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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 10, 2021 11:36 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative David M. Maloney, Sr. |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Remove the Current Antler Restrictions for Senior Hunters |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation amending the Pennsylvania Game Code to remove the current antler restrictions for senior hunters, placing their restrictions in line with those afforded to junior hunters, mentored youth, disabled hunters, and resident active-duty United States Armed Services personnel. Currently, senior hunters must abide by the same antler restrictions that all hunters outside of these specific groups must follow, wherein antlered deer must have at least three legal points on at least one side, including the brow tine, in order to be lawfully taken in most of the state. In five Wildlife Management Units (WMU) in the western part of the state, the antler restriction for hunters other than those groups is at least three legal points on one side excluding the brow tine. The brow tine is the point immediately above the burr or inside base of the antler. The brow tine is not always present on antlered deer. Specifically, my legislation would allow senior license holders statewide to harvest antlered deer with at least two points one side, or a spike antler at least three inches in length. This is the same antler restriction currently afforded to junior hunters, mentored youth, disabled hunters, and resident active-duty military personnel. As anyone who has hunted deer knows, it can be very difficult to properly identify a legal antlered deer under the general antler restrictions—even under perfect conditions. It can be even more difficult for our senior hunters, who are more likely to have eyesight or hearing issues, which can result in more limited time to properly identify their target. I believe this simple change in the law will allow our valued senior hunters to enjoy additional opportunity to harvest antlered deer, and greatly enhance their hunting experience. Thank you for your consideration of this proposal. |
Introduced as HB913