While the official Thanksgiving holiday is over, today is an unofficial holiday for many hunters.
Today marks the first day of rifle deer season, and it’s expected to be a busy day for hunters. Over 500,000 hunters are expected to head to the woods over the next two weeks to try and get a deer, and this year may be a bumper crop for hunters, according to State Game Commission spokesman Travis Lau. Lau added that the opening day rush usually send deer scattering but as the season wears on, it will die down.
Last year, 149,460 antlered deer were shot, which was the second largest number since 2002. Another 183,796 antlerless deer were bagged as well, bringing the total to over 330,000 deer harvested last year. Hunters are urged to be careful, especially when using tree stands, and to be aware of all rules concerning Chronic Wasting Disease. You can find those rules on the game commission’s website, www.pgc.pa.gov
Speaking of hunting, preliminary results are available for the third day of the state’s four-day bear season. As of day three, 1,628 bears were harvested across the state, about a 30% decrease compared to the over 2,300 bears taken last year. So far, the heaviest bear taken was a 700 pound male and was taken in Oil Creek Township, Venango County. Indiana County reported only eight bears taken so far this season, compared to 26 last year. The rainy weather last week is being blamed for the lack of bears in this harvest.
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