PHOTO PROVIDED Shown is an elk as it's about to be weighed at a weigh station in this photo by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners met recently in Harrisburg, hearing public comment and conducting official business. The commissioners gave final approval to the 2025-26 hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits, which are outlined in a separate news release.

Other highlights from today’s meeting follow.

ELK LICENSE APPLICATION

A number of changes meant to update and improve Pennsylvania’s elk license application system were given final approval by the Board of Commissioners.

The changes won’t take effect until published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, which usually takes about six weeks.

First, all hunters will be required to first buy a hunting license before applying for an elk tag. Current regulations allow anyone to submit an elk license application, but only require applicants to buy a license if drawn.

Second, hunters no longer will be required to include their Social Security numbers or hunter ID numbers on applications. Because a hunting license will be needed to apply, that information already will be in the licensing system.

Third, no more than 10% of available elk licenses in any given year will be awarded to non-residents. Previously, there was no limit, and while the percentage of tags going to non-residents typically had been about 10%, it has increased in recent years to as high as 13%, which drew concern from residents.

Fourth, any hunter drawn for a bull elk license will be ineligible for another, a limit not now in place. Previously, a hunter who drew a Pennsylvania bull elk license could, after five years, enter the bull tag drawing again, in hopes of getting selected a second time.

Under the change adopted by the board, beginning on Jan. 1, 2026, any applicant who draws a bull elk tag will be ineligible to apply for a bull tag ever again.

Those who drew a bull tag prior to Jan. 1, 2026, still are eligible to draw a second bull tag. And those who draw a bull tag after Jan. 1, 2026, will only be able to apply for a cow tag going forward.

This limitation does not apply to the Special Conservation Elk Licenses auctioned and raffled off by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Keystone Elk Country Alliance, respectively.

Fifth, the Game Commission updated the language describing how the drawing is conducted. When the description first was written, paper applications were literally drawn by hand from a rotating barrel. Now, tags are drawn electronically. The change better reflects the existing drawing process.

And finally, the agency officially eliminated the requirement that hunters who draw an elk tag participate in an orientation program. The program no longer is conducted.

The application period for a Pennsylvania elk license, which in recent years has begun in February for licenses awarded in July, is not expected to change. An applicant will need to hold a valid hunting license at the time they apply.

AGRICULTURAL DEER PROGRAM

CHANGES ADOPTED

The Board of Game Commissioners gave final approval to four changes to the agency’s agricultural deer control permit program, which allows farmers to address deer damage through hunters harvesting additional antlerless deer on enrolled farms, and in longer hunting seasons.

The first of the changes will require applicants only to certify they are the owner or lessee of both the agricultural interest adversely affected by deer damage and the hunting rights to be covered by the permit. Previously, to be eligible, applicants had to supply a deed or a lease agreement.

The second change eliminates the rule limiting hunters to getting four “ag tag” permits to harvest antlerless deer for any particular property. A hunter will not be capped at a set number.

The third change lengthens the time period when hunters can harvest antlerless deer with an ag tag, while maintaining a brief closure during the peak of fawning season in spring and early summer. Previously, ag tags could be used only in established periods outside of regular deer hunting seasons. The new framework allows tags to be used during deer seasons, as well, more than doubling the number of days on which tags could be used.

That relates to the fourth change dealing with sporting arms. While lawful rifles would continue to be allowed for ag tag hunting at many times of year, during overlaps with other established deer seasons, hunters will be limited to using the sporting arms allowed in those seasons. When archery season opens, for example, only bows and crossbows can be used for ag tag hunting until the overlap with muzzleloader season.

These changes will take effect when they are published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, which usually takes about six weeks.

Additionally, the board gave preliminary approval to a measure that would allow mentored hunters over 7 years old to purchase ag tags, as well as snow goose conservation permits. That measure will need to be brought back to a second meeting before it is adopted.

Also approved preliminarily were two potential changes to the Agricultural Damage Depredation Permit program, which allows farmers to take wildlife for crop damage.

The board voted preliminarily to remove the requirement affected agricultural lands be enrolled in a two-year public access program and, as with the change for Ag Tag landowners, voted to remove the requirement for applicants to supply a deed for enrolled lands, allowing them to certify their authority instead. These proposals both will need to come back to the board for a second vote.

CERTAIN PGC RANGES COULD ADD STEEL TARGETS

Shooters at certain Game Commission ranges might start hearing a new sound ringing out aside from gunshots: the accuracy-confirming ping of a bullet hitting a steel target downrange.

A measure adopted by the Board of Commissioners today will allow the Game Commission to add steel targets to some of its rifle and handgun ranges in the future, providing shooters with the benefit of near-instant, audible responses to confirm accurate hits. At the same time, the Game Commission expects the addition of steel targets at designated ranges, especially long-distance ranges, to eliminate or substantially reduce safety risks and range downtime associated with a shooter traveling downrange to check targets for hits.

The installation of steel targets could save money in the long run, too. While the targets will be more expensive than the permanent backboard-style targets in place now, they will reduce target maintenance and cleanup costs associated with paper targets and backboards.

Only steel targets placed and mounted by the Game Commission will be allowed. Shooters will not be permitted to bring their own steel targets to ranges.

SOME HUNTERS CLEARED TO HOLD MORE TAGS

Hunters in Wildlife Management Units 5C and 5D will be able to hold more antlerless licenses at the same time.

The Board of Commissioners today increased the number of antlerless licenses a hunter simultaneously can hold for those WMUs.

Hunters statewide now have a personal limit that allows them to hold six active antlerless licenses at a time. With the change adopted today, that number will increase to 15 in WMUs 5C and 5D.

The change will be in place when 2025-26 hunting licenses go on sale in June.

In all WMUs, hunters still will have the opportunity to obtain additional antlerless licenses, if they remain available, to return to their personal limit as they fill and report harvests.

With the change, hunters will have more freedom to harvest additional antlerless deer when opportunity presents in areas of the state where it is needed the most.

GLEN ONOKO EXCHANGE AMONG TRANSACTIONS APPROVED

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today approved five land acquisitions that collectively would add more than 635 acres to state game lands.

But the board’s approval of a proposed land exchange between the Game Commission and state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) might draw even bigger interest.

Based on the deal, DCNR would transfer to the Game Commission roughly 368 acres in Lehigh Township, Carbon County, adjoining State Game Lands 141, as well as nearly 6 acres in Pine Township, Crawford County, adjoining State Game Lands 214.

The Game Commission, in turn, would transfer about 495 acres of State Game Lands 141 in Nesquehoning Township, Carbon County. This tract includes Glen Onoko Falls, a popular destination for hikers before trails there were closed due to dangerous conditions and recurring serious injuries that created a challenge for emergency response.

DCNR plans to improve the trails at this site, and reopen the area to the public – something the Game Commission, with its mission of managing and protecting wildlife and its habitats – would be unable to do.

Meanwhile, the nearby parcel the Game Commission would receive, which now is part of Lehigh Gorge State Park and an indenture into State Game Lands 141, offers what the agency believes are better hunting opportunities and manageable habitats as opposed to the steep slopes around Glen Onoko. The other acreage the Game Commission would receive, while small, is important as it’s immediately adjacent to the Game Commission’s planned Pymatuning Wildlife Learning Center, and it would make the entirety of Ford Island manageable by the Game Commission as a part of State Game Lands 214.

For all of those reasons, the Game Commission believes this exchange would benefit the agency, as well as hunters, trappers and wildlife. DCNR recognizes that hunters play a critical role in Pennsylvania’s conservation efforts and about 80% of the 300,000 acres of state parks are open to hunting and nearly all of the 2.2 million acres of state forestlands are open to hunting.

Although approved by the board, the exchange is not final. Legislation must be passed to complete the exchange.

One other exchange was approved by the board. In that deal, Houtzdale Municipal Authority would give up about 45 acres in Rush Township, Centre County, adjoining State Game Lands 60, and the Game Commission would transfer about 45 acres of the existing game lands.