program, perhaps they could make this change effective in all but trophy zone public land. I say public land, because every land owner can decide what they would allow.

[R & R]

Zone 55 does not get good until the small game guys get in there. We see more bucks from youth pheasent day on.....