Pennsylvania Game Commission to Vote on Possible Hunting Season Changes for 2025

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners will vote on a number of tag and license proposals during its January meeting. (Photo by John Hafner)

Pennsylvania hunters may encounter changes to farm tags and elk licenses in 2025.

According to northcentralpa.com, the state board of Game Commissioners’ Wildlife Management Committee recommended a number of proposals for the 2025-26 hunting and trapping seasons during its last meeting.

The proposals included:

* Expanding “Ag Tag” seasons and making the application process easier

* Increasing the number of antlerless licenses that an individual can be in possession of in Wildlife Management Units 5C and 5D.

* Limiting the number of elk licenses that can be drawn by nonresidents annually

* And requiring hunters to purchase a qualifying Pennsylvania hunting license before applying for an elk license.

As part of the January 2025 meeting agenda, these proposals will be considered by the full Board of Commissioners, but a majority of the board would have to vote twice (first preliminarily, then finally) to adopt any changes.

The following proposals were discussed but not advanced during the January 2025 meeting agenda:

* Creating a general unit antlerless deer license that could be used in multiple Wildlife Management Units

* Establishing an early archery season for antlerless deer

* Allowing any muzzleloading firearm to be used on properties enrolled in the Deer Management Assistance Program during the flintlock deer season

* Allowing fall turkey hunters to use single-projectile flintlock muzzleloaders

* And removing the requirement for mentored youth under 7 years old to receive big-game tags by transfer.

The meeting can be viewed on the Game Commission’s YouTube channel, which can be accessed through www.pa.gov/agencies/pgc.html.

The Wildlife Management Committee was reactivated this fall and tasked with reviewing and recommending proposals to be included on the agenda for the board meeting that will take place in January 24 and 25, 2025. The agenda for that meeting will be posted online prior to the meeting.