PROPOSED RULEMAKING
GAME COMMISSION
[ 58 PA. CODE CH. 141 ]
Hunting and Trapping; Hunting Hours
[48 Pa.B. 1683]
[Saturday, March 24, 2018]To effectively manage the wildlife resources of this Commonwealth, the Game Commission (Commission) proposed at its January 30, 2018, meeting to amend Chapter 141, Appendix G (relating to hunting hours) to replace the current hunting hours table and migratory bird hunting hours table to accurately reflect the dates and hours of legal hunting for the 2018-2019 hunting/trapping license year. The Commission is also proposing to amend § 141.4 (relating to hunting hours) by deleting the hunting hours closure of mourning dove season prior to noon during the first mourning dove season.
This proposed rulemaking will not have an adverse impact on the wildlife resources of this Commonwealth.
The authority for this proposed rulemaking is 34 Pa.C.S. (relating to Game and Wildlife Code) (code).
This proposed rulemaking was made public at the January 30, 2018, meeting of the Commission. Comments can be sent until April 20, 2018, to the Director, Information and Education, Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797.
1. Purpose and Authority
The Commission is proposing to amend Appendix G to replace the current hunting hours table and migratory bird hunting hours table to accurately reflect the dates and hours of legal hunting for the 2018-2019 hunting license year. The Commission is also proposing to amend § 141.4 by deleting the hunting hours closure of mourning dove season prior to noon during the first mourning dove season. The Commission has progressively expanded the length of the first mourning dove season over the past few years and has determined that a simplified hunting hours standard is preferred over a split hunting hours structure or an extension of the restricted hunting hours period during the now longer first mourning dove season. The proposed deletion will cause hunting hours for mourning dove hunting to default to the hunting hours standard for migratory birds—1/2 hour before sunrise until sunset.
Section 2102(a) of the code (relating to regulations) provides that ''[t]he 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
This proposed rulemaking will amend Appendix G by replacing the current hunting hours table and migratory bird hunting hours table to accurately reflect the dates and hours of legal hunting for the 2018-2019 hunting/trapping license year. This proposed rulemaking will also amend § 141.4 by eliminating the hunting hours closure of mourning dove season prior to noon during the first mourning dove season.
3. Persons Affected
Persons wishing to hunt or trap game or wildlife, including mourning dove, within this Commonwealth during the 2018-2019 hunting/trapping license year will be affected by this proposed rulemaking.
4. Cost and Paperwork Requirements
This proposed rulemaking should not result in additional cost or paperwork.
5. Effective Date
The effective dates of this proposed rulemaking will be July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019.
6. Contact Person
For further information regarding this proposed rulemaking, contact Randy S. Shoup, Director, Bureau of Wildlife Protection, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797, (717) 783-6526.
BRYAN J. BURHANS,
Executive DirectorFiscal Note: 48-426. 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 mammals 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, feral swine, wild boar and bear. Coyotes may be hunted from the first day to the last day inclusive of any big game season only by persons who possess a valid furtaker's license, or by persons lawfully engaged in hunting big game who have a valid tag. Feral swine and wild boar may be taken from the first day to the last day inclusive of any big game season only by persons lawfully engaged in hunting big game 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).
(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)] (4) 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.
Appendix G. HUNTING HOURS (Editor's Note: As part of this proposed rulemaking, the Commission is proposing to replace the tables which appear in Appendix G, 58 Pa. Code pages 141-37—141-39, serial pages (387147)—(387149), with the following tables.)
HUNTING HOURS TABLE
FOR JULY 1, 2018 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2019
Dates Begin A.M. End P.M. July 1—7 5:09 9:02 July 8—14 5:14 8:59 July 15—21 5:19 8:54 July 22—28 5:25 8:48 July 29—Aug. 4 5:32 8:41 Aug. 5—11 5:39 8:32 Aug. 12—18 5:45 8:23 Aug. 19—25 5:52 8:13 Aug. 26—Sept. 1 5:58 8:02 Sept. 2—8 6:05 7:51 Sept. 9—15 6:12 7:39 Sept. 16—22 6:18 7:28 Sept. 23—29 6:25 7:16 Sept. 30—Oct. 6 6:32 7:05 Oct. 7—13 6:39 6:54 Oct. 14—20 6:46 6:44 Oct. 21—27 6:54 6:34 Oct. 28—Nov. 3 7:02 6:26 Nov. 4—10 **Ends 6:10 5:25 Nov. 11—17 6:18 5:13 Nov. 18—24 6:26 5:09 Nov. 25—Dec. 1 6:33 5:06 Dec. 2—8 6:40 5:06 Dec. 9—15 6:45 5:05 Dec. 16—22 6:49 5:07 Dec. 23—29 6:52 5:10 Dec. 30—Jan. 5 6:53 5:15 Jan. 6—12 6:52 5:21 Jan. 13—19 6:51 5:24 Jan. 20—26 6:48 5:35 Jan. 27—Feb. 2 6:43 5:44 Feb. 3—9 6:37 5:52 Feb. 10—16 6:30 6:00 Feb. 17—23 6:21 6:09 Feb. 24—Mar. 2 6:12 6:17 Mar. 3—9 6:01 6:24 Mar. 10—16 *Begins 6:50 7:32 Mar. 17—23 6:39 7:39 Mar. 24—30 6:28 7:46 Mar. 31—Apr. 6 6:17 7:54 Apr. 7—13 6:05 8:01 Apr. 14—20 5:55 8:08 Apr. 21—27 5:44 8:15 Apr. 28—May 4 5:35 8:22 May 5—11 5:26 8:29 May 12—18 5:19 8:36 May 19—25 5:12 8:42 May 26—June 1 5:07 8:49 June 2—8 5:04 8:54 June 9—15 5:02 8:58 June 16—22 5:02 9:01 June 23—30 5:05 9:03 *Daylight Saving Time Begins
**Ends
MIGRATORY GAME BIRD HUNTING
HOURS TABLE
2018-2019
Dates Begin A.M. End P.M. Aug. 26—Sept. 1 5:58 7:32 Sept. 2—8 6:05 7:21 Sept. 9—15 6:12 7:09 Sept. 16—22 6:18 6:58 Sept. 23—29 6:25 6:46 Sept. 30—Oct. 6 6:32 6:35 Oct. 7—13 6:39 6:24 Oct. 14—20 6:46 6:14 Oct. 21—27 6:54 6:04 Oct. 28—Nov. 3 7:02 5:56 Nov. 4—10 **Ends 6:10 4:55 Nov. 11—17 6:18 4:43 Nov. 18—24 6:26 4:39 Nov. 25—Dec. 1 6:33 4:36 Dec. 2—8 6:40 4:36 Dec. 9—15 6:45 4:35 Dec. 16—22 6:49 4:37 Dec. 23—29 6:52 4:40 Dec. 30—Jan. 5 6:53 4:45 Jan. 6—12 6:52 4:51 Jan. 13—19 6:51 4:54 Jan. 20—26 6:48 5:05 Jan. 27—Feb. 2 6:43 5:14 Feb. 3—9 6:37 5:22 Feb. 10—16 6:30 5:30 Feb. 17—23 6:21 5:39 Feb. 24—Mar. 2 6:12 5:47 Mar. 3—9 6:01 5:54 Mar. 10—16 *Begins 6:50 7:02 Mar. 17—23 6:39 7:09 Mar. 24—30 6:28 7:16 Mar. 31—Apr. 6 6:17 7:24 Apr. 7—13 6:05 7:31 *Daylight Saving Time Begins
**Ends
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 18-444. Filed for public inspection March 23, 2018, 9:00 a.m.]
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