No hunter wants to be disturbed while hunting, especially during the opening day of deer season, whether it’s by other people, vehicles, ATVs or dogs. 

The Pennsylvania Game Commission board, during their September meeting, granted preliminary approval to prohibit the hunting of any furbearer through the use of a dog during the overlap of any regular deer season or regular bear season.

These seasons are closed during the night, the prohibition would be only during the day. Coyote hunters can still run their dogs at night, but once the clock strikes one-half hour before sunrise it’s time to put the dogs on a leash and leave the woods for the deer and bear hunters.

Aside from creating a disturbance for other hunters during the day, allowing the use of dogs to hunt coyotes during the deer season is wrong. Pushing deer or bears with the use of dogs is illegal, but all a hunter has to say that he is hunting coyotes, and this makes it a tough issue to address.

The Game Commission acknowledged receiving an increasing number of complaints about hunters using dogs to pursue coyotes during the regular bear and deer seasons, and this activity resulted in game being pushed and killed. Doing it intentionally or not, it’s still wrong.

This measure needs final approval, and that will not happen until the board meets again, the prohibition won’t take effect this year. Hopefully it will be enacted before the 2024-25 hunting seasons, and there should be little opposition. After all, who wants to be sitting in their deer stand and watch a pack of hounds come by chasing a coyote?

There is no close season on coyotes in Pennsylvania. Coyote hunters can take a break for a few days so bear and deer hunters can enjoy their comparatively short seasons, and for coyote hunters this is not the end of the world.  

Florida Offers a Discount on Hunting and Fishing Licenses!

Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order to encourage Floridians to go outdoors and enjoy the sunshine state’s natural resources and activities that have become family traditions, such as hunting and fishing.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are offering a 50 percent discount on annual state park passes and Florida Gold Sportsman hunting and fishing licenses.  

Governor DeSantis said, “Florida is home to some of the best state parks, waterways and recreational lands in the country, and I encourage all Floridians to get outdoors, experience our extraordinary natural resources and enjoy our fundamental right to hunt and fish. And we are now making it more affordable for families to get outside and enjoy these wonders by offering state park passes and fishing and hunting licenses at sharply discounted rates.”

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission chairman Rodney Barreto said, “Florida remains one of the country’s top destinations for world-class fishing and unique hunting opportunities. I encourage families to take advantage of this incredible offer with a discounted license and enjoy the abundant hunting and fishing recreational opportunities our state offers.”