It is no secret that crop damage is a leading reason for landowners to allow hunters’ access to their property. Unfortunately, it is equally well known how difficult it can be for hunters to connect with willing landowners. Even landowners with a long history of problems are reluctant to welcome strangers onto their property, especially if they have experienced issues in the past. Now, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is trying to bridge that gap.

When I was growing up, almost any farmer whose door you knocked on would allow at least some hunting access. It might be after opening day, when they and their family would fill some tags, but access was available nonetheless; over time, that was lost. Some was due to conflicts, some was due to changes in attitude towards hunting, but a lot was due to loss of communication.

As the years passed, hunters and landowners drifted apart. Hunters were traveling farther, so these farms were not neighbors. Many stopped knocking on doors in June and arrived on Opening Day ready to go, looking for permission. Doors were unanswered, but landowners were still looking for hunters they could trust to help with deer management.

This year, the Pennsylvania Game Commission will be testing a pilot program to help bridge that gap. It will provide a connection between landowners and hunters, while ensuring each is providing what the other desires. Hunters receive access to heavily populated property, and landowners receive law-abiding hunters capable of making clean, ethical harvests. Welcome to the Certified Hunter Program.

¯ Landowner benefits:

— Connection with PGC Certified Hunters

— Increased antlerless deer harvest to assist with decreasing crop damage

— PGC liaison

— Ability to create a custom property guide, including property information, hunt plans, and rules

— Annual harvest reports for their property

— Ability to provide feedback and suggestions to improve the program

¯ Hunter Requirements:

— Be at least 18 years of age

— Have held a PA Hunting License for 4 of the last 5 years

— Passed a THE Class

— No wildlife or game code violations in the last 3 years. No major violations in the previous 10 years

— Pass a criminal background check, which may involve being fingerprinted

— Pass a written exam

— Pass a shooting proficiency test

— Agree to abide by the Certified Hunting Program Agreement

¯ How to become a Certified Hunter

As I said earlier, the program is currently in its pilot phase and is only available in the Southwest Region. During the pilot program, priority will be given to applicants who reside in this area and agree to hunt local enrolled properties. However, depending upon the program’s success, the Game Commission expects to expand the program across the states in the coming seasons. In the meantime, interested hunters from other regions should familiarize themselves with the program requirements and ensure they hone their skills where necessary.

Complete program requirements and information regarding the written exam and shooting proficiency test can be found on the PA Game Commission’s website at https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pgc/habitat-management/landowner-assistance/certified-hunter-program. You can also contact the Landowner Engagement & Hunting Access Manager via email or by telephone at (570)985-3843.