Now that Gov. Shapiro signed the Sunday hunting days into law, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has announced that beginning Sept. 14 and through the second Sunday in the firearms deer season Dec. 7, all Sundays that fall within established hunting seasons will be included as part of those seasons and open to hunting. However, there is an exception. Migratory game bird seasons are the lone exception as those are federally managed species.

For other species with open seasons, the 13 Sundays authorized for hunting in 2025 are as follows: Sept. 14, Sept. 21, Sept. 28, Oct. 5, Oct. 12, Oct. 19, Oct.26, Nov. 2, Nov. 9, Nov. 16, Nov. 23, Nov. 30 and Dec. 7.

The PGC said the firearms deer season will end on Saturday, Nov. 13, and many established hunting seasons will continue to close as scheduled on a Saturday. Sundays must fall between the established opening and closing days of a season to be open to hunting. In addition to these new Sunday hunting dates, the previously approved Sundays for foxes, coyotes and crows will remain in place for the 2025-26 seasons.

In addition, when the Board begins the process of setting the 2026-27 hunting seasons in January, with the benefit of including Sundays when establishing seasons instead of adding Sundays to already-established seasons, the slate of opportunities might look different.

In other news from the PGC, mentored hunters ages 7 and older will soon be able to purchase snow goose conservation permits, as well as Ag Tags for antlerless deer. And there will not be any limit on the number of Ag Tags mentored hunters 7 and older can receive, so long as tags remain available.

LEASER LAKE

News from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission was that the PFBC Board recently approved a change in fishing regulations at Leaser Lake. Under the change, the 117-acre impoundment will be added to the Panfish Enhancement program for sunfish.

Since the lake was dewatered in 2009 for dam repairs and its refilling in 2013, the PFBC began a multiyear restocking program with select fish species. This was done to establish a quality, warm-water and cool-water fishery. In 2022, the lake was added to the Big Bass and Panfish Enhancement programs for crappies and Yellow Perch.

Subsequent panfish evaluation conducted in 2024, showed a robust Bluegill population with the majority of the fish captured being greater than seven inches in total length. Given the shift in Bluegill size structure and the propensity of anglers harvesting Bluegills, a more restrictive regulation is needed to conserve and enhance the fishery says the PFBC. This regulation will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

SALTWATER

REPORT

From our reporters at On the Water Magazine, the fluke bite on the reefs and wrecks has been stellar. Cobia are taking live baits just off the beaches and offshore anglers are catching yellowfin, mahi, and tilefish.