Young hunters are going to get to do what no others have in Pennsylvania for years, and that’s hunt truly wild pheasants.
Submitted photo
For the first time in decades, hunters will chase wild pheasants in Pennsylvania this fall.
But only a few. And only if they’re young.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission and Pheasants Forever are teaming up to offer a limited youth hunt for wild pheasants in the Central Susquehanna wild pheasant recovery area.
It will operate much like the state’s elk hunt, in that hunters will apply and then have to hope that their name gets pulled in a random drawing. Fifty names will likely be drawn to hunt an area that’s estimated to have 600 birds, 300 of them roosters.
Unlike the elk hunt, though, only youth hunters can enter.
That drew some questions at the most recent Game Commission meeting.
Board member Jim Daley of Butler County said commissioners have gotten pushback from hunters wondering why long-time license buyers were being shut out of the opportunity.
“I don’t know why we want to necessarily go youth only without some discussion, but that’s my opinion. I’m just basing it on feedback,” Daley said.
Commissioner Tim Layton of Windber said that decision was made to satisfy Pheasants Forever, which has committed lots of time, money and manpower to the wild pheasant recovery program over the years.
“We really want them to guide the hunt that’s going on there. We just feel at this time, let them do what they want to do,” Layton said.
That desire to work together is also the reason why only 50 permits will likely be issued.
From a biological standpoint, hunters could take up to a third of the cockbirds in an area without hurting the population, said commission biologist Scott Klinger.
The hunt isn’t targeting that many.
The actual harvest will probably be even lower still. It’s likely that young hunters shooting at wary wild birds will score their share of misses, Klinger said. But the desire is to go slowly, he added.
“That’s to get our feet wet on how this is all going to work,” Klinger said.
Details remain to be worked out. All of the birds live on private property, so some logistics on how many people will be allowed on each site and when have to be determined, Klinger said. It’s possible the hunt will be conducted on one Saturday only.
No matter what, commissioner Dave Putnam of Centre County thinks it will be a big deal.
“It will be quite an event. I think it will be very good public relations,” he said.
“I think it’s going to be very popular,” Klinger agreed. “Whatever way it goes, it’s going to be very popular.”
