The start of firearms deer season in Pennsylvania will stay on the current Saturday after Thanksgiving, after the Game Commission voted Saturday against shifting the opener to the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
Some commissioners had argued the change would help declining license sales by making hunting more accessible to younger people, since they have time off from school for the holiday.
Since the commission announced the proposal, many hunters had taken to social media and submitted public comment speaking in opposition to the change.
Several hunters traveled from the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas to attend the public comment session at Saturday's meeting. Many complained about having to choose between hunting and spending the Thanksgiving holiday with their family.
Following nearly four and a half hours of public comment, commissioners voted 6-to-3 to reject the proposal. The commissioners who voted no said they want to revisit the proposal once they gather more data, such as the number of college-age hunters.
Haley Sankey, a commissioner, said she understands many hunters want to go back to the traditional Monday opener, but she said the board has to address the declining hunting population.
“To not do anything, to not continually try new things, is burying our head in the sand and not facing the truth," Sankey said.
The commission’s next meeting is in April, where they will finalize hunting seasons and bag limits.
