Pa. deer hunting opening day moving to Saturday from Monday

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Deer-hunting season in Pennsylvania will be starting on a Saturday rather than a Monday beginning next season.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission voted 5-3 today to move opening day of deer rifle season to the first Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Rifle season for hunting deer in Pennsylvania has kicked off the Monday after Thanksgiving since 1963. The change expands the firearms season to 13-days, including three Saturdays rather than two.

Supporters hope a Saturday opening will bring back people struggling to find time to hunt and help high-school and college hunters who don’t get opening day off from school.

Opponents said the change would interfere with hunting-camp traditions and complicate travel during the Thanksgiving weekend.

To accommodate the expanded deer season, the late November turkey hunting season has been reduced by two days.