A little research can go a long way for Allegheny County hunters

Everybody Adventures | Bob Frye
Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011 12:00 a.m. | Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011 12:00 a.m.

School is out for the holidays, but that doesn't mean hunters shouldn't do their homework.

The late deer seasons open tomorrow. Flintlock hunters can take the field from Dec. 26 to Jan. 16, as can archers. Hunters with a doe tag for wildlife management unit 2B can hunt in the extended doe season there from Dec. 26 to Jan. 28.

Archers can take a buck anywhere statewide, provided they have a back tag; or a doe, provided they have an antlerless doe tag good for that particular wildlife management unit. Hunters in 2B for the late season are limited to taking does only, and only if they have a valid doe license.

Flintlock hunters, meanwhile, can take a buck or doe anywhere statewide with their back tag.

"That's the one exception to the rule, that flintlock hunters can take a doe that way," said Tom Fazi, information and education supervisor in the Pennsylvania Game Commission's southwest region office.

So there are plenty of opportunities to head outdoors. There are plenty of opportunities when it comes to where to hunt, too.

That, though, is where the homework comes in, especially as it relates to unit 2B.

Beth Fife, one of the commission's wildlife conservation officers in Allegheny County, said she sees a definite uptick in deer hunting pressure in the late season.

"If guys didn't get a deer at camp before, they're out locally looking for deer now," she said.

There is not a lot of public land open to hunting in Allegheny County, though. There's just one state game lands, 203, near Wexford, for example.

But there are plenty of places to hunt, Fife said. It's just that much of it is privately owned, which requires hunters to do more work.

Consol Energy owns about 900 acres that are open to hunting in Fife's district alone, for example, she said. But hunters need to contact the company to find out where the land is and where to access it.

Likewise, the Allegheny Land Trust owns multiple properties throughout Allegheny County. Some are open to hunting, others are not. Hunters have to contact that group or visit its website for specifics.

And there are other landowners who own property that are enrolled in one of the Game Commission's public access programs. Hunters can find them by visiting www.pgc.state.pa.us and looking under "hunting," then "public access cooperator lands."

"It takes a little work. And you have to ask permission of the landowner before accessing those properties," Fife said. "But if you do a little research, there are lot of places worth hunting in Allegheny County."

Article by Bob Frye,
Everybody Adventures, http://www.everybodyadventures.com

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