Sixty percent of Pennsylvania deer hunters support a Saturday-after-Thanksgiving start to the firearms deer season, while another 12 percent have no preference between a Saturday or Monday opener, and 27 percent oppose a Saturday opener, based on recent survey results presented to the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners.

Pennsylvania in 2019 shifted the opening day of firearms deer season, which for decades began on the Monday after Thanksgiving, to begin the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The past two firearms deer seasons opened on Saturday.

The move was welcomed warmly by hunters who otherwise would have missed the opener due to work or school obligations, but now could participate. Others - especially if they travel to camp to hunt - said they liked the traditional Monday start better.

The Game Commission in 2021 contracted with Responsive Management, a Virginia-based survey research firm specializing in natural resource and outdoor recreation issues, to conduct a telephone survey of Pennsylvania deer hunters to better know their opinions about the opening day of deer season.

As a condition of taking the survey, hunters had to have hunted at least once during the firearms deer season in 2017 and 2018, when the opening day was the Monday after Thanksgiving, and at least once during the 2019, 2020 or 2021 firearms deer seasons, all of which opened on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. That ensured those surveyed had the opportunity to hunt both on Monday openers and Saturday openers at some point in the past five years, providing insight into how the change in the opening day might have impacted their hunting participation and attitudes.

In all, 2,009 resident Pennsylvania deer hunters 18 years old or older were surveyed, resulting in a minimum 95 percent level of confidence.

The full report is available to view at the Game Commissions’ website www.pgc.pa.gov, under the “Quick Clicks” tab.

The survey allowed researchers to learn more about the hunters who responded, and what characteristics helped shape their opinions about the opening day of firearms deer season. For instance, support for a Saturday opener is higher among those 54 and younger. Support also is higher among those who have a child who hunts as opposed to those who don’t.

The top reasons cited by hunters who support a Saturday opener are that they work on Monday, that a Saturday opener provides increased hunting opportunities for themselves and others, and convenience with their child’s school schedule.

Conversely, opposition to the Saturday opener is higher among hunters 55 and older, and among those who hunted from a hunting camp on opening day, compared to those who did not.

The most common reasons stated by those who oppose the Saturday opener are that the Monday opener was consistent with tradition, and their set up and enjoyment of hunting camp was rushed with the earlier start date.

The results of the study on the Saturday opener are consistent with a separate study performed by the Game Commission that looked into “lapsed hunters,” meaning those who stopped purchasing licenses for a one year or more, but bought a hunting license in 2020.

That study found that those who returned to hunting in 2020 said the Saturday opener had a positive impact on their decision to buy a license.