The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners is considering several proposed changes to hunting seasons that could significantly impact hunters beginning with the 2026–27 license year.
At its January 23–24 meeting, the Board will review two competing proposals for the start of the firearms deer season. One proposal would move the opening day to the Saturday before Thanksgiving, while the second would keep the current structure, with the season opening the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Supporters of the earlier opening say it could provide greater access and flexibility for hunters. Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith said the change would allow more families, young hunters, and those who travel long distances to participate in opening weekend without conflicting with the Thanksgiving holiday. The proposal aligns with the Board’s broader goal of maximizing hunter participation.
To accommodate an earlier firearms deer season, the proposal includes adjustments to bear seasons. The firearms bear season would be moved one week earlier, and the early bear muzzleloader, archery, and special firearms season would be reduced to a single weekend.
In addition to deer season changes, the Board will consider a proposal to allow Sunday hunting during the 2027 spring gobbler season. To offset concerns about increased harvest pressure, the proposal recommends limiting hunters to one spring gobbler and eliminating the option to purchase a second spring turkey tag for that season.
The Board will also review a wide range of other wildlife management issues, including elk and turkey management, Chronic Wasting Disease response, changes to trapping methods, fluorescent orange requirements for non-hunters on game lands during fall seasons, and possible adjustments to baiting regulations in Special Regulation Areas.
The two-day meeting begins Friday, January 23, at 1 p.m. at the Pennsylvania Game Commission headquarters in Harrisburg. No public comment will be accepted on Friday. Public comment will be accepted Saturday morning, January 24, beginning at 8:30 a.m., with speakers limited to five minutes each on a first-come, first-served basis.
Final adoption of hunting seasons and bag limits for the 2026–27 license year is scheduled for the Board’s April 11, 2026 meeting. The January meeting will be livestreamed on the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s YouTube channel for those unable to attend in person.
