HUNTING SEASONS 2002-2003 Ohio and Pennsylvania

OHIO
Doves, ducks, geese, coots, mergansers: Hunting days and bag limits will be set within a framework provided by the federal government later this summer. Assuming the framework is similar to the 01-02 season, dove season, the early goose season and the special teal season will open Sept. 1.
Squirrel: Open third Saturday in Aug. (17) through Jan. 31. One-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Daily bag limit 6.
Grouse: Open second Saturday in Oct. (12) through Feb. 28. One-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Daily bag limit 3.
Young hunters upland season: Open the two Saturdays and Sundays immediately before the regular opening date (Oct. 19, 20, 26, & amp; 27) statewide (public and private lands). Rabbit, pheasant, and all other legal game that is in season may be taken. Quail may be taken in counties open to quail hunting. Daily bag limits same as during the regular hunting seasons.
Fall wild turkey: Open Oct. 12 through the 27 for hunters using a shotgun with shot, a longbow or a crossbow and through Dec. 1, for hunters using longbow or a crossbow. Ashland, Richland and Scioto counties are proposed to open for the first time. Limit one turkey of either sex per fall season. One-half hour before sunrise to sunset from Oct. 12 through 27 and one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset from Oct. 28 through Dec. 1.
Rabbit: Open Nov. 1 through Feb. 28. One-half hour before sunrise to sunset on private lands and from sunrise to sunset on public hunting lands. Daily bag limit 4. Pheasant: Open Nov. 1 through Jan. 1. One-half hour before sunrise to sunset on private lands and from sunrise to sunset on public hunting lands. Daily bag limit 2. Cocks only.
Quail: Open Nov. 1 through Dec. 1. One-half hour before sunrise to sunset on private lands and from sunrise to sunset on public hunting lands. Daily bag limit 4.
Fox, opossum, skunk and weasel trapping: Open Nov. 10 through Jan. 31. No restriction on hours. No daily bag limit.
Fox hunting: Open Nov. 10 through Jan. 31. Daytime hunting of fox closed during deer gun season. No other restriction on hours. No daily bag limit.
Raccoon trapping: Open Nov. 10 through Jan. 31. Season extends through March 15 in Erie, Ottawa, and Sandusky counties and Lucas County east of the Maumee River. No restriction on hours. No daily bag limits.
Raccoon and opossum hunting: Open Nov. 10 through Jan. 31. No daily bag limit.
Mink and muskrat trapping: Open Nov. 10 through Feb. 28. Season extends through March 15 in Erie, Ottawa, and Sandusky counties and Lucas County east of the Maumee River. No restriction on hours. No daily bag limit.
Beaver trapping: North Zone (the area north of Interstate 76 and east of Interstate 77) open Jan. 11 through Feb. 28, 2003 and South Zone (rest of state) open Dec. 26 through Feb. 28. Nonresidents may trap beaver only if the state of their residence permits Ohio citizens to trap beaver. Beaver trapping on state public hunting areas without a special beaver trapping permit from the Ohio Division of Wildlife is prohibited.
Spring wild turkey: Open statewide (except on designated youth hunting areas) April 28 through May 25, 2003. One-half hour before sunrise to noon. Public hunting areas will be open to youth hunters (17 years old and younger) for turkey hunting on the Saturday and Sunday immediately prior to the regular spring wild turkey season (April 26 & amp; 27, 2003). Limit 2 bearded turkeys per hunter per spring season.
Crow: Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from June 14, 2002 through March 23, 2003. One-half hour before sunrise to sunset. No daily bag limit.
Falconry: Seasons for all non-migratory small game species will open on the third Saturday in Aug. and through March 10.
Special note: Special permission for trappers to use snares will no longer be required on private lands. River otters will be removed and cattle egrets will be added to state list of endangered species. In addition, barn owls, dark-eyed juncos, hermit thrushes, least bitterns and yellow-crowned night-herons will be downlisted from endangered to threatened status; sedge wrens will be downlisted from endangered to a species of concern and Canada warblers, little blue herons, magnolia warblers, northern waterthrushes and winter wrens will be downlisted from endangered to special interest status. Fur dealers required to provide a copy of their daily log of transactions along with their annual summary.
PENNSYLVANIA
Squirrels: Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license, Oct. 12-14 (6 daily, 12 in possession limit after first day); Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Fall Season, Oct. 19-Nov. 30; Late Seasons, Dec. 16-24, and Dec. 26-Feb. 8, 2003 (6 daily, 12 in possession limit after first day).
Ruffed grouse: Oct. 19-Nov. 30, Dec. 16-24 and Dec. 26-Jan. 11, 2003 (2 daily, 4 possession). There is no open season for taking ruffed grouse in that portion of State Game Lands No. 176 in Centre County which is posted & quot;Research area. No grouse hunting."
Rabbit: (Cottontail): Nov. 2-30, Dec. 16-24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 8, 2003 (4 daily, 8 possession).
Pheasant: Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license, Oct. 12-14 (2 daily, 4 in possession); Male Only, Nov. 2-30. Male and female in designated areas, Nov. 2-30, Dec. 16-24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 8, 2003 (2 daily, 4 in possession).
Quail: Nov. 2-30 (4 daily, 8 possession). (Closed in Adams, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Fulton, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Snyder and York counties.) Hares (snowshoe rabbits) or varying hares: Dec. 26-Jan. 1, 2003 (1 daily, 2 possession).
Woodchucks: No closed season except during the antlered and antlerless deer seasons and until noon daily during the spring gobbler turkey season.
Crows: July 5-Dec. 1, and Dec. 27-April 6, 2003, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. No limit.
Starlings and English sparrows: No closed season except during the antlered and antlerless deer seasons and until noon daily during the spring gobbler turkey season. No limit.
Wild turkey: (Male or Female): Management Areas 1A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7A & amp; 8 -Nov. 2-23; Area 1B, Nov. 2-16; Area 7B- Nov. 4-9; Area 9B -Nov. 2-9; and Area 9A, Closed to Fall Turkey Hunting. (1 bird limit, either sex).
Spring gobbler (Bearded bird only): April 26, 2003, May 24, 2003. (1 bird limit)
Black bear (Statewide): Nov. 25-27; and Dec. 2-7 in Carbon, Monroe and Pike counties. One bear per hunting license year.
Elk (Antlered or Antlerless): Nov. 18-23. Daily and season limit: one.
Deer, archery (Antlered and Antlerless) Statewide: Oct. 5-Nov. 16 and Dec. 26-Jan. 11, 2003. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
Deer (Antlered and Antlerless) Statewide: Dec. 2-14. One antlered deer per hunting license year. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
Antlerless deer (Statewide): Oct. 24-26. Junior and Senior License Holders, Disabled Person Permit (to use a vehicle) Holders, and Pennsylvania residents serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Services or in the U.S. Coast Guard only, with required antlerless license. Also included are persons who have reached or will reach their 65th birthday in the year of the application for a license and hold a valid adult license, or qualify for license and fee exemptions under section 2706. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
Deer, antlerless muzzleloader (Statewide): Oct. 19-26. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
Deer, antlerless or antlerless flintlock (Statewide): Dec. 26-Jan. 11, 2003.
One antlered deer per hunting license year, or one antlerless deer and an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
Deer, antlerless (Military Bases): Hunting permitted on days established by the U.S. Department of the Army at Letterkenny Army Depot, Franklin County; New Cumberland Army Depot, York County; and Fort Detrick, Raven Rock Site, Adams County. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
Deer, archery (Bow and arrows only) Antlered and Antlerless (Special Regulations Areas: Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties): Oct. 5-Nov. 16, and Dec. 26-Jan. 11, 2003. One antlered deer per hunting license year. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license. Preliminary approval was given by the Board to allow the use of crossbows in this season.
Deer, Antlered (Special Regulations Areas): Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties): Dec. 2-14. One antlered deer per hunting license year.
Deer, antlerless (Special Regulations Areas: Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties): Dec. 2-14 and Dec. 26, Jan.11, 2003. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
Raccoon, foxes: Oct. 19-Feb. 22, 2003, unlimited.
Coyote, opossum, skunks, weasel: No closed season, with certain exceptions during deer and spring turkey seasons. No limits.
Bobcat (Furbearer Management Zones 2 and 3): Oct. 19-Feb. 22, 2003. One per permit. (Bobcats may only be taken by furtakers in possession of a Bobcat Hunting-Trapping permit.)
Mink, muskrat trapping: Nov. 23-Jan. 11, 2003. Unlimited.
Coyote, opossum, skunks, weasel trapping: Oct. 20-Feb. 22, 2003. No limit.
Beaver (Statewide): Dec. 26-March 31, 2003 (Limits vary depending on Furbearer Management Zone).
Bobcat (Furbearer Management Zones 2 and 3): Oct. 20-Feb. 22, 2003. One per permit. (Bobcats may only be taken by furtakers in possession of a Bobcat Hunting-Trapping permit.)
Falconry (Squirrels (combined), quail, ruffed grouse, cottontail rabbits, snowshoe or varying hare, ringneck pheasant (Male or Female combined): Sept. 1-March 31, 2003. Daily and Field Possession limits vary.