HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners, in a notational vote, yesterday gave preliminary approval to a regulatory change that would allow hunters to use magnifying scopes on bows or crossbows during the archery deer and archery bear seasons.
At its January meeting, the Board gave final approval to a regulatory change to permit the use of crossbows in archery deer and bear seasons. Prior to that vote, however, the Board accepted an amendment to prohibit the use of magnifying scopes during the archery deer and bear seasons.
“The agency has received significant public comment about that vote, the Board decided it would be appropriate to revisit this aspect of the recently approved use of crossbows in the state’s archery seasons,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “This notational vote will require final adoption at a future meeting of the Board, and we are hoping to have that vote take place at the Board’s scheduled public meeting in April.”
The Board will meeting on April 20 and 21, in the auditorium of the agency’s Harrisburg headquarters at 2001 Elmerton Ave., just off the Progress Avenue exit of Interstate 81 in Harrisburg. A copy of the agenda for the upcoming meeting will be posted on the agency’s website prior to the meeting.
On April 20 the Board will gather public comments and hear Game Commission staff reports beginning at 8:30 a.m. Doors open at 7:45 a.m. Registration for those interested in offering public testimony – limited to five minutes – also will begin at that time.
On April 21 beginning at 8:30 a.m., the Game Commission will take up its prepared agenda. Among other items on the agenda will be final approval for hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits for 2009-10, as well as antlerless deer license allocations. Doors open at 7:45 a.m. Harvest results from the 2008-09 deer seasons will be announced in mid-March.