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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 11-514

PROPOSED RULEMAKINGS

[ 58 PA. CODE CH. 141 ]

Hunting and Trapping; Hunting Hours

[41 Pa.B. 1627]
[Saturday, March 26, 2011]

 To effectively manage the wildlife resources of this Commonwealth, the Game Commission (Commission) proposed at its February 1, 2011, meeting, to amend § 141.4 (relating to hunting hours) by removing the limitations prohibiting the hunting of woodchuck, opossum, skunk and weasel during legal hunting hours of the spring gobbler season and to amend Chapter 141, Appendix G by updating the current hunting hours table and migratory bird hunting hours table to accurately reflect the dates and hours of legal hunting for the 2011-2012 hunting license year.

 The proposed rulemaking will not have an adverse impact on the wildlife resources of this Commonwealth.

 The authority for the proposed rulemaking is 34 Pa.C.S. (relating to Game and Wildlife Code) (code).

 The proposed rulemaking was made public at the February 1, 2011, meeting of the Commission. Comments can be sent until April 4, 2011, to the Director, Information and Education, Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797.

1. Purpose and Authority

 Each year there is a shift in calendar days for each month. As a result of this occurrence, the tables of hunting hours in Appendix G are amended and updated each year to reflect the current year's hunting dates and corresponding legal hunting hours. The Commission is proposing to amend Appendix G to update the tables of hunting hours for the 2011-2012 hunting year to reflect the annual change in days and subsequent hunting times. The Commission is also proposing to amend § 141.4 to remove the limitations prohibiting the hunting of woodchuck, opossum, skunk and weasel during legal hunting hours of the spring gobbler season. The Commission has determined that this amendment will increase hunting opportunities for hunters pursuing these species without creating unacceptable conflicts with hunters pursuing turkeys during gobbler season.

 Section 322(c)(1) of the code (relating to powers and duties of commission) specifically empowers the Commission to ''fix seasons, daily shooting or taking hours, and any modification thereof, and daily, season and possession limits for any species of game or wildlife.'' Section 2102(a) of the code (relating to regulations) provides that ''The commission shall promulgate such regulations as it deems necessary and appropriate concerning game or wildlife and hunting or furtaking in this Commonwealth, including regulations relating to the protection, preservation and management of game or wildlife and game or wildlife habitat, permitting or prohibiting hunting or furtaking, the ways, manner, methods and means of hunting or furtaking and the health and safety of persons who hunt or take wildlife or may be in the vicinity of persons who hunt or take game or wildlife in this Commonwealth.'' The amendments to § 141.4 and Appendix G are proposed under this authority.

2. Regulatory Requirements

 The proposed rulemaking will amend Appendix G to update the tables of hunting hours for the 2011-2012 hunting year to reflect the annual change in days and subsequent hunting times. The proposed rulemaking will also amend § 141.4 by removing the limitations prohibiting the hunting of woodchuck, opossum, skunk and weasel during legal hunting hours of the spring gobbler season.

3. Persons Affected

 Persons wishing to hunt or trap game or wildlife within this Commonwealth during the 2011-2012 hunting year will be affected by the proposed rulemaking.

4. Cost and Paperwork Requirements

 The proposed rulemaking should not result in additional cost or paperwork.

5. Effective Date

 The proposed rulemaking will be effective upon final-form publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and will remain in effect until changed by the Commission.

6.Contact Person

 For further information regarding the proposed rulemaking, contact Richard R. Palmer, Director, Bureau of Wildlife Protection, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797, (717) 783-6526.

CARL G. ROE, 
Executive Director

 Fiscal Note: 48-324. No fiscal impact; (8) recommends adoption.

Annex A

TITLE 58. RECREATION

PART III. GAME COMMISSION

CHAPTER 141. HUNTING AND TRAPPING

Subchapter A. GENERAL

§ 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.

*  *  *  *  *

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

*  *  *  *  *

APPENDIX G. HUNTING HOURS

 (Editor's Note: As part of this proposed rulemaking, the Commission is proposing to delete the text of the tables which appear in 58 Pa. Code pages 141-30—141-32, serial pages (349878)—(349880) and replace them with the following tables.)

HUNTING HOURS TABLE FOR JUNE 26, 2011 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2012

Dates Begin A.M. End P.M.
June 26—July 2 5:06 9:03
July 3—9 5:10 9:01
July 10—16 5:15 8:58
July 17—23 5:21 8:53
July 24—30 5:27 8:47
July 31—Aug. 6 5:33 8:39
Aug. 7—13 5:40 8:30
Aug. 14—20 5:47 8:21
Aug. 21—27 5:53 8:10
Aug. 28—Sept. 3 6:00 7:59
Sept. 4—10 6:07 7:48
Sept. 11—17 6:13 7:36
Sept. 18—24 6:20 7:25
Sept. 25—Oct. 1 6:27 7:13
Oct. 2—8 6:34 7:02
Oct. 9—15 6:41 6:51
Oct. 16—22 6:48 6:41
Oct. 23—29 6:56 6:32
Oct. 30—Nov. 5 7:04 6:24
Nov. 6—12*ends 6:12 5:13
Nov. 13—19 6:20 5:08
Nov. 20—26 6:28 5:08
Nov. 27—Dec. 3 6:35 5:04
Dec. 4—10 6:41 5:05
Dec. 11—17 6:46 5:06
Dec. 18—24 6:50 5:07
Dec. 25—31 6:52 5:11
Jan. 1—76:485:14
Jan. 8—146:515:22
Jan. 15—216:475:30
Jan. 22—286:475:37
Jan. 29—Feb. 46:425:46
Feb. 5—116:345:54
Feb. 12—186:286:02
Feb. 19—256:196:09
Feb. 26—Mar. 36:096:19
Mar. 4—105:596:26
Mar. 11—17*begins6:487:34
Mar. 18—246:367:41
Mar. 25—316:257:48
Apr. 1—76:147:55
Apr. 8—146:038:02
Apr. 15—215:528:10
Apr. 22—285:428:17
Apr. 29—May 55:338:24
May 6—125:248:31
May 13—195:178:38
May 20—265:118:44
May 27—June 25:068:50
June 3—95:028:59
June 10—165:028:59
June 17—235:039:02
June 24—305:059:03
*Daylight Saving Time

MIGRATORY GAME
BIRD HUNTING HOURS TABLE

Dates Begin A.M. End P.M.
Aug. 28—Sept. 3 6:00 7:29
Sept. 4—10 6:07 7:18
Sept. 11—17 6:13 7:06
Sept. 18—24 6:20 6:55
Sept. 25—Oct. 1 6:27 6:43
Oct. 2—8 6:34 6:32
Oct. 9—15 6:41 6:21
Oct. 16—22 6:48 6:11
Oct. 23—29 6:56 6:02
Oct. 30—Nov. 5 7:04 5:54
Nov. 6—12*ends 6:12 4:43
Nov. 13—19 6:20 4:38
Nov. 20—26 6:28 4:38
Nov. 27—Dec. 3 6:35 4:34
Dec. 4—10 6:41 4:35
Dec. 11—17 6:46 4:36
Dec. 18—24 6:50 4:37
Dec. 25—316:524:41
Jan. 1—76:484:44
Jan. 8—146:514:52
Jan. 15—216:475:00
Jan. 22—286:475:07
Jan. 29—Feb. 46:425:16
Feb. 5—116:345:24
Feb. 12—186:285:32
Feb. 19—256:195:39
Feb. 26—Mar. 36:095:49
Mar. 4—105:595:56
Mar. 11—17*begins6:487:04
Mar. 18—246:367:11
Mar. 25—316:257:18
Apr. 1—76:147:25
Apr. 8—146:037:32
*Daylight Saving Time
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 11-514. Filed for public inspection March 25, 2011, 9:00 a.m.]


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