Pennsylvania: Game Commission Attempting to Change Mentored Youth Hunting Policies

As previously reported, the Pennsylvania Game Commission met January 25-27 to consider proposals to eliminate deer and wild turkey from the list of species mentored youth hunters under the age of 9 can pursue.  While, fortunately, the Game Commission opted not to accept this proposal, they did approve a restriction on mentored hunting involving participants under the age of 7 at their meeting yesterday.  The new proposal, which will be considered again for final approval at the April Game Commission meeting, would require mentored hunters under the age of 7 to share a tag with their mentor for deer or wild turkey. 

This proposal will be problematic for mentors who mentor multiple participants and have to utilize their own tags for their youth hunter mentees.  Further, the Game Commission has failed to show evidence that the current mentored youth hunting program has any flaws or problems.  

The mentored hunting license program is meant to remove barriers and create opportunities for newcomers to hunting.  This new proposal simply creates more barriers, without showing proof that a problem exists.  NRA encourages the Commissioners to reconsider their actions at their April meeting and to leave the program intact. 

Please contact [email protected] and urge the Game Commission to oppose this proposed rulemaking.