EP. 110: Copper Shot, USFWS Memo & the Future of Waterfowl Ammo with Ben Meyers

Pennsylvania released the final 2026-2027 migratory game bird seasons on May 28th.

I'm gonna get my reading glasses on.

I'm just gonna read this for you so I don't screw it up.

Didn't exactly turn out how a lot of us were hoping with the Sunday hunting that was implemented for just about every other hunting season except for migratory birds.

Anyway, there's two significant changes to Pennsylvania waterfowl seasons this year.

First, in the Atlantic population zone in southeastern Pennsylvania, the length of the regular Canada goose season has increased from 30 days to 45 days, and the daily bag limit has increased from one bird to three birds.

Second change, the start and end dates of the light goose regular season in both goose zones have shifted later, and a decision on whether a conservation season will be held will be made at a later date.

Other migratory game bird seasons are similar to last year's season.

This includes Sundays remaining closed to migratory game bird hunting in the 2026-2027 season.

Under federal frameworks, Pennsylvania migratory game bird hunters will continue to have the same total number of hunting days for each species as hunters in Atlantic Flyway states that do allow Sunday hunting for migratory game birds.

See, th- this is the thing that's confusing me, because Pennsylvania Game Commission continues to double down on this confusing language.

We get 60 days.

It doesn't matter if there's Sunday hunting in there or not Sunday hunting in there.

You get 60 days, and they kind of-- I, I'd have to go back and read.

I mentioned it on a previous episode where they said a-- They used the language like adding Sundays would result in a shorter season or something along those lines, which technically, yesIf your season was to go to a Wednesday, whatever the end of the 60 days was, and you added Sundays and that bumped it back, yes, technically that season length would be shortened.

And I don't know why they're doing that.

I don't know if there's somebody that's against the Sunday hunting that's involved in that.

And I have no proof of that.

So I'm not making any accusations.

It's just very strange.

And I didn't even catch this earlier.

I'm glad I didn't because I get a chance to bring it up now.

But Pennsylvania migratory game bird hunters will continue to have the same total number of hunting days for each species as hunters in Atlantic Flyway states that do allow Sunday hunting for migratory birds.

No kidding.

Like, I don't understand what they're doing here.