Penn’s Outdoors

Okay, maybe we’re not losing the hunting land but the type of hunting we can do continues to be affected in Pennsylvania, this time by urban sprawl.  According to The Morning Call…

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is considering a regulatory change that would all but eliminate rifle deer hunting in the Lehigh Valley, a move officials say acknowledges the area’s rapid development and fast-growing population.

Commissioners will meet Jan. 29 in Harrisburg to consider a proposal that would prohibit deer hunting with a rifle throughout Wildlife Management Unit 5C, which also would be expanded to include virtually all of Lehigh and Northampton counties and a significant portion of Berks County. Only a sliver along the Blue Mountain would be excluded.

This is a tough one as a hunter.  There is a natural gut instinct to get defensive about losing the opportunity to hunt in a certain way over such a wide geographical area.  Rifle hunting is already prohibited in Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Montgomery, Delaware and Philadelphia counties.  These limitations are going to become necessary in even more areas for the safety of the public as high powered rifles and urban sprawl can be a disastrous combination. Here is a staggering statistic for you about how fast our hunting land is going away…

Each year, a total of four square miles of open space is eliminated through development in Lehigh and Northampton counties, said Mike Kaiser, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.

 By the way, we also have some of our fellow hunters to blame for these limitations.

The change would provide some peace of mind for Kristie Pinczok, who doesn’t let her three children or four dogs play outside during hunting season because hunters sometimes roam her large Lower Saucon Township property, despite “No Trespassing” signs.

How many of you know of someone who violates safety zones?  Raise your hands.  Unfortunately, most of us have our hands raised.  Ignoring no trespassing signs and safety zones by a small minority of hunters gives the rest of us a “black eye” in the view of the general public. 

My understanding is that the local sportsmen’s associations in that area are not voicing opposition.  It is what it is.  As ethical hunters, we are not going to oppose something that protects the public from harm, and I am certainly not suggesting that we should.  I am glad that we can still hunt with other weapons in these areas. I am just a bit saddened, no matter how necessary these steps are, that urban sprawl is another front where hunters are losing their ability to enjoy Pennsylvania’s woods.