Votes at a glance: Game Commission adopts mentored-hunting change and approves several land transactions
September 06, 2025 | Game Commission, TOURISM & RECREATION, Executive Departments, Organizations, Executive, Pennsylvania
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
The Pennsylvania Game Commission took a series of votes on Sept. 5, 2025, approving a mentored-hunting regulatory change and several land-acquisition and housekeeping items.
Key outcomes included the board’s approval (6–3) of a proposal to amend section 147.804 to allow mentored youth under age 7 at the time of application to receive big-game harvest tags with their mentored permit; the change requires a second adoption vote before it becomes final.
Other actions taken by the commission during the meeting included:
- Approval of a housekeeping amendment to remove redundant language that prohibited use or possession of more than four agricultural deer-control permits in a permit year (amendment to section 147.559). Staff characterized this as a clarifying fix to previously adopted text.
- Designation of State Game Land (SGL) 339 (roughly 17.88 acres in Philadelphia County) as a special wildlife management area to support controlled archery hunts and structured access.
- Acceptance of a donation offer from The Nature Conservancy of approximately 390.3 acres adjacent to State Game Land 119 in Luzerne County, contingent on DCNR grant approvals; staff said the donation would secure access to roughly 2,400 acres of previously inaccessible lands.
- A motion to table one proposed acquisition was approved at staff request; staff said additional work remained before finalization.
- Approval to acquire subsurface oil, gas and mineral interests (about 1,340 acres of subsurface estate) under State Game Land 143 for a lump-sum option of $469,000 to give the commission greater control over future development affecting game-land habitat.
- Approval of a land exchange with Donna and Ray Reed (roughly 6 acres conveyed to the commission in exchange for approximately 2 acres of SGL 92), a land exchange involving Flickerville Cross of Fulton County Foundation (16 acres to the foundation, 140 acres to the commission; the foundation contributed $31,200 toward the $275,000 option price), and an exchange with PPL Electric Utilities (36 acres to the commission in exchange for a 2.88-acre nonexclusive right of way on SGL 207).
Board minutes for the July 28, 2025 meeting were approved at the start of the session. The meeting closed with routine new-business items and board acknowledgments, including recognition of Jason Dacascos for long service with the Bureau of Wildlife Protection.
Where a roll call or tally was recorded the clerk’s announcements are reflected above; where the transcript reports only “motion carries” the board recorded passage but no roll-call tallies were provided in the hearing record.
Key outcomes included the board’s approval (6–3) of a proposal to amend section 147.804 to allow mentored youth under age 7 at the time of application to receive big-game harvest tags with their mentored permit; the change requires a second adoption vote before it becomes final.
Other actions taken by the commission during the meeting included:
- Approval of a housekeeping amendment to remove redundant language that prohibited use or possession of more than four agricultural deer-control permits in a permit year (amendment to section 147.559). Staff characterized this as a clarifying fix to previously adopted text.
- Designation of State Game Land (SGL) 339 (roughly 17.88 acres in Philadelphia County) as a special wildlife management area to support controlled archery hunts and structured access.
- Acceptance of a donation offer from The Nature Conservancy of approximately 390.3 acres adjacent to State Game Land 119 in Luzerne County, contingent on DCNR grant approvals; staff said the donation would secure access to roughly 2,400 acres of previously inaccessible lands.
- A motion to table one proposed acquisition was approved at staff request; staff said additional work remained before finalization.
- Approval to acquire subsurface oil, gas and mineral interests (about 1,340 acres of subsurface estate) under State Game Land 143 for a lump-sum option of $469,000 to give the commission greater control over future development affecting game-land habitat.
- Approval of a land exchange with Donna and Ray Reed (roughly 6 acres conveyed to the commission in exchange for approximately 2 acres of SGL 92), a land exchange involving Flickerville Cross of Fulton County Foundation (16 acres to the foundation, 140 acres to the commission; the foundation contributed $31,200 toward the $275,000 option price), and an exchange with PPL Electric Utilities (36 acres to the commission in exchange for a 2.88-acre nonexclusive right of way on SGL 207).
Board minutes for the July 28, 2025 meeting were approved at the start of the session. The meeting closed with routine new-business items and board acknowledgments, including recognition of Jason Dacascos for long service with the Bureau of Wildlife Protection.
Where a roll call or tally was recorded the clerk’s announcements are reflected above; where the transcript reports only “motion carries” the board recorded passage but no roll-call tallies were provided in the hearing record.
View the Full Meeting & All Its Details
This article offers just a summary. Unlock complete video, transcripts, and insights as a Founder Member.
✓
Watch full, unedited meeting videos
✓
Search every word spoken in unlimited transcripts
✓
AI summaries & real-time alerts (all government levels)
✓
Permanent access to expanding government content
30-day money-back guarantee
