Upcoming Events
Scroll down for upcoming events unrelated to the Board of Game Commissioners.
Board of Game Commissioners to meet Jan. 26-28, 2020
The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners will hold its first quarterly meeting of 2020, from Jan. 26 through 28 at the agency’s Harrisburg headquarters located at 2001 Elmerton Ave., just off the Progress Avenue exit off Interstate 81 in Harrisburg, Dauphin County. PowerPoint presentations are not permitted during public comment periods.
On Sunday, Jan. 26, beginning at 1 p.m., the commissioners will hear public recommendations for 2020-21 hunting and furtaking seasons and bag limits. Doors will open at noon. Individuals interested in offering public testimony – limited to five minutes – may register on a first-come, first-to-speak basis.
On Monday, Jan. 27, the board will gather any additional public comments and hear Game Commission staff reports beginning at 8:30 a.m. Doors open at 7:45 a.m. Registration for those interested in offering public testimony – limited to five minutes – also will begin at that time.
On Tuesday, Jan. 28, beginning at 8:30 a.m., the board will take up its prepared agenda to, among other initiatives, give preliminary approval to hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits for 2020-21. Doors open at 7:45 a.m.
Antlerless deer license allocations for the 2020-21 seasons will be presented for the board to consider at its meeting in April. Harvest results from the 2019-20 deer seasons generally are announced in mid-March.
Those unable to attend the meeting can watch much of it from home. The meeting is scheduled to be live-streamed beginning Monday morning, immediately following the conclusion of public comments. In addition, the full Board meeting on Tuesday is to be live-streamed beginning at 8:30 a.m. The live stream can be viewed on the agency
YouTube
channelOpens In A New Window.
The agenda for the January meeting will be available here roughly two weeks before the meeting.
Additional Meetings of the Board
The Board of Game Commissioners cancelled two 2019 meetings because neither could be attended by a quorum of game commissioners. The eight-member board has a vacancy in the northwest. Due to schedule conflicts with several other commissioners, there is not a quorum of six commissioners available to attend the working group meeting scheduled for Aug. 19 at the agency's Harrisburg headquarters or the fourth quarterly meeting, scheduled for Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 in Erie. Upcoming meetings are listed below.
Dec. 17, 2019 – Working Group, working group meetings are an opportunity for the Board to hear from staff.
Jan. 26-28, 2020 – Board Meeting
Upcoming Events
Upcoming events on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
Labor Day thru Columbus Day on the elk range (9/2 thru 10/14)
Hands-on Guided Trail Hikes at the Woodring Farm every Friday and Saturday evening at 5p and Sunday morning at 10a. Meet at the trailhead. 2792 Winslow Hill Road, Benezette, PA 15821.
Saturday, October 5; 3p; Elk County
Join Game Commission Chief Marketer and champion turkey caller Matt Morrett to learn about wild turkeys and tips to hunt them. Dents Run Viewing Area,
950 Winslow Hill Rd, Benezette, PA 15821.
Saturday, October 12; 3p; Elk County
Join Game Commission Game Bird Biologist Lisa Williams to learn about ruffed grouse, American woodcock and West Nile Virus in Pennsylvania. Dents Run Viewing Area,
950 Winslow Hill Rd, Benezette, PA 15821.
Sunday, October 13; Game Lands 108 Tour; 12-4p; Cambria County
The Pennsylvania Game Commission Southwest Region is hosting a public tour of State Game Lands 108. State Game Lands 108 encompasses 23,086 acres. This tour will be a 7.5-mile, self-guided, one-way, driving tour and will highlight mountainous terrain and early fall foliage on the Allegheny Front. Items of interest along the tour route include a rehabilitated strip-mined area, which has been converted to small-game habitat. The area also serves as a study area for grassland nesting birds, including the Henslow’s sparrow, a grassland species of special concern. Northern harriers and endangered short-eared owls also inhabit the study area. Also highlighted are tree and shrub identification, wildlife habitat food plots and a deer exclosure fence. Each tour participant will be provided a brochure with directions and information about features along the tour route. The tour begins at the game lands access road three-tenths of a mile north of Frugality, along state Route 53, in White Township. Look for the sign. The tour will conclude on state Route 865, near Blandburg in Reade Township. Pennsylvania Game Commission land management, forestry and law enforcement personnel will be on hand to discuss the various habitat improvement projects on this state game lands and to answer questions. Hope to see you there!
Sunday, October 13; Game Lands 26 Tour; 12-3p; Bedford/Cambria County
Join the Pennsylvania Game Commission Southcentral Region for a public tour of State Game Lands 26. The driving tour starts off Route 869, near the Bedford/Cambria county line and runs seven miles. Contact the Southcentral Region Office for more information at 814-643-1831.
Sunday, October 20; Southeast Game Lands Tours; 9a-3p; Berks & Dauphin counties
The Game Commission Southeast Region will hold the ever-popular driving tours on State Game Lands 211 in Dauphin County and State Game Land 110 in Berks County. The State Game Land 211 Stoney Valley Tour begins at the Ellendale Forge gate, located 6 miles east of Dauphin Borough, along Stoney Valley Road, and ends at the Gold Mine gate. The State Game Land 110 tour begins at the Mountain Road gate approximately 5 miles west of the Borough of Hamburg and ends at the State Route 183 gate, 4 miles north of Strausstown. Game Commission personnel will be stationed along each of the tour routes to provide site specific information and answer questions.
Sunday, October 20; Game Lands 67 Tour; 12-3p; Huntingdon County
Join the Pennsylvania Game Commission Southcentral Region for a public tour of State Game Lands 67.
The driving tour starts off Route 913 between Saxton and Broad Top and runs five miles.
Contact the Southcentral Region Office for more information at 814-643-1831.
Tuesday, Oct. 29, 6 p.m. – Blair County
Join the Pennsylvania Game Commission for an informational presentation on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) at the Hollidaysburg High School, 1510 Montgomery Street, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648. Learn about this deadly brain disease of deer and elk and what you can do to help prevent the spread of CWD in this short, 30-minute presentation, followed by a question and answer session. For more information, please contact the Southcentral Region Office at 814-643-1831.
Other Events
HUNTER-TRAPPER EDUCATION CLASSES; January - November
This six-hour training is required by law for all first-time hunters and trappers before they can buy a license. You must pass a certification exam at the end of the class to complete this training. Check the class calendar to find a course near you. An online course is An
online course is available at any time for those who are at least 16 years old.
FIELD DAYS; Spring & Summer
Field Days introduce participants to outdoor sports such as archery, trapping, and hunting through closely supervised hands-on activities. An adult must accompany all youth participants and can accompany more than one youth. Please ensure that your child meets the age requirements of the
Field Day that you are registering for, as each event is different. If you are interested in hosting a Field Day, please contact
recruitakid@pa.gov.