The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners will hold its first meeting of the new year and one hot topic they will cover is regarding the start of the firearms deer season. The first proposal would open the firearms season on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. The second proposal would maintain the current season structure, with the season opening on the Saturday following Thanksgiving.

For those hunters who read the Pennsylvania Game Commissions press release on this subject, it drew a hailstorm of responses on social media that numbered well over 1,000. Many of the responses prefer that the PGC return to the original and traditional Monday after Thanksgiving opener. Some voiced their opinion that the PGC should stop messing with the season opener while some recounted how a change would affect family Thanksgiving togetherness by changing the opener.

Regarding the proposal to open the firearms season before Thanksgiving, PGC Executive Director Steve Smith said, “This change would give hunters an earlier start and provide more opportunities for families, young hunters, and those who travel longer distances to enjoy opening weekend without competing with the Thanksgiving holiday. Opening the season earlier could improve access for hunters and continues the Board’s focus on structuring seasons in ways that maximize participation.”

Many veteran hunters don’t see it that way according to their social media responses.

To accommodate a potential earlier start date, the first proposal would move the firearms bear season one week earlier and shorten the early muzzleloader, archery and special firearms season to a single weekend.

The Board also will consider allowing Sunday hunting during the 2027 spring gobbler season. To offset the potential for increased harvest associated with Sunday hunting, the proposal recommends limiting the spring gobbler bag limit to one bird, eliminating the option to purchase a second spring turkey tag for the 2027 season.

In addition to preliminary seasons and bag limits, the Board will consider items related to Pennsylvania’s elk application process, Chronic Wasting Disease response, the Certified Hunter Program, approved trapping methods, fluorescent orange on game lands for non-hunters during the fall hunting seasons, changes to the regulations authorizing baiting in the Special Regulation Areas, and other wildlife management issues.

The Board will meet on Friday, Jan. 23 and Saturday, Jan. 24. Any changes and decisions will have to be voted on during the Board’s spring meeting in April.

Over at the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, their Board approved a change in fishing regulations at Leaser Lake. Under the approved change, the 117-acre lake will be added to the Panfish Enhancement program for sunfish.

In 2022, the lake was added to the Big Bass and Panfish Enhancement programs for crappies and Yellow Perch. Further panfish evaluations conducted in 2024 showed a robust Bluegill population, with the majority of fish captured being greater than seven inches in total length. Given the shift in Bluegill size and the propensity of anglers to harvest Bluegills, a more restrictive regulation is needed to conserve and enhance the fishery. This designation went into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.