The statewide early muzzleloader season opens this weekend and allows all licensed antlerless deer hunters to participate in this special season if they possessed the muzzleloader stamp as well.

This early season allows the use of inline muzzleloaders, which are more modern than the typical flintlock rifles. My inline rifle is a Thompson Center with a telescopic sight that is highly accurate and effective up to 150 yards holding straight on the target.

The key to using any muzzleloader is in making your one shot count as that is the drawback to any muzzleloader … you generally get one shot only.

This hunting season is for a one-week period and it overlaps with both archery season, senior/junior rifle season and muzzleloader bear season. On top of that, the small game season also opens up statewide for squirrels, junior pheasant, rabbit and grouse.

This puts a lot of hunters in the Pennsylvania woodlands looking for all kinds of game animals. One paramount concern for the Game Commission is the safety of all its consumers, which means that all of the firearm-bearing hunters will need to abide by the fluorescent orange safety rules of 250 square inches covering their heads and torso areas.

The diversity of hunters and their game means all of us need to be very cautious while in the woods.

One of the bonuses for early season muzzleloader is that small game hunters afield will certainly have deer and even bears moving around as well. Most serious hunters who have put time in the woods can share stories of both deer and bear crossing their paths during the activity of small game season where walking about is very common for this type of hunting activity.

Try kicking a brush pile for rabbits and kicking out a black bear from his hiding/sleeping place … that’s always a rush for the hunters watching for a bunny.

Several years ago, we were walking through a briar patch trying to drive out a deer when much to our surprise out popped a nice-sized black bear from the thicket.

There was no combined deer-bear early muzzleloader back then and we just enjoyed watching the bear amble out of sight. One small change of the hunting season regulations sure can make an opportunity happen.

Mentored hunting season

I was talking about the mentored hunting season program a while back, but forgot to mention that the mentored hunting program is now open to all ages. Youths up to 16 years of age can participate in the mentored youth program, and those 17 and older can participate in the mentored adult program.

Limits on the number of consecutive years individuals can participate remain in place. The mentored hunting permits for anyone 12 or older are available for three consecutive, unbroken, license years. The mentored hunter will then be required to successfully complete an H-T-E course and obtain a regular hunting license.

The mentored hunter must be accompanied on a one-to-one basis with their adult mentor in proximity and able to give directions and safety instructions.

For the complete Mentored Hunting Program information, consult with the PGC PA Hunting & Trapping Digest.

Lures and scents

The use of lures and scents while hunting was a big discussion around the cracker barrel the other morning.

A lot of misinformation is out there for Pennsylvania hunters. Part of the issue is that many hunting programs are broadcast on all kinds of media outlets from many different states and provinces.

In Pennsylvania, the use of estrous scents and lures, or other nonfood source cover scents, are legal for deer. Scents that contain any form of natural or artificial food stuff, including, but not limited to, corn, apple and acorns are not legal.

Use of drip devices is legal, as well as electronically heated scent or lure dispensers, with legal scents and lures. The use of scents or lures while hunting bears is prohibited.

River otter

Moraine State Park will be hosting an educational program on the reintroduction of the river otter from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Park 2 Region Office 195 Park Road, Prospect.

The location is on Route 422 at the Route 528 exit. The program will feature Tom Serfass of Frostburg University and his work in bringing the river otter back to Moraine State Park and the Slippery Rock Creek watershed.

The otters have recovered enough that you may be able to glimpse them in their delightful activities in our area. The park suggests that you get there early because the program is free, but space is limited in the conference room.

I am happy to say that I have seen otters on Slippery Rock Creek for several years now and kayakers should be seeing them in the back bays of Lake Arthur as well.

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.