One of my favorite pastimes is to get out the calendar and match up my interests and vacation time with the hunting season’s each year.

The PA Game Commission just came out with their 2016-17 hunting seasons and rule changes so my favorite planning is about to take place. Fortunately for me most of my co-workers like to be sunbirds and head for the beach or warmer climate locations. The opening of fall hunting seasons means little on a trip to Disney in the colder months of winter season. However, a lot of you guys that have to compete with many other fellows want to get your dates into the boss soon.

Licenses go on sale in mid-June and are valid on July 1, as usual. The dates for doe applications will be set in your hunting digest when you purchase your license.

With little doubt the dates for deer season and any changes made year to year from the Game Commission meetings are always on the front burner. The opening day of statewide archery season will be Oct. 1. The “three up rule” for bucks is still in place for WMU Units 1A and 2D and the rest of the western counties in PA. That means that we don’t count brow tines as a point as before.

The Antlerless deer licenses statewide have been set at 748,000 deer with WMU 1A at 46,000 and WMU 2D at 55,000 license allocations, which is no change from last year.

One change to note is that WMU 1A is under the same split season as WMU 2D with buck only for the first five days from Nov. 28 through Dec. 2. Then for the final seven days of the rifle season it will be either sex from Dec. 3-10.

The special early muzzleloader season has been set for October 15-22. This is an antlerless deer season and you must use your antlerless deer license in the area you have selected only.

This is a fun time to use the muzzleloaders and it includes flintlock and inline rifles. Those of you that apply for DMAP permits can use them during the open seasons and the permits cost $10.70 each. Make sure that you follow the rules for DMAP use and locations carefully to avoid any rule issues.

The elk season has been set for Oct. 31 through Nov. 5. The allocation for licenses to hunt elk has been set at 124 which includes 25 bull tags and 99 cow tags. The application fee for the elk tag remains at $10.70 and the deadline to enter the draw is July 31. I have entered the draw since its inception and have had no luck thus far. If I hit the elk lottery I won’t be at the Halloween festivities.

Small game hunters have increased opportunities and the opening day for squirrel, rabbit and grouse has been coordinated to be on the same day, which is Oct. 15. Pheasant hunters will be one week later and start on Oct. 22. Falconry season opens up from Sept. 1 through March 31.

I never thought too much about Falconry season until I recently met Mark and Dawn DeCrease at several functions. Dawn is a master falconer and has quite the selection of raptors that they hunt with in our area. If you see a pair of hawks hunting in tandem in the game lands be extra careful as she is extra cautious of their safety. I was able to meet three of her raptors and they are a fascinating species.

Serious trappers will be happy to see the Fisher season is expanded to 12 days in the WMU’s that have an approved season. While the river otter season, which is very new, has a Feb. 18-25 date. River otters are primarily found in the Northeast part of the state and have limited areas open to trapping.

Bobcat season is a pure winter trapping season in the northern tier from Jan. 14 through Feb. 8. All of these furbearers require specialty trapping skills as well as the Fur Bearers Trapping license and special permits to purchase. The PGC also has a special cable restraint season on foxes and coyotes. Participants must pass the cable restraint certification course to use this method.

The coyote, fox and raccoon seasons open on Oct. 23 and stay in until Feb. 19 with no limit on the harvest of these predators. The trapping season is the most confusing seasons to keep up on as you have limited specialty seasons in special WMU’s and different start up dates for muskrats and minks Nov. 19 through Jan. 8, while beaver comes in on Dec. 26 through March 31.

Until we meet again, get your calendar out and get those vacation days scheduled.

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.