Fox during deer season

[scott]

I thought we discussed this last year and we couln't hunt fox in deer season but they are saying on HPA that you can this year. 

with all the changes in the book the past couple of years it is tough to keep up, i am so glad i didn't see a turkey the first day of rabbit this year because i would have shot one.  would have gotten fined but definately thought they were in. 

[bdawg]

i didnt see anything in the book that says we cant hunt fox during deer season

[Whitefeather]

Page 11 in Pa Hunting and Digest: "Raccoons & Foxes: Oct. 23-Feb 19, 2011"  Page 77 See Hunting, Must wear orange during regular firearms deer and bear season. No wording on not hunting foxes during deer or bear seasons.

Need a furtakers license for fox though!

Page 14 2010-2011 Hunting hours table: "Raccoon, fox, skunk, opossum, coyote, bobcat and weasel may be hunted any hour, day or night, but groundhogs, opossums, skunks and weasels may not be hunted during spring gobbler season legal hunting hours."

[scott]

Here is the old topic

http://www.ppha.us/smf/index.php?topic=3401.0

[Whitefeather]

Page 14 in Pa Hunitng Digest 2010-2011 Hunting hours Table

"Legal hunting hours for all small and big game in Pennsylvania are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
Note the following exceptions:

1) During the regular antlered/anterless deer seasons, it is unlawful to take or attempt to take other wild birds or mammals, except game birds on regulated hunting grounds, migratory waterfowl, coyote* and furbearers listed in item number 2.
*Note: Coyotes may be taken with a hunting or furtakers license...

2) Raccoon, fox, skunk, opossum, coyote, bobcat and weasel may be hunted any hour, day or night, but groundhogs, opossums, skunks and weasels may not be hunted during spring gobbler season legal hunting hours."

[bigben]

I just received a email from tom monko about this and there is an error in the hunting digest this year.  wouldn't be the first time and wouldn't be the last either.

[Whitefeather]

What is the error?

[bigben]

you are still not allowed to hunt fox in deer rifle season.  I think you can hunt em at night.  not sure but I dont hunt em just because I am busy deer hunting.  

§ 141.4. Hunting hours.

 Except as otherwise provided, wild birds and animals may be hunted 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.

   (1)  During the regular antlered and antlerless deer seasons, it is unlawful to take or attempt to take other wild birds or mammals except game birds on regulated hunting grounds, migratory waterfowl, coyotes and bear. Coyotes may be hunted from the first day to the last day inclusive of any deer or bear season only by persons who possess a valid furtaker’s license, or by persons lawfully engaged in hunting deer or bear who have a valid tag.

   (2)  Raccoon, fox, skunk, opossum, coyote, bobcat and weasel may be hunted any hour, day or night, except during restricted periods in paragraph (1), and woodchuck, opossum, skunk and weasel may not be hunted during legal hunting hours of the spring gobbler season.

   (3)  Turkey may be hunted 1/2 hour before sunrise to 12 noon from the opening day of the spring gobbler season through the third Saturday and for the remainder of the season from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.

   (4)  Mourning doves may be hunted from 12 noon to sunset from the first season opening date through the first season closing date.

   (5)  Migratory birds may only be hunted 1/2 hour before sunrise until sunset, except during the snow goose conservation season and the September resident goose season, when geese may be hunted 1/2 hour before sunrise until 1/2 hour after sunset.

to be sure call your local office though.  Thanks to tom monko for lookin into it.

[Whitefeather]

The July 2010-June 30 2011 states what I printed.  If there is an 'ammendment' it needs to be mailed out. 

At the bottom of page 7, in yellow it staes the following:

"The Digest is not the Game & Wildlife Code..."  Where is 'the Code'?  How can an organization implement rules and yet not put them on paper for the individuals participating in the activity which the rules pertain?  Typical burocratic BS!!

There has to be documentation, otherwise they couldnt defend the rules in a court of law.

[bigben]

the code is what I posted above.  go to http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=9115&mode=2 and click on title 58 pennsylvania code and look at chap 141  sec 141.4  it states the hunting hours for pa.  that is why I said it wouldn't be the first time and wouldn't be the last time they printed something wrong in the digest.  I think you can get copys of title 58 and title 34 from the game commission though.  but its right on the net if ya need it.  the digest is just a summary and sometimes is not a very good one at that. 

[Whitefeather]

Thanks Ben.  I see you posted right after me on the other site.  I must have been typing at the same time.  Glad to see others on top of stuff.

[bigben]

I figured it was you over there.  I didn't see your reply or else I wouldn't have posted.

[uncle buck]

Tom M and Ben  are correct... It still prevails you can't  shoot fox and coon in the daytime during the regular deer season.. However you can hunt fox and coon after the legal shooting hours for deer  are past during the regular deer season..

[shadowchaser]

Makes no sense that you can shoot coyotes then.

[bigben]

most pa laws dont make any sense.  like why we cannot hunt coons and bobcats on sunday.  its all about wording when the write em.  there isnt a logical reason not to include them but they never thought of it before,