Hunting season approaches for variety of animals

Outdoors, by Ed Payne


The 2004-05 hunting and trapping season dates and bag limits have been released.

Squirrel: All species, gray, fox, red and black opens Sept. 1 and continues through Jan. 31, 2005, with a bag limit of six.
Mourning dove: Opens Sept. 1. Refer to the migratory bird publication 298 for details, closing date and bag limits.

Ruffed grouse: Opens Oct. 9 and runs through Feb. 28, 2005, with a bag limit of three.

Cottontail rabbit: Runs Nov. 5 through Feb. 28, 2005, with a bag limit of four.

Ringneck pheasant: Runs Nov. 5 through Jan. 2, 2005, with a daily bag limit of two. Roosters only.

Bobwhite quail: Runs Nov. 5 through Nov. 28 with a daily bag limit of four.

Fox, raccoon, skunk, opossum, weasel: Runs Nov. 10 through Jan. 31, 2005, with no bag limit. A fur taker permit is required.

Crow: Runs June 11 through March 20, 2005, with no bag limit. Hunting allowed only Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Coyote: No closed season for hunting and trapping. No bag limit.

Wild boar: No closed season for hunting. Trapping is prohibited. No bag limit.

Groundhog: Closed during deer gun season. No bag limits.

Wild turkey: Fall season - includes archery, which runs Oct. 9 through Oct. 24 for shotguns using shot; crossbows and longbows are permitted. Archery runs Oct. 25 through Nov. 28. Only one turkey of either sex may be taken throughout the fall seasons. Youth only runs April 16 and 17 for 2005. It is open to youths statewide 17 years and younger, accompanied by a non-hunting adult. A spring turkey permit is required. There is a limit of one bearded turkey per youth hunter. Only shotguns, crossbows and long bows are permitted. Spring season opens statewide April 18, 2005, through May 15, 2005. A spring turkey permit is required. There is a bag limit of one bearded turkey per day and two for the season. Only shotguns using shot shells, crossbows and longbows are permitted.

Deer: Archery season opens Oct. 2 and continues through Jan. 31, 2005. Longbow minimum draw weight of 40 pounds and crossbow draw weight not less than 75 pounds, and maximum draw weight of 200 pounds are permitted during this season. Hunters may take only one antlered deer with antlers of 3 inches or longer, during the entire license year. Hunters may take up to seven deer during the 2004-05 hunting season with the proper permit. Any deer may be taken during the archery season.

Special area muzzleloader season: Runs Oct. 25 through Oct. 30 at Wildcat Hollow, Salt Fork Wildlife Area and Shawnee State Forest with antlered deer only.

Deer gun season: Youth only runs Nov. 20 and 21. Statewide, it runs Nov. 29 through Dec. 5 for antlered or antlerless deer with a bag limit of three in this area.

Muzzleloader season: Statewide, it runs Dec. 27 through Dec. 30.