Pa. bill would restore decades-old rifle deer season opener tradition

Posted on by

Supporters say the change would help rural economies, while others argue the current Saturday start gives hunters more opportunity.

Author: Sydney Nauman

Published: 9:55 PM EDT March 26, 2026

Updated: 9:55 PM EDT March 26, 2026

Pa. bill would restore decades-old rifle deer season opener tradition | fox43.com

YORK COUNTY, Pa. — A bill in Harrisburg could change the start of Pennsylvania’s rifle deer season.

Senate Bill 1244 would reverse a 2019 decision by the Pennsylvania Game Commission that moved the opening day of the statewide firearms deer season from the first Monday after Thanksgiving to the Saturday after the holiday.

Supporters of the bill say the change is less about wildlife management and more about supporting rural communities and long-standing hunting traditions.

At Big R Bird Ranch in Conewago Township, York County, hunting is more than a pastime for co-owner Eric Rentzel.

“When I was younger, we would go up to the mountains the Friday after Thanksgiving,” Rentzel said. “We’d spend a couple days just doing fun stuff with the whole family and then get ready for Monday morning deer season. It was all a tradition.”

For decades, Pennsylvania’s rifle deer season began the Monday after Thanksgiving, giving hunters the holiday weekend to travel, prepare camps and spend time with family before heading into the woods.

In 2019, the Pennsylvania Game Commission moved the opener to Saturday.

Lifelong hunter Dustin Prievo said the Saturday start has made hunting more accessible for some people.

“What I noticed was there was a group of people that were very excited,” Prievo said. “Because if they didn’t have to take work off Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, they would have that Saturday and that Sunday opportunity to hunt after Thanksgiving.”

Senate Bill 1244, which has bipartisan support, would move the opener back to Monday. State Sen. Gene Yaw, one of the bill’s sponsors, said the proposal is largely about the economic impact on rural communities.

“Those two or three days have absolutely nothing to do with wildlife management, but they have a lot to do with the economics of my constituents and businesses in my district,” Yaw said.

Supporters argue the traditional Monday opener encouraged hunters to spend the entire holiday weekend in rural areas, supporting restaurants, shops and other small businesses.

Prievo said any change to the schedule is likely to divide hunters and communities.

“No matter what you do, somebody’s not going to like it. Somebody’s going to prefer it,” he said.

The debate also comes as Pennsylvania has seen a decline in hunting licenses over the years. Some hunters say maintaining traditions and creating opportunities for younger people to get involved could help sustain the sport.

“Unfortunately, it’s starting to die a little bit with the younger generations,” Rentzel said. “I’d love to see more kids out here doing the same things that I got to do for years.”

Lawmakers will ultimately decide whether to move forward with the legislation, but regardless of the outcome, the Pennsylvania Game Commission would still have final authority over setting deer season dates.

Leave a comment