PGC Looking to Begin Deer Season on Saturday

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners on Tuesday, Jan. 29, gave preliminary approval to hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits for the 2019-20 license year.

Modifications proposed for the 2019-20 seasons include: moving the opening day of the firearms deer season to the Saturday following Thanksgiving, creating an 13-day season that includes three Saturdays; shortening to two days the late November turkey seasons to accommodate a Saturday firearms deer opener; expanding the mid-October muzzleloader and special firearms deer seasons to include bears statewide; increasing to two weeks the length of the statewide archery bear season and shifting it to the two weeks following the muzzleloader and special firearms bear seasons; expanding four-day extended bear seasons to six days in most wildlife management units (WMUs) where they are held; establishing a September archery season and a January antlerless season for elk hunters; expanding bobcat hunting and trapping seasons to WMU 4B; extending fisher trapping opportunity to WMU 4A; increasing the season limit on beavers from 20 to 40 in WMUs 2A and 2B; and reducing the length of the porcupine season by about 10 weeks statewide.

The public may offer comments on all proposed 2019-20 seasons and bag limits, as well as other board actions, between now and the board’s next quarterly meeting, when 2019-20 seasons and bag limits will be finalized, and antlerless license allocations will be determined.

The next quarterly meeting is scheduled to be held April 8-9 at the PGC’s Harrisburg headquarters.