istory Highlights -1969 g dove hunting time since 1913. mmission impleuck nesting box Nonresident trapblished, $25 fee. omatic shotguns ting small game 952: River otters ason" protection. closes hunting Nov. 11 due to . 1953: Groundnted year-round. Nursery deeded ssion. 1958: Late arted. 1960: Late rted. 1961: Illegal oups of more than 1: Late squirrel 961: Landowners ty for hunting or their properties. to use recorded n taking of wild ate archery deer certain sections anded statewide Millionth acre of acquired. 1966: ents end. 1966: ogram launches; 1968: First spring eason. 1969: Pasangered Species . 1970-1994 1970: Bobcats protected. 1970: Bear season closes for the first time in 36 years. It would close again in 1977 and 1978. 1972: Hawks and owls given complete protection by federal law. 1972: Hunters permitted to take two turkeys per license year for the first time since 1915. 1972: DDT banned. 1973: Compound bows legalized for taking game. 1973: Bear check stations established. 1973: U.S. Endangered Species Act becomes law. 1974: First muzzleloader deer season. 1978: Game Commission launches its Endangered Species Program. 1980: Protection removed from cub bears during bear season for the first time since 1925. 1981: Pennsylvania creates its first bear license. 1982: River otters first released. 1982: All first-time hunters, regardless of age, must take hunter education course. 1983: Bald eagles from Saskatchewan first brought to Pennsylvania for release. Ninety-two eagles eventually would be transplanted here. 1986: Calculated deer harvests first used. 1988: Big-game hunters required to wear a minimum of 250 square inches of orange on head, chest and back combined. 1991: Lead shot banned in the U.S. for waterfowl hunting. 1994: Fishers first reintroduced. DECEMBER 2019 1995-2020 2000: First bobcat season is held since 1960s. 2001: First elk hunt held since 1931. 2002: Deer antler restrictions implemented for most hunters. 2003: Deer Management Assistance Program is started. 2005: Pennsylvania's first State Wildlife Action Plan is created. 2006: Mentored Youth Hunting Program established. 2007: Fall turkey hunters permitted to use dogs. 2008: White-nose syndrome appears in Pennsylvania. It quickly would decimate bat populations. 2009: Crossbows may be used in archery deer or archery bear seasons. 2011: Hunters harvest an all-time record 4,350 black bears. 2012: First year without a hunting fatality in Pennsylvania. 2012: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) first appears in Pennsylvania. 2015: Game Commission purchases 1.5 millionth acre of state game lands. 2014: Bald eagles removed from state threatened species list. 2015: Game Commission certifies 2 millionth Hunter-Trapper Education graduate. 2016: Limited river otter trapping season held for first time in more than 50 years. 2019: Pennsylvania's firearms deer season opens on a Saturday for the first time in decades. 2020: Game Commission celebrates 125th anniversary. 12