This time of year really brings out the hearty outdoorsmen and women with the changes in the weather that brings snowy and icy outdoor conditions.

Plenty of my friends are snowbirds and they like to head south for the winter months. They likely are picking up some fishing time along the numerous lakes and coastline opportunities, but their departure will leave us that stay behind plenty of space to find some recreation in the Pennsylvania outdoors!

This weekend kicks off much activity with late season hunters and trappers as the Primitive Flintlock Deer Season opens up until Jan. 20, 2020. Many deer hunters look forward to the flintlock season as it requires a lot of know how and team work.

For some hunters, it is a social group kind of hunt. Deer drives and plenty of misses with the single shot black powder are the order of the day. When a hunter has the skill or luck in my case to make a good shot, there is a great deal of hooting and hollering.

Snow Shoe Hares

The interesting part of flintlock season is that many other types of hunters are afield as well. The specialized hunting season of the PA Snow Shoe Hares takes place from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1 in the unique habitat that the hares are found in our Commonwealth.

I have never had the Snow Shoe Hare on my hunting bucket list, but many beagle hunters anxiously wait for this one week a year. The daily limit is one hare with up to three in possession for the season. Snow Shoe hares can be as large as five pounds and are quite adept in avoiding dogs and hunters.

They change colors in their coats to pure white once the snow season begins, which blends them in with their habitat quite well. Interestingly enough, they are not kin to the Cottontail bunnies that we are used to viewing in our area.

Duck, Goose Season

The duck and goose hunters will get another chance at their favorite fly zones as the duck and goose season continues through Jan. 11 in the North Zone and through Jan. 18 in the South Zone.The limits for geese vary by species, but they are very liberal. Don’t try to bring me a piece of goose jerky disguised in soy sauce and ask me to taste it and guess what it is! I’ve been down that path with many of my waterfowler friends and it still tastes like goose to me!

Ruffed Grouse

Don’t try to go hunting for Ruffed Grouse as they are out of season. In fact, they have the shortest hunting season of any of our game birds, and rightfully so with their population crash.

Many times, I have asked fellow hunters if they have flushed or spotted any grouse on their hunts and the answer is sadly no. I have a few flushes in isolated areas and to think what the numbers used to be makes me very disheartened. However, dove hunters are still allowed to seek PA Pheasant license which gives you another bird hunting opportunity until Feb. 29.

Hunting with bird dogs or tracking in the snow will likely get you some action around the game land areas in our local counties. The PGC will not likely stock any birds in any other areas due to the specialized hunting permit required.

Squirrel, Rabbits

Late season squirrel and rabbits is also back in for small game hunters until Feb. 29, a leap year Saturday! What a bonus…an extra day added to our calendar and it’s a Saturday offering more time outdoors!

All squirrel species are available from Gray, Fox and Black squirrels (a color variation of the grays). The daily limit is four rabbits daily and 12 in possession.

A couple of my buddies are very interested in a .22 rifle hunt for squirrels and they may drag me along. With the weather break we have this week, I am sure that many hunters will take advantage of these late season opportunities.

Sunday Hunting Law

The Sunday Hunting Law passed both the PA House and Senate and was signed by the Governor this month. The changes will not take effect until 2020 and it has designated the PGC to pick one day in Archery Deer Season, one day in the regular Rifle Deer Season and a third Sunday to be determined later.

The pros and cons have been tossed about ever since the idea came up. A few things came up in the decision to open Sunday hunting; hunters will be required to have a written permission slip to hunt on private property, the PGC will actively investigate and enforce trespass laws on all properties, and all hunting trespass violations will be enforced year-round.

Until we meet up again, keep warm, keep safe by wearing some orange in the outdoors and keep your powder dry! Have a Blessed Holiday Season and a Happy New Year in 2020!

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle