Pennsylvania launches a groundbreaking program connecting farmers plagued by deer damage with elite hunters who must pass rigorous testing to qualify for privileged access to private lands.
At a Glance
- Pennsylvania Game Commission’s new Certified Hunter Program (CHP) will connect farmers suffering crop damage with verified ethical hunters
- Hunters must pass written exams, shooting proficiency tests, background checks, and maintain clean hunting records to qualify
- Landowners retain full control of their property, creating customized guidelines for hunters through Land Usage Guides
- Program begins in southwest Pennsylvania in August with plans for statewide expansion
- Initiative builds on existing programs while addressing the growing problem of deer overpopulation affecting agriculture
A New Solution for Deer Management
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has unveiled an innovative approach to address the persistent problem of deer overpopulation damaging agricultural lands across the state.
The Certified Hunter Program creates a formal pathway connecting farmers suffering crop damage with hunters who have demonstrated exceptional skill, safety awareness, and ethical standards. The voluntary program establishes a database of qualified hunters who have passed rigorous testing, offering landowners confidence in those they allow onto their property while providing hunters access to previously restricted lands.
“The program is really designed to build upon the current hunter access and Ag Tag (Agricultural Deer Control Permit Program) programs that the PGC currently operates. We’ve found that there’s been a disconnect for these farmers finding qualified hunters to hunt their properties. With the increase of deer damage that these communities are seeing, we thought it was a great opportunity for us to come in there and help build a solution,” said Tyler Strohecker.
Stringent Certification Requirements
The Certified Hunter Program isn’t open to casual hunters. Participants must be at least 18 years old and have purchased a hunting license for four of the past five years. Their hunting record must be unblemished, with no wildlife code violations in the past three years and no major violations in the previous decade. Each candidate must also pass a criminal background check, demonstrating their trustworthiness before gaining access to private agricultural properties.
Beyond background checks, hunters must demonstrate proficiency through both written examinations and practical shooting tests. These tests evaluate their ability to accurately place shots with rifles, shotguns, or bows at specified distances. The comprehensive evaluation ensures that hunters selected for the program possess not only technical skills but also thorough knowledge of relevant regulations, ethical practices, and safety protocols. This multi-faceted screening process creates a pool of elite hunters qualified to assist with targeted deer management.
Landowner Authority and Customized Guidelines
The program maintains a careful balance, providing farmers with deer management assistance while ensuring they retain complete control over their land. Participating landowners work with the Game Commission to create a detailed Land Usage Guide specifying exactly when, where, and how hunting may occur on their property.
This collaborative approach addresses one of the primary concerns that has historically made landowners hesitant to grant hunting access: uncertainty about hunter behavior and respect for property boundaries.
Strategic Implementation and Future Expansion
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has adopted a measured approach to launching the program, beginning with a pilot in the southwest region in August. This strategic implementation allows officials to refine processes before considering statewide expansion. The initial focus on agricultural communities reflects the urgent need to address crop damage, but the structure has been designed with flexibility to potentially include county parks and municipalities facing their own deer management challenges in the future.
“While we hope hunters will take to this and we will have great participation early, we really do want to focus on hunters who have this desire to hunt these properties and harvest antlerless deer. At its core, this is the mission of this program,” stated Tyler Strohecker.
Addressing a Growing Agricultural Challenge
The development of the Certified Hunter Program responds directly to increasing complaints from Pennsylvania’s agricultural community about crop losses due to deer overpopulation. Game Commission Executive Director Stephen Smith has been actively engaging with farmers to understand their concerns and develop practical solutions.
The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau has expressed support for the initiative as an effective tool for connecting landowners with ethical hunters while maintaining property rights and addressing wildlife management needs.
“One thing that we hear quite frequently is, ‘What we can do to get more hunters out on properties where landowners and farmers, in particular, are experiencing loss of their crops due to wildlife, in particular, due to deer,” noted Stephen Smith.
The innovative program represents a conservation-minded solution that serves multiple stakeholders: farmers gain relief from crop damage, hunters receive access to previously unavailable lands, and the Game Commission fulfills its wildlife management obligations through a community-based approach rather than more drastic interventions. Registration details and program specifications are available through the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s website.
