HARRISBURG — Since treestand use is a popular part of hunting deer, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is offering a free online treestand safety course. To take the course, visit www.pgc.state.pa.us.

By reviewing this 15-minute interactive, narrated treestand safety course, a hunter will learn about the latest Treestand Manufacturers Association safety standards and guidelines.

In 2000, the Game Commission incorporated a specific treestand safety segment into its basic Hunter-Trapper Education course, which is required for all first-time license buyers, regardless of age, as well as its voluntary bowhunter education course.

HARRISBURG — There really isn't much commotion in the days leading up to and for the start of Pennsylvania's six-week fall archery deer season, which begins Oct. 4. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, if passers-by didn't see bowhunters entering or leaving the woods, most wouldn't know whitetail hunting had begun in the Commonwealth.Bowhunters who bought and received antlerless deer licenses to hunt in Wildlife Management Units 2B, 5C and 5D will once again get an early start on the rest of the state. They began hunting for antlerless deer only in these WMUs on Sept. 20.Statewide, including WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D, archers can hunt antlered or antlerless deer from Oct. 4 to Nov. 15, and the late statewide archery deer season runs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 10.

KERSEY, Elk County - The names of two Butler County hunters were among 45 drawn by the Game Commission Sept. for elk licenses at the Pennsylvania Outdoor Elk Expo Oct. 20. There were 17,432 individuals eligible in the drawing for the hunt, which will be held Nov. 3 to 8.For the November hunt, 16 antlered elk licenses were awarded to Pennsylvanians, and one was awarded to a hunter from Florida. .Of the 28 antlerless elk licenses awarded, 26 were awarded to Pennsylvanians and one each was awarded to hunters from New York and Virginia.State law prohibits the Game Commission from releasing the names of the hunters.