Designating December 27 , 2025, as "Pennsylvania Elk Hunt Day" in Pennsylvania.
Summary
House Resolution 356 designates December 27, 2025, as "Pennsylvania Elk Hunt Day" in the Commonwealth. The resolution is largely commemorative and historical in nature: it recites the history of elk in Pennsylvania, including the species’ extinction in the state, later reintroduction efforts by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the development of regulated elk hunting seasons beginning in the early 20th century and resuming in 2001. It also notes the popularity of the current elk hunt, including the large number of applicants competing for a limited number of licenses.
The resolution does not create or amend any regulatory program, hunting rule, or funding mechanism. Its practical effect is to recognize and celebrate Pennsylvania’s elk hunting tradition and to formally honor the opening of the late elk hunting season in 2025. The measure is symbolic, but it may be used by the Commonwealth, the Game Commission, and hunting advocates to promote public awareness of elk conservation, hunting heritage, and wildlife tourism in north-central Pennsylvania.
Impact
HR356 has no direct effect on the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes or the Game Code beyond a ceremonial designation by the House of Representatives. It does not alter elk hunting seasons, license allocations, bag limits, eligibility rules, or wildlife management authority, which remain governed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission and existing law. Its impact is limited to state recognition of a specific date tied to the elk hunting season and to the broader cultural and tourism interests associated with elk in Pennsylvania.
Sentiment
The sentiment around the resolution appears strongly positive and noncontroversial. The bill moved through the House Game and Fisheries Committee unanimously and then passed the House floor by a wide margin, indicating broad bipartisan support for the symbolic recognition of elk hunting. The language of the resolution frames elk hunting as an important part of Pennsylvania’s heritage, and the vote totals suggest that legislators generally viewed the measure as a celebratory acknowledgment rather than a policy dispute.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. The only notable issue is the amendment changing the designated date from November 3 to December 27, 2025, which aligns the resolution with the late elk hunting season rather than the earlier date in the introduced version. Because the resolution is ceremonial, there were no recorded objections about wildlife management, hunting policy, or conservation impacts, and no committee transcript indicates active debate.
Providing for the Pennsylvania Amber Alert System, the Missing Endangered Person Advisory System and the Green Alert System and for duties of the Pennsylvania State Police; assessing costs; providing for immunity and penalties; and making a repeal.
Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study and establish an advisory committee to determine the impact on Pennsylvania taxpayers of Pennsylvania State Police full or partial police services for municipalities that do not maintain full police coverage.
Authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey to Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority certain lands situate in the City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County; authorizing the transfer of an easement interest in lands for a portion of the Project 70 lands owned by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, known as Lake Winola Access, in Overfield Township, Wyoming County, to the Department of Transportation; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, to convey to Tioga County a tract of land, and to accept a tract of land from Tioga County, both tracts being located in Charleston Township, Tioga County; and authorizing the Department of General Services, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with the approval of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Governor, to grant and convey to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, solely for the use of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, a parcel in Lehigh Township, Carbon County, in exchange for a tract partly in Nesquehoning Borough and partly in Lehigh Township, Carbon County, to be conveyed to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, acting by and through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and added to Lehigh Gorge State Park.
In firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for sale or transfer of firearms, for duties of the Pennsylvania State Police and for the offense of altering or obliterating marks of identification and providing for destruction of confiscated or recovered firearms.