Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23)
For more than 50 years, the first Monday after Thanksgiving served as the traditional opening day of statewide firearms deer season, drawing families, friends and sportsmen from every corner of the state into our forests and towns. But that tradition was upended in 2019 when the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) moved the opener to the Saturday after Thanksgiving, a decision that has had unintended and harmful consequences for local economies.
That’s why I’ve joined with Sen. Lisa Boscola to soon introduce legislation that would restore the traditional opening day and revitalize the economic engine that this annual event once provided for rural Pennsylvania. Let me be clear: this legislation is not about wildlife management or interfering with PGC’s authority to regulate deer populations.
The Game Commission plays a critical role in managing our wildlife resources, and nothing in this proposal changes that. This effort is focused solely on the economic impact in communities like those in my district that rely on the traditional structure of rifle season.
When rifle season opened on the Monday after Thanksgiving, communities across the state saw a concentrated burst of economic activity. Families planned weekend getaways, local businesses stocked up for increased foot traffic and volunteer fire companies that often depended on seasonal fundraisers benefited from well-attended events built around the opener. In many rural towns, this spike in commerce helped bridge the gap between Thanksgiving and the slow economic period of the long winter ahead.
Since the switch to Saturday, many small businesses like taverns, diners, hunting supply stores and local markets have reported a profound decline in revenue. With hunters heading into the woods earlier and having less time after the holiday to prepare, there are fewer overnight stays, fewer meals eaten in local restaurants and less participation in community fundraisers that relied on traditional timing. One volunteer fire company in my own district saw turnout at its annual fundraiser plummet from hundreds to just a few dozen last year.
Some will argue that the change was intended to boost license sales or increase participation. Yet there’s strong evidence to the contrary that this shift did not deliver on that promise in any meaningful way and the missed economic opportunities for communities that depend on hunting season suggest that the cost has been too high.
This tradition is part of the economic fabric that sustains rural Pennsylvania. Outdoorsmen, businesses, local governments and families from every background have told us they want a return to the structure that once worked so well.
This bipartisan legislation puts common sense first and ensures our policies reflect what works best for the people and local economies. Pennsylvania’s hunting heritage is storied, and its economic impact is profound. By restoring the traditional opening day of rifle season to Monday, we can reinforce both.
Sen. Gene Yaw was elected to represent the 23rd Senatorial District consisting of Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Tioga and Union counties.
CONTACT:
Elizabeth Weitzel
717-787-3280