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A coalition of hunters and businesses across the state is supporting legislation aimed at changing the opening day of deer season back to Monday.
Pennsylvania has opened its rifle deer season on the Monday after Thanksgiving for over 60 years, that is until 2019. The Pennsylvania Game Commission moved the opener two days earlier. To those not familiar with Pennsylvania's hunting culture, the change would seem innocuous, but it has turned out to be anything but.
State Rep. Brian Smith, R-Punxsutawney, recently announced plans to introduce legislation soon to amend Title 34 and reinstate the Monday rifle deer opener. He is circulating a co-sponsor memorandum and reports strong interest from fellow legislators.
The move to Saturday was strongly opposed when implemented, and continues to be hotly contested after four years. State Rep. Smith has been contacted by many businesses, volunteer organizations and hunters as well since the change, and we applaud him for taking action to correct the mistake that was made.
The change created an enormous financial impact to small businesses across the state that previously relied on the boost from hunters during the weekend (Black Friday and Small Business Saturday) leading up to the Monday opener. With hunters in the woods almost immediately after Thanksgiving, no longer were they patronizing businesses or even fundraisers held by volunteer fire departments and churches. What was once a huge revenue boost for many small communities had dwindled.
Smith's proposal to move the start day back to Monday carries with it the addition of a second Sunday to create a 14-day continuous rifle deer season starting on the Monday, this affords four weekend days the same as the Saturday opener now provides. The season length remains the same - 14 days - as do the number of weekend days under Smith's proposal. Representative Smith also identifies the Saturday opener took away family time with hunters having to leave immediately after Thanksgiving. As he states in his co-sponsor memo, it's time to "bring back the harmony between hunting season and the success of small businesses during the weekend after Thanksgiving."
Two groups founded by us see the Monday opener as the only logical decision when all aspects are considered. They started a Facebook group earlier this year which is now supporting this legislation. 'Pennsylvania Hunters Against the Saturday Deer Opener' has grown to nearly 4,000 members within the last month. They also have a coalition started that only requires an email to rsantucci2022@gmail.com or ddavila2112@gmail.com to be included.
The Monday opener was fine for 60 years, no one asked that it be changed and the detriments are significant. Please ask your local state Representative to support Rep. Smith's bill to restore the Monday opener of deer season.
Randy Santucci and Dan Davila are spearheading an initiative to re-implement the Monday opening day to deer season.