HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners is scheduled to hold its first meeting of 2026 on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 23–24, where members will review a wide range of wildlife management topics, including preliminary hunting seasons and bag limits for the 2026–27 license year.
A key item on the agenda involves two options for the start of the firearms deer season. One proposal would shift opening day to the Saturday before Thanksgiving, while the second would keep the current framework, with the season beginning the Saturday after the holiday.
Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith said opening the season earlier could benefit hunters by avoiding conflicts with Thanksgiving travel and family obligations. According to Smith, the change could increase participation by giving families, youth hunters, and those traveling long distances better access to opening weekend, aligning with the Board’s ongoing efforts to structure seasons in ways that encourage participation.
If the earlier opening date is adopted, adjustments would be made to other seasons. The firearms bear season would move up by one week, and the early bear muzzleloader, archery, and special firearms seasons would be reduced to a single weekend.
Smith recently discussed the potential change during an episode of the Game Commission’s Call of the Outdoors podcast.
The Board will also review a proposal that would allow Sunday hunting during the 2027 spring gobbler season. To help manage harvest levels, the proposal recommends limiting hunters to one spring turkey and eliminating the option to purchase a second spring gobbler tag for that season.
The two-day meeting will begin Friday, Jan. 23, at 1 p.m., featuring staff presentations on wildlife management topics such as elk and turkey populations, along with updates on agency initiatives. Public comment will not be taken on Friday.
The meeting resumes Saturday, Jan. 24, at 8:30 a.m., with public comment accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Speakers will be limited to five minutes each, with registration opening at 7:45 a.m. in the headquarters lobby. PowerPoint presentations will not be allowed during public comment.
After public input, the Board will continue with its regular agenda and address new business. The full agenda can be found on the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s website under the “About Us” and “Public Meetings” sections.
Additional topics under consideration include Pennsylvania’s elk application system, Chronic Wasting Disease management, the Certified Hunter Program, approved trapping methods, fluorescent orange requirements for non-hunters on game lands during fall seasons, potential changes to baiting rules in Special Regulation Areas, and other wildlife management matters.
Final adoption of the 2026–27 seasons and bag limits is expected at the Board’s next meeting on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
The meeting will take place at the Pennsylvania Game Commission headquarters, located at 2001 Elmerton Ave. in Harrisburg, just off Interstate 81 at Exit 69 (Progress Avenue). Those unable to attend in person can watch the proceedings live on the agency’s YouTube channel.
Source: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pgc/newsroom/board-to-consider-2026-27-hunting-seasons-and-more-at-january-me
