Phil Levandoski and Dennis Grimes are both members of the Luzerne County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, yet they each share a drastically different view when it comes to the opening day of deer season.
Levandoski, who is also a member of the Nanticoke Conservation Club, believes the Pennsylvania Game Commission should go back to the Monday opener and said he misses the tradition of the day.
Grimes, who is president of the county federation, likes having the opening day on the Saturday after Thanksgiving because he feels it gives more hunters flexibility to hit the woods.
Ever since the PGC changed to a Saturday deer season opener last fall, opinions have been split on the issue and debate has continued. Now, the discussion on opening day will head to the legislature when the House Game and Fisheries Committee holds a public hearing on the matter on Feb. 20.
The hearing, which will be held in Washington County, was scheduled by state Rep. Bud Cook, R-49. He wanted to get both sides of the issue after his office received many comments from hunters — and most supported the Monday opener, according to Cook.
Scheduled to testify at the hearing are PGC Executive Director Bryan Burhans, Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania regional director Randy Santucci and Harold Daub, executive director of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists.
While Cook, who is a hunter, is looking forward to hearing both sides of the issue, he has been a supporter of the Monday opening day. He urged hunters who can’t attend the hearing to contact their legislators to let them know how they feel about the issue.
Last year Cook introduced an amendment to the Sunday hunting bill to make the first Monday after Thanksgiving the start of deer season. The amendment was removed, he said, in exchange for the upcoming hearing, but Cook didn’t rule out another attempt to bring the Monday opener back.
“We can legislate it or the Game Commission can move it back,” he said. “This hearing starts the conversation.”
Cook said he opposes the Saturday opener not only from the hunters’ perspective, but from an economic standpoint as well. As secretary of the Tourism and Recreational Development Committee, Cook said the Saturday opener hurt businesses that relied on revenue from hunters during the weekend after Thanksgiving.
“For years, everyone celebrated Thanksgiving on Thursday, traveled to camp on Friday and spent Saturday and Sunday patronizing businesses getting ready for Monday,” he said. “Losing that weekend, the impact it had on travel and tourism was huge. It blindsided a lot of businesses, including restaurants, hotels and grocery stores.”
State Rep. Gerald Mullery, D-119, Newport Twp., is the Democratic Vice Chair of the Game and Fisheries Committee and he supports the Saturday opener. While Mullery won’t be able to attend the hearing due to family obligations, he is interested to find out what both sides have to say.
Locally, Mullery said he has received a handful of comments from constituents on the opening day and the feedback was split. But he said his office received approximately 60 emails from hunters across the state, and all were opposed to the Saturday start.
While last year was the first experience for hunters with the Saturday opener, Mullery believes it was a success. The PGC recently released figures that showed hunting license sales increased by .4% in 2019, and Mullery would like to see the agency stay the course with the Saturday deer season opener.
“Give it more time and see if it’s creating more interest in the sport,” he said. “It appears to have been positively received, and it can always be re-visited if it doesn’t work.”
When it comes to the economic impact on businesses mentioned by Cook, Mullery said the financial pain would be worse if hunters continue to drop out of the sport.
“The negative economic impact could be short-term and even reversed just by having more people hunting in the long-term,” he said.
Still, it’s the long-term of the sport that has Levandoski concerned about the Saturday opener and other changes proposed by the PGC, such as making the entire 14-day firearms season concurrent for buck and doe.
More opportunity is one thing, he said, but if it results in a significant reduction in deer numbers then hunters will drop out.
“If all of these things mean a smaller deer herd in a few years, people will quit. Hunters, especially younger people, want to see deer when they’re out there,” Levandoski said.
Grimes cautioned that it’s important to put personal feelings aside and embrace changes that expand opportunities for all hunters.
“We need to not be afraid to try new ways to make hunting more accessible for new hunters,” he said.
- This story originally appeared in The Citizens’ Voice newspaper.
How long can people beat this dead horse? I grew up in PA and deer hunted beginning in 1964 shortly after the season opener was switched to Monday. Never made any sense at all to me having the opening on the Monday after Thanksgiving but we went along with the program. Years ago small towns like Tidioute in Warren County were bustling with hundreds of hunters over the weekend prior to the season. The number of hunters roaming the streets of Tidioute and other rural communities has seen a steady decline over the years for whatever the reason. The economic loss that people say was caused by the Saturday opener is like not as significant as one one expect. Now, the state needs to get with the times and allow big and small game hunting like the rest of the country.
I feel that it gives everyone a better opportunity to get a start on hunting. Some people can’t get off work on the first day. They always make it about revenue.
Keep Saturday as opener and add that Sunday too. As for not seeing deer. Thats because deer have moved into areas which allow no hunting. Take a drive in Bucks County. You cant drive down many roads with out literally reaching out your window and touching a deer.
Saturday . Sunday. And Monday. Only way to go. More shopping more motel stays. More people eating out. More people from out of state spending money
I didn’t see an increase of hunters in area that I hunt. The CWD and complications of taking care of animal after harvesting make it hard on out of area hunters. There are not a lot of processors in northern 2e. There were more bear hunters than deer hunters. I’m not sure if I like this early open or not.
I am all for the Saturday first day I will say one thing that if it goes back to Monday the first day I know five people will not be buying license in pa again and two of them were out of state hunters.
I personally think we need to drastically increase the price for out of state sales. One of the changes I would def. Make.
I would go to the Monday opener again but make the first weekend Saturday and Sunday. Could be good for the business, and more time for the hunters. Win for everyone! I would still do buck only statewide for the first week. Go with the first Saturday through to last saturday either anterless or antlers. I believe these changes would be a nice compromise for everyone. Plus going back to only two saturdays I believe will help the deer heard numbers from being to drastically hurt.
I am totally not in favor of the Saturday opener not only because of traditions but that economical value that it has hurt some of the areas and also they said for young people to get out I don’t believe if they’re in sports that is a huge weekend for families to get together then on the concurrent Buck doe situation I believe it is too unsafe and there will be more crippled deer people just randomly shoot and hope they hit something he should have to hit shoot your first one and tag it then go for your other hunting isn’t all killing and being greedy
Leave it to Monday after Thanksgiving, and put 2 Sunday’s in rifle season!!!
So why don’t they have meetings on Saturdays when working ppl can go and not just the chosen few and the retired ppl
Return to Monday opener, great family weekend gets lost with a Saturday opener. Allow Sunday hunting on the first weekend of rifle season. Keep first week just antlered deer with the Saturday beginning of concurrent doe and buck.
I want to see the numbers of hunters quitting and the revenue decrease verses the revenue decreases and increases with the first day on Saturday.
Saturday doesnt leave time enough from thanksgiving to saturday to get to camp.
I like the Saturday opener because a lot of people don’t get Monday off work ! Do to there lack of seniority and work schedules ! If they want to keep Monday as the opener they should make Monday a mandatory holiday for all
PGC, please reconsider going back to the Monday opener. Speaking for myself, and others in my position, it is not good for business or those with camps. I, for one, used to get up to camp on Friday night or early Saturday. Stop at local business’, catch up with my neighbors. Maybe small game hunt and get my stand and camp ready for Monday. Now we have to rush to camp after Thanksgiving, thus bypassing the activities mentioned. A good and common sense solution would be to open on Monday, and then have the two Sundays open. This way, we would have two consecutive weeks to hunt deer. Thus giving more hunters more time to hunt.
The deer population in Pike County appears to be less. Go back to antlered for two weeks followed by a three day doe season.Why make it as it’s called by some
Brown and Down.
So hunters only buy supplies if it’s the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after Thanksgiving?? Reguardless of opening day, hunters still need to buy their suplies…… I dont really care if opening day is Saturday or Monday, but let’s quit using loss of business as a reason, the only difference I see is hunters cant come into camp and drink all weekend before they go hunting Monday morning………
So true
The Sat opener WS great gives more people the chance to hunt
the argument is from camp owners that don’t like a Saturday opener how many camp owners are there versus hunters who hunt from there cars or hotels the camps are a small percentage you have hundreds of thousands of hunters who don’t have camps don’t tell me the camps spend more money then the non camp owners most if not all camp owners buy all food and drink at home before they leave for camp the bars are the ones that lose out on the drinking money and maybe a burger its not hard to get a total number of camps a very small number overall
Move opening day back to Monday
I would really like to see someone go out to Game Lands 57 and do a study/story on the deer population out there. This area does not need any extra days of hunting or any doe taken from those Gamelands at all. There is literally hardly anything left up there.
Hurts the kids with a Sat opener. Many kids who have school projects or sports cannot miss to go hunting. Many fathers who work on Sat will not be able to take off work to take the kids hunting, most people have Monday off work to hunt and take kids who also have the monday off.
I would like to thank the Game Commission for moving the start to deer season to Saturday, For the fist time in 20 years we had 4 generations on hunters in camp on the opener. We all still went out to eat on Saturday night in town we all still went to Walmart on Friday night to get the supplies for the stay. The only thing that did change was we made time to go up a few weekends early to do what we would do on Saturday when we could not hunt, Oh and by the way we went to dinner both nights on that trip which we would not normally be there then, My Dad and I bought the camp after many year missing the comradery and found most of the family could not get away for the opener not like when I was a kid and half of PA shut down for deer opener. so in my opinion this was a great move and will put Families back together, If it continues we will be leaving right after dinner on Thursday and town will see us twice for dinner instead of once,
Thank you again
bob Arnot
I want it back to Monday
Took away all traditions, hurt business all for a 4 percent increase in sales? Yes it gave a few people some time to hunt but that few sacrifices the whole who truly care for the sport!
Tradition is no reason to be against a Saturday opener. The only hunters who really oppose it are old timers that only have a few years left to hunt, opening on Saturday provides more opportunities for younger hunters to get out, the next generation that doesnt have the luxury of working Monday to Friday, the people who dont get the luxury to have off work on Monday, reality is the tradition of hunting camps in PA is all but dead. Many hunters don’t have camps to go to they simply hunt public access areas, the guys complaining about tradition who have their hunting camps on their private property do not have to change their traditions at all if they wanna leave for camp friday and go to local businesses over the weekend and start monday as they have for years that’s solely on them, and others namely the future of the sport should not be forced to suffer missed opportunities to appease those who fear change. If the state doesnt allow the next generation the opportunity to enjoy the sport we might aswell begin to disband the PGC because the sport is going to die with the old time traditionalists.
I talked with a lot of hunters about the Saturday start. Most where not Happy about it including me. We hunted small game on Saturday, sighted in guns Sunday Not now.
Also why can’t you put bear season and deer together because the deer are spooked from all the bear hunters.
I talked to a lot of people that were really happy about sat hunting and so am i.you have all year to sight your gun in why wait till a
day before you hunt?
Monday opener is a tradition a lot of experienced for years. Being at camp with family and friends and preparing for the Monday hunt was something that more then the majority of Pennsylvania hunters cherished every year. Local businesses in the mountains thrived that weekend. Please reconsider and return opening day to Monday we’re it truly belongs..
After 45 years of not missing an opener, the change made me miss and not buy a nr license. Killed the tradition of 2 days in camp preparing, visiting other camps, going to shoots, church dinners outfitters etc. . Ruined a decades long tradition. Horrible. Turned a great hunt expierence into a bum rush like the rest of todays society.
I say, what was good, won’t last. FIX IT!!!
As a very very Avid lifelong Hunter. I believe 14 days of doe hunting is going to reduce the deer herd immensely. That’s what caused the original decrease in license sales and hunters in the woods. I heard it myself from lots of people they were tired of going out and not seeing anything. Every doe that is shot is multiple deer removed from future deer herds. Every buck that is shot is just one deer removed from all future herds. Why not offer to Buck tags a year to Hunters. That could generate more license sales but not effect the deer herd nearly as much.
As an avid lifelong Pennsylvania Deer Hunter, I believe that 14 days of doe hunting is going to reduce the herd immensely. That was what caused a decrease in license sales and interest in hunting in the first place. I heard it myself from a lot of people oh, they were tired of going out in the woods and not seeing anything anymore. Every doe that is shot is exponentially more deer removed from all future deer herds. Every buck that is shot is only one deer removed from all future deer herds. Why not offer two Buck tags per Hunter per license year. That would generate more money and potentially more license sales and not affect the deer herd numbers nearly as much.
Start with changing the 3 points to 4 on one side, and bring back Monday as the opener and open Sunday up to hunting
I seriously think that a survey should go out to all sportsmen and let the survey be considered a vote. Then the Game Commission can take their thoughts from that point on. I hear nothing but names being mentioned that has no bearing on all sportsmen. Let the vote decide.
I took my son hunting when he turned 12. We hunted for 2 years before he lost interest. We hunted hard, not much sign, and no deer. He’s lost interest for good. Your license numbers will continue to decline unless you start taking reasonable steps to manage wildlife and stop pandering to a select few. I lost a lifetime hunting with my son because he wasn’t afforded the same opportunity as I was when I started hunting. I started hunting in the the exact same woods as did my son. The difference was the mass slaughter of the deer population that took place 10-15 years before he started hunting.
Ditto
I AM FOR THE RETURN OF MONDAY HUNTING. OUR CAMP OF 20 ALL HATED THE CHANGE. WE AGREED AND FEEL THE PAIN OF THE LOSS OF REVENUE BY THE MA AND PA COMPANYS AND ALL OF THAT. BUT THE TRADITIONS OF DEER SEASON AND FRIENDSHIPS ESTABLISHED IS WHY MOST OF US ARE THERE. HARVESTING THE GAME IS A BONUS. WE ALL WANT TO DO THAT BUT IT IS JUST PART OF THE HUNT. IT’S THE PEOPLE YOU LIVE WITH, EAT WITH, LAUGH WITH, TELL STORIES WITH, AND HUNT WITH, THAT MAKE THE EXPERIENCE. IT IS NOT A GOOD TIME TO RUSH INTO CAMP AND RUSH TO GET SETUP , HAVE DINNER AND GET READY FOR THE NEXT DAYS HUNT. WHERE
IS THE CAMP FIRE TIME TO CATCH UP WITH FRIENDSFRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS, NOT SEEN FOR A LONG TIME. ALL OF THIS IS DEER SEASON! NOT JUST GOING TO THE CABIN AND KILLING DEER ON SATURDAY. THIS IS WHAT THE SATURDAY HUNT IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS EXPERIENCE. SATURDAY IS JUST FOR KILLING AND MONDAY IS FOR THE EXPERIENCE AND FRIENDSHIP AND CAMARADERIA.
I AM A SHOT COUNTER. I COUNT SHOTS I HEAR FROM SUN UP ON THE FIRST DAY TO SUNSET. I DO THIS FOR THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF HUNTING, MOST OF THE TIME. I DOCUMENT THIS IN MY HUNTING DIARY EACH YEAR. SO HERE ARE SOME INTERESTING FACTS TO THINK ABOUT. WITH NO ANTLER RESTRICTIONS THERE WERE BETWEEN 300 TO 400 SHOTS ON THE FIRST DAY. WITH ANTLER RESTRICTIONS IT DROPPED TO 200 TO 300 SHOTS. WITH THE SATURDAY 2019 HUNTING. THE SHOTS FIRED WERE 66% LESS. SO THERE WAS 33% OF SHOTS FIRED THE PREVIOUS YEAR 2018. SO MUCH FOR ALL THE EXTRA PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HUNT ON SATURDAY.
I AM FOR THE RETURN OF MONDAY HUNTING. OUR CAMP OF 20 ALL HATED THE CHANGE. WE AGREED AND FEEL THE PAIN OF THE LOSS OF REVENUE BY THE MA AND PA COMPANYS AND ALL OF THAT. BUT THE TRADITIONS OF DEER SEASON AND FRIENDSHIPS ESTABLISHED IS WHY MOST OF US ARE THERE. HARVESTING THE GAME IS A BONUS. WE ALL WANT TO DO THAT BUT IT IS JUST PART OF THE HUNT. IT’S THE PEOPLE YOU LIVE WITH, EAT WITH, LAUGH WITH, TELL STORIES WITH, AND HUNT WITH, THAT MAKE THE EXPERIENCE. IT IS NOT A GOOD TIME TO RUSH INTO CAMP AND RUSH TO GET SETUP , HAVE DINNER AND GET READY FOR THE NEXT DAYS HUNT. WHERE
IS THE CAMP FIRE TIME TO CATCH UP WITH FRIENDSFRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS, NOT SEEN FOR A LONG TIME. ALL OF THIS IS DEER SEASON! NOT JUST GOING TO THE CABIN AND KILLING DEER ON SATURDAY. THIS IS WHAT THE SATURDAY HUNT IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS EXPERIENCE. SATURDAY IS JUST FOR KILLING AND MONDAY IS FOR THE EXPERIENCE AND FRIENDSHIP AND CAMARADERIA.
I AM A SHOT COUNTER. I COUNT SHOTS I HEAR FROM SUN UP ON THE FIRST DAY TO SUNSET. I DO THIS FOR THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF HUNTING, MOST OF THE TIME. I DOCUMENT THIS IN MY HUNTING DIARY EACH YEAR. SO HERE ARE SOME INTERESTING FACTS TO THINK ABOUT. WITH NO ANTLER RESTRICTIONS THERE WERE BETWEEN 300 TO 400 SHOTS ON THE FIRST DAY. WITH ANTLER RESTRICTIONS IT DROPPED TO 200 TO 300 SHOTS. WITH THE SATURDAY 2019 HUNTING. THE SHOTS FIRED WERE 66% LESS. SO THERE WAS 33% OF SHOTS FIRED THE PREVIOUS YEAR 2018. SO MUCH FOR ALL THE EXTRA PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HUNT ON SATURDAY.
Do not like the Saturday opener at all. It ruined a tradition valued by so many hunters in this state, and made the holiday weekend feel rushed. Change back to Monday!
I see both sides of the issue. Alternate years for opener but keep legislators out of wildlife management. Also, if concurrent buck/doe, doe licenses should be cut in half so we don’t go back to what we had before. If cwd areas a concern, keep those doe allocations the same. Herd rebounded when seasons split.
I do not like the Saturday hunt: reason for is it’s been all about the fun time with family and friends . Leaving the day after thanksgiving and making the trip up north and seeing the all the people driving and stopping to have visit the small business on the way up. Stopping to support the local fire departments with a pancake breakfast then going across the road to the local gun shop buying whatever you might forgotten or need. Its about all the good time setting up camp, starting the fire getting the bunks ready. visiting the locals that have been watching your camp when you not there, laughing and having a great time. I can remember sitting around the fire listing to the older hunter telling the big buck stories or how the big one got away. It’s about the traditions witch is becoming a lost art because if you do not take the kids and share all the good time and memories down along the line you will not have to worry about. I hunted in green county the first day of deer I heard 17 shot all day and didn’t see half the hunters that would of on year before.
I main concern would be to worry about would be the cranic waste disease
Please reverse the decision and move the opening day to the Monday after Thanksgiving. In 2f where I hunt big game, I have heard nothing but negativity from the small business owners who have experienced a decrease in sales form the opening date change. I for one bought all my necessary groceries in big box stores the day before Thanksgiving because there was not enough time to shop up north before the opener.