Harrisburg PA, In a sweeping move yesterday, Pennsylvania Game Commission board of commissioners moved to restore the Monday following Thanksgiving as the opening day of rifle deer season after sever backlash from hunters and hunting organizations. Citing similar concerns and pressure, they have also returned to the traditional definitions for antlered deer statewide; removing the “antler restrictions” that have become standard in Pennsylvania since 2002.
In their next meeting in April, the board will also review returning deer season to a one week antlered season and 3 day antlerless season. When asked about the move, one of the commissioners had this to day. “We strive to keep conservation at the forefront of what we do, but also need to take hunter opinion into consideration.”
The Game Commission had a professional survey research firm assess the “buy in” of the Saturday opener. Though hunters preferred the Saturday opener by a 2:1 margin, many were still opposed and were very vocal about the change.
“The squeaky wheel gets the grease” said another commissioner. “We understand conservation and we know hunter sentiments, but the nonstop whining and crying from members of Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania and other hunters who care only about themselves simply wouldn’t stop. We ultimately decided that the screeching and whining of USP members would never go away and than abandoning conservation methods and taking from young student and working hunters to favor the selfish old guys was simply going to have to suffice.”
This controversial move pits the Game Commission against its own biologists, the QDMA and the less vocal majority of hunters in the state.
A member of “Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania” who wished to remain anonymous had this to say –
“We rejected the surveys done by the PGC and independent groups, choosing instead to survey our members and drinking buddies since they are the “real” hunters out there and arrived at the numbers we hoped to see. Our traditions at camp are far more important than giving the video gaming generation more time in the woods and more opportunity to enjoy our sport. The Monday opener ensures that kids and new hunters don’t get first crack at our deer. Now with this move we can get back to sitting at camp drinking all weekend instead of spending so much time at deer camp hunting deer.”
While others were encouraged to look at their calendar, facebook groups nonetheless erupted into debate as to why the game commission would give up all their progress to cave in to clowns like the USP and other hunters who care only about themselves.