Pa. Game Commission eyeing big change for start of firearms deer season | Outdoors

The Pennsylvania Game Commission next week could propose starting the state’s firearms deer season before Thanksgiving.

The proposal announced this week by agency Executive Director Steve Smith calls for the two-week firearms deer season to start the Saturday before Thanksgiving.

For the past seven years, that season has opened the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

And for decades before that, the season opened on the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Should firearms deer season open the Saturday before Thanksgiving? [poll]

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“This change would give hunters an earlier start and provide more opportunities for families, young hunters, and those who travel longer distances to enjoy opening weekend without competing with the Thanksgiving holiday,” Smith said.

“Opening the season earlier could improve access for hunters and continues the board’s focus on structuring seasons in ways that maximize participation.”

Opening the season then would have a ripple effect on the state’s bear season and archery deer season, as well.

The idea was met swiftly by mixed reviews from deer hunters on the Game Commission’s Facebook page.

“Opening the Saturday before Thanksgiving would be nice,” said Austin Blank, of Gillett. “You still hit the end of the rut, and would gain Thanksgiving day to hunt as well. New York’s season is setup that same exact way.”

“Absolutely not to opening rifle the Saturday before Thanksgiving,” countered Eric Barnes, of Williamsport. “That’s too close to the rut. The Saturday after Thanksgiving is perfect.”

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The proposal

The agency Board of Game Commissioners is scheduled to meet Jan. 23-24 to propose hunting seasons and bag limits for the 2026-27 hunting year, which starts July 1, 2026.

Smith said two options would be offered by staff to the commissioners to consider for the opening of deer season.

One would be starting the Saturday before Thanksgiving and one would be to keep the opener where it is on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

The commissioners will vote to propose one or the other Jan. 24, and then they’d gather public comment on the opener through March.

They’d then take a final vote to set hunting season dates and bag limits at their April meeting.

Pushing the deer season opener up a week to the Saturday before Thanksgiving would require moving bear season up a week since it traditionally opens the Saturday before Thanksgiving.

That move would lead to the last week of the archery deer season running concurrently over the four days of bear season.

Until now, archery deer hunters and firearms bear hunters in most of the state have never shared the woods, since the bow season typically closes the day before bear season opens.

There is no proposal to shorten the archery deer season, so it would continue its typical schedule of ending the Friday before Thanksgiving.

Firearms bear hunters are required to wear blaze orange clothing, while archery deer hunters are not.

Game Commission spokesman Travis Lau said the agency would not change those requirements if the two seasons overlap.

“The use of orange (by bowhunters) would be highly recommended,” he said.

“Safety is always a concern. However, many existing seasons with differing orange requirements run simultaneously.”

Lau said the agency is counting on hunters voicing their opinions on this issue to help Commissioners make their decision next week.

“We’re aware some could have concerns,” he said.

“We’re asking hunters to submit their comments about this proposal to us, which will shed further light on the opinions about it.”

Comments can be sent to the agency through its website at pgc.pa.gov.

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