Pennsylvania Game News - October 2017 - 12

through the seasons based on early forest
condition reports, said Dave Gustafson,
Forestry Division chief in the Game
Commission's Bureau of Wildlife Habitat
Management.
"Forecasting fall mast production
is always related to spring's weather,"
emphasized Gustafson.
"Generally, nothing is outstanding
this year," he said. "Last year many areas
saw bumper crops of red oak acorns. This
year, most areas will see an average red
oak acorn crop.
"White and chestnut oaks will be
much more variable, because some areas
had early warm-ups, which pushed early
flowering, followed by a cold, wet period
that could have reduced pollination, and
subsequently acorn production."
Soft-mast production, particularly
apples, also seems too hard to predict,
Gustafson said.
Some reports have apple trees with
branches bending to the ground, while
others report barren apple trees.
Berry crops, such as blackberries and
blueberries, were reported as good to
above-average, but these food sources
are often depleted before hunting season
starts, Gustafson added.
"For the first time in several years,
we are not noticing any significant forest
pest issues that would affect mast production," he said. "However, areas that have
experienced gypsy-moth defoliations over
the past several years - areas in the southcentral and eastern counties - likely will
not be back up to normal acorn production
for several years while they recover from
the stress of multiple years of defoliation."
Gustafson said the best guidance he
could provide is that scouting and hunting
flexibility will be very important this fall.
Be ready to adapt as deer use up one food
source and move to another very quickly.
12

The agency's Bureau of Wildlife Habitat Management, working with region
offices, again plans to expand the Deer
Hunter Focus Areas program on state
game lands.
The program serves to direct hunters to
areas where recent habitat improvements
provide for deer in greater numbers.
An online map depicting where these
areas are found on game lands is to be
released on the agency's website before
the start of the statewide archery season.

GETTING INTO IT

If there's one factor that influences
hunting in Pennsylvania, it's time.
Finding the time to hunt is a national
problem, not just a Pennsylvania one.
Maybe that's a little surprising to you.
After all, hunting is such a way of life to
so many of us.
The national average for days afield
per year by deer hunters is 13.
In Pennsylvania - gulp - it's just 11.
That's kind of hard to swallow when
hunters in Illinois are averaging 30 days.
In Mississippi's heat, hunters average 26
days. Even in Wisconsin, which has a
larger CWD problem than we do, hunters
average 22 days.
Of course, you could view those 11
days as that's all it takes the average
hunter to tag out. But if you've hunted in
this state long enough, you wonder how
many hunters are so fortunate.
Getting closer to deer in any hunting
season is diametrically related to spending
time out there. You really must scout. You
most assuredly must hunt.
If you don't, only luck will bring you
close to deer.
So, make some excuses to hunt. Get
your game face on and have an adventure.
Then hunt like it's the last time you ever
Pennsylvania Game News - October 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - October 2017
