Barraged by outraged hikers, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is backing off plans to require free permits and bar trekking during hunting seasons - at least for now.

Game Commission executive board President Robert W. Schlemmer said Thursday that the agenda item proposing the permit and hiking restrictions is being deleted from the board's Jan. 27 meeting agenda.

The permit would have been free, and required of those who do not have hunting or fur taking licenses.

Hiking would have been limited to Sundays only during spring and fall hunting seasons. Pennsylvania does not allow hunting on Sundays.

The proposals drew ire from local hikers who enjoy trekking the game lands trails, including the popular Glen Onoko falls in Carbon County.

Schlemmer said the board received hundreds of public comments about the proposal and wants to allow more time to properly consult with hunters, conservation partners and elected officials about it.

The board will meet for three days, from Jan. 25 through Jan. 27, at its offices in Harrisburg.

The agenda is available by visiting the commission's website,

www.pgc.state.pa.us, and clicking on "Meetings of the board and other special events" on the right hand side of the home page."The Appalachian Mountain Club commends the board of the Pennsylvania Game Commission for listening to the public and deciding not move forward with a proposal to ban hiking during hunting seasons on state game lands. The hiking community is ready to sit down with the Game Commission today."The Commission should outline their concerns and the rationale for proposing a seasonal ban on hiking, so that we can offer reasonable solutions. We have not seen any justification for the proposed hiking ban to-date," said Mark Zakutansky, who is the Appalachian Mountain Club's Mid-Atlantic Policy Manager."Hikers and the non-hunting community continue to oppose the free permit system as proposed, as it would only be obtainable in-person at one of seven Game Commission offices. For visitors and tourists, looking for a day-hike or memorable experience in the outdoors, it will not be easy to obtain a permit for hiking, unless it is available from a self-service kiosk at Game Commission parking lots and trail heads," he said."We look forward to hikers and non-hunters being better represented in land management decisions by the Pennsylvania Game Commission."The Appalachian Mountain Club encourages the Commission to establish an advisory committee with representatives of non-hunting user groups to develop recommendations on non-hunting resource management," Zakutansky said.