The statewide archery hunting season kicked off this past Saturday (Sept. 30) for antlered and antlerless deer for the season that continues until Nov. 11. Then there’s the late archery season that starts up again Dec. 26 and runs until Jan. 13.

For sportsmen who hunt in WMU’s 2B, 5C and 5D, they can hunt both buck and doe from Dec. 26 through Jan. 28.

In surveying local tackle shops as to recent archery success during the early season in WMU 2B, 5C and 5D, it seems many bowhunters didn’t go out because of the heat we had last week. They were afraid the delicious venison meat would spoil before they were able to get it to a meat processor, or before they were able to skin and process it themselves. For tips on warm weather venison care check the PGC’s website under the white-tailed deer page.

With lower temperatures predicted for a good part of this week, and with the statewide opening, we should see more bowhunting activity.

When going afield, the Pennsylvania Game Commission reminds hunters to take only responsible shots at deer and no farther then a sportsman can consistently place arrows or bolts into a pie pan sized target, either broadside or quartering away.

Under a rule change, bowhunters may use illuminated nocks for arrows and bolts but transmitter-tracking arrows are still illegal in Pennsylvania. And if you’re hunting on state game lands, state parks or state forests, it’s illegal to build or occupy tree stands that are screwed or nailed to trees and all stands may not damage trees. They must be tagged with the owner’s name, address and CID number that appears on the hunting license. Or, hunters can get a unique identification number issued by the PGC and obtained through the online Outdoor Shop on the agency’s website.

Hunters are also urged to use a fall restraint device to prevent falling from a treestand. Every year a few hunters fall and break limbs or worse, face death after falling from a tree stand. Many times this happens when ascending and descending the tree.

There are also several warnings and precautions from the PGC if hunting in a Disease Management Area (DMA) where deer there may have CWD disease. If you think you have a deer with CWD, the PGC has collector bins where hunters can drop off the heads of the deer to have it tested for free within the sites setup in affected DMA’s. The backbone and other deer parts may be deposited at high-risk parts dumpsters in the same locations. It’s advisable to check the PGC’s website as to where these collection areas for affected deer parts may be dropped off.