Proposed orange regs

I don't why it is so difficult in Pa to come up with orange regs. Commissioners even say that Pa has some of the highest FO requirements in the nation, and even with this proposal, they still are. 
 
When you need a whole paragraph to explain the regs for certain seasons, one has to wonder if they accomplished the goal to streamline the regulations. 

360 FO should be required for firearms deer, bear, elk, early muzzleloader. FO hat for small game. No other requirements. 

I think a hat is sufficient for all small game seasons.  Any clue as to the logic behind the proposal that it needs to be 250" for pheasants, but not rabbits or grouse?  Doesn't make sense to me.  
 
BTDT, I'm with ya on the gun seasons for deer during archery season.  I'm not opposed to either the muzzle loader or youth seasons per se, but they oughtta be the week before or the week after the general archery seasons.  I always thought it was pretty stupid to have those overlap with archery.  
 
It's funny, I know quite a few guys that love to hunt with the smoke pole, but I can't think of a single one I know that actually hunts does during the October season.  
 
 

Geez, can yinz imagine the outcry from the FO hunting apparel industry if only a hat would be sufficient?

Then again, can you imagine the cost for the hat? 😱

Soooooo who benefits?😉👻

I got stopped by a WCO a few years ago while hunting in a state park (hunting is permitted, in fact they stock pheasants there). He gave me a warning for FO not in the correct places.

I had on a FO hat, and because it was 70 degrees, a strap vest. Together, the hat and the strap vest had way more than enough inches of FO, but the issue was that the vest had FO on the game pocket in the back (that was okay), but only on the front pockets in the front.

He said the regs read, “head, back, and torso” and technically, the FO on the pockets was on my abdomen, not my torso. They only way for a strap vest to put FO on the torso is by having it on the shoulder straps.

Since this WCO is a great guy, it was only a warning. He did tell me, however, that anti hunters stake out all the walking entrances to the hunting areas and look for nit pick things like that and call him, just to ruin the hunter’s day. And, if he is called, he must respond and issue the fine because if he doesn’t, they call the regional office to file a complaint against the WCO.

So now I always were a FO shirt under my strap vest (I did buy one with FO straps, but it is uncomfortable to shoot out of). And I look like a pumpkin.

😈DAM IT, Just when I thought I had it all figured out.👻


Thanks for the heads-up though.

dpms hunts next to houses in the Pittsburgh suburbs and now he can be spotted. LOL   

Captain here is the regs as posted on the 'net.

Oct. 18-20: A special three-day firearms season for antlerless deer (statewide).

To qualify for this special season, you must meet one of the following criteria:

Junior or Senior License holder.

Mentored Youth Permit holder.

Pennsylvania residents serving on leave from activity military duty.

CAPTAIN HOOK
DPMS, or you guys that are up on hunting regulations.......can another younger Pa. licensed hunter participate in the senior 3 day special antlerless hunt coming up tomorrow ?  I'm talking just walking around or helping drag a deer. He would also have a antlerless license but not carrying any weapon. I'm thinking of going ( maybe ) and want to know if my son can participate legally . This season is new to me (65 now ) and I might try unless I go fishing.     

For some reason I couldn't copy and paste just the paragraph it from the PGC website, but there is a section under big game regulations titled Organized Deer Drives.
 
https://read.nxtbook.com/...l#big_game_regulations
 
It only addresses non licensed hunters specifically in that section but they are permitted to participate in drives as long as they have the required orange and stay within sight of a licensed hunter.  
 
So I'd say for sure your son can go with you and help you drag or whatever.  
 
If he wants to do a drive out of sight of you, just remember that it is squirrel and rabbit season, so he could always just take his shotgun or .22 for a "walk."

eyesandgillz
Can you enlighten us, dpms? 
 
As long as the most orange I have to wear walking in and out of the archery stand is an orange hat, and can remove when I am situated, I'd be a happy camper.  I know that is asking too much!

Here is the email I received from a commissioner in regards to the new proposal. His response doesn't even mention the early muzzleloader season and no mention of archery at all. 
 

Simply put, here is the proposal:
 
Mandatory 250 square inches on back, chest and head while hunting rifle deer, elk, and bear, 250 square inches on back, chest and head while hunting small game and an FO hat while hunting groundhogs.  
 
All other times it is highly recommended that a hunter wear 250 square inches while moving during hunting seasons.
 
That is as simple as we can make it right now.