Moments after the board of the Pennsylvania Game Commission welcomes its newest members at its summer meeting Wednesday and Thursday, it will hold their feet to the fire in a vote on the future of crossbow hunting in the state.

The votes of new members Robert W. Schlemmer Sr. of Export and David J. Putnam of Centre Hall, Centre County, could bring a sense of consistency to a board that has been flip-flopping on the issue all year.

In January, the board voted to legalize the use of crossbows during archery deer and bear seasons, but banned the use of magnifying scopes mounted to crossbows. In April, the board amended its decision with a regulatory change that allowed hunters to mount the scopes.

Since the initial vote, three members -- Roxane Palone, Russell Schleiden and H. Daniel Hill -- have left the board, and a proposal for a new crossbow restriction has been requested.

This week, as the new board is seated (one of eight seats remains vacant), they'll consider board member Ron Weaner's proposal. Under it, crossbow use would be restricted to the first two weeks of the statewide early archery deer season. Crossbows would be permitted to be used by disabled hunters with a permit to use a crossbow for the remainder of the early archery season, as well as all of the late archery season; would continue to be legal for all deer seasons, including the early and late archery seasons, in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D; would be permitted to be used during the two-day archery bear season by disabled hunters with a permit to use a crossbow; and would be permitted to be used by muzzleloader deer hunters who have a muzzleloader license.

The new board members come to the job with experience in a science-based approach to wildlife management and an interest in youth programs.

Schlemmer, founder and CEO of Delmont North Industrial Park, has been a volunteer deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer for the Game Commission since 1974. He recently chaired the Governor's Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation. He worked on a chronic wasting disease task force for the Department of Agriculture, and helped develop hunter safety programs for the International Council for Outdoor Education. With the Sportsmen's and Landowners' Alliance of Murrysville, he reduced the impact of a serious urban deer problem by opening Westmoreland County parks to archery and muzzleloader hunting.

"About 15 years ago, there were about 425 [deer] roadkills a year in Murrysville," said Schlemmer. "It's reduced now to where you see 2-3 a week. I like that kind of organization. It's local -- it can get its teeth into it."

A longtime bow hunter, Schlemmer said he reserves comment on his crossbow decision until conferring with other board members.

Putnam is an independent biologist who worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 1979-2007. He conducted studies of the Allegheny River basin and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects on the Ohio and Monongahela Rivers. At Penn State, Putnam worked on a wild turkey trap and transfer program. He later helped to establish sustainable ring-necked pheasant brood habitat.

Putnam describes the crossbow decision as "primarily a social issue" in which many recurve, and compound bow users fear an influx of new hunters entering the woods during archery seasons. In a recent letter to United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania president Wes Waldron, Putnam cited statistics from states where crossbows are legal and wrote that he's leaning toward voting against the crossbow proposal and for less restricted use.

"I do believe that we are not dealing with a resource issue here as much as a perception that an influx of 100,000 heathens will diminish the enjoyment and success of the archers who have worked for the past 58 years to get us where we are," Putnam wrote. "... While some people are decrying the influx of new hunters in the fall, I see this as good news. If we can get that many people to return to hunting that would be a good thing. ... I am hopeful that we will expand the opportunity ..."

Last month, Gov. Rendell nominated Ralph Anthony Martone of New Castle to fill the seat vacated by Hill. The state senate has yet to vote on Martone's nomination.