Last week brought us National Hunting and Fishing Day on Sept. 26 and the start of the Fall equinox on Sept. 22.

The call for beautiful fall foliage in our area and north has been predicted, and I have seen some of the leaves turning crimson, orange and yellow already. Friends have been driving up around Elk County, and between the leaf and elk watchers, the roadways are plenty busy.

Add the opening of the deer archery season this weekend and you will have quite a show for the northern tier counties.

Outdoor resources

Pennsylvanians have been blessed to have a commonwealth that has significant outdoor resources in both waterways and woodlands to provide year-round opportunities for all of our outdoor interests.

The fall season is easily one of my favorite times of the year to do about anything outdoors from fishing to hunting to enjoying the woodlands color and don’t forget cooking over fires.

Many of my friends and acquaintances have used this time of year to gather in backyards and camps to celebrate the fresh air outdoors with cookouts and barbecues. This week, several of the neighbors and I gathered to make sausages and kielbasa and smoked meats as a project for the upcoming winter months. We will enjoy our finished products as well as the camaraderie in preparing the meats.

Option approved

The Pa. Game Commission approved the option of using handheld and sporting arm mounted night vision and infrared optics for furbearers. The change will become effective in about six weeks after the regulation is reviewed and published in the Pennsylvania Manual under House Bill 1188.

There are hunting seasons for the following furbearers: raccoons, foxes, coyotes, opossums, striped skunks, weasels, bobcats and porcupines. I can see where this would really be helpful to farmers and anyone raising small animals like poultry, rabbits and sheep or goats.

Most predators do their work at night and having an extra tool for predator control could save them a lot of heartache and stock loss. The con would be in the safe use around farms/homes and the oversight of the hunters using night vision.

Will night vision challenge the ethics of some individuals if other game animals present themselves? Only time will tell if it is a good idea or not.

Deer license changes

How about the changes proposed for the application process for antlerless deer licenses? Currently, state law requires the antlerless license applications to be coordinated through the county treasurers’ offices. However, the PGC is attempting to cut out the county treasurer and have the automated license system issuing antlerless licenses, either on a first-come, first-served basis, or through the lottery process.

Before there are any changes to the license plan, the PGC will need to work with the PA General Assembly on amending Title 34 to modernize the sales process. Either way works for me, but all the bugs need to be worked out before I buy into any major changes using the automated license system.

Geese population

Over the last decade we have seen significant increases in the resident Canada geese population.

Even with liberal harvest limits, the numbers of geese damaging property and crops has been increasing and there has been no reduction in the geese populations.

The PGC has given final approval to a measure that would put our state regulations in line with federal guidelines. Landowners properly registered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife will have the opportunity to now allow the year-round take of nests and eggs, and expand the adult geese removal from April through August.

Other registration and permitting requirements for both types of control activities remain unchanged. This will assist parks, golf courses and other public areas with relief as well as the agricultural concerns.

Welcome the kids

Fall is a great time to introduce kids to both fishing and hunting in Pennsylvania.

I have taken some city kids to a local park and introduced them to the fun activity of pan fishing. Our local sportsmen’s club has made available dozens of rods and reels and a box of tackle for such endeavors.

I also rounded up some pamphlets from the PA Fish and Boat Commission that shows the Fishes of PA to share with the kids and their parents. The kids are having fun with a catch and release (after identifying the fish and having a biology lesson at the same time) during this new time of distance learning!

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.