HARRISBURG – Legislation will be forthcoming from state Senators Gene Yaw and Lisa Boscola intended to again set the first day of PA’s firearms deer season as the first Monday after Thanksgiving. For over 50 years, the first Monday after Thanksgiving marked the start of PA’s rifle season. That long-standing tradition was changed in 2019 when the PA Game Commission moved the opening day to the Saturday following Thanksgiving, citing the goal of increasing participation and hunting license sales. The results, the legislators said, have been just the opposite causing a devastating economic effect on rural businesses. The traditions associated with going to hunting camps in anticipation of opening day created a concentration of economic activity unique to rural PA. When decisions of the Game Commission impact the livelihood of constituents, the issue is no longer simply wildlife management, it becomes an issue of economic activity which is a legislative concern. A co-sponsorship memo seeking support of their proposal is being circulated.
SEN. LISA BOSCOLA
SEN. GENE YAW