Pennsylvania Game Commission

Seasons and Bag Limits

The license year begins July 1 and ends June 30.

SUNDAY HUNTING: It is unlawful to hunt on Sundays except foxes, crows and coyotes. Other exceptions are included with species seasons below.

WMU: Wildlife Management Units

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Small Game

Oct. 26-Nov. 16; Sunday, Nov. 17; Nov. 18-23; Sunday, Nov. 24; Nov. 25-29; Dec. 16-24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 28, 2025

(2 daily, 6 possession)

Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license, and all mentored hunters, regardless of age

Oct. 12-19

(2 daily, 6 possession)

Male and female pheasants may be taken in all WMUs. There is no open season for taking pheasants in Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas, except as authorized by executive order.

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Big Game

WMUs 1A, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B and 4D – Nov. 2-Nov. 16

WMUs 1B, 3D, 4C and 4E – Nov. 2-Nov. 9

WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B, 3C – Nov. 2-Nov. 16 and Nov. 27-29

WMUs 2B, 2C, 2D and 2E – Nov. 2-Nov. 22 and Nov. 27-29

WMU 5A and 5B – Nov. 2-Nov. 5

WMUs 5C and 5D – CLOSED TO FALL TURKEY HUNTING.

Season Limit - 1 bird per license year.

*As a reminder, no single-projectile firearms may be used in the fall turkey seasons. Hunters may use shotguns and archery gear only.

May 3 - May 17, 2025; May be hunted ½ hour before sunrise to 12 noon
May 19 - May 31, 2025; May be hunted ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset

Daily limit 1, season limit 2.

(Second spring gobbler may be only taken by persons who possess a valid special wild turkey license.)

Special season for eligible junior hunters, with required license, and mentored hunters 16 and under –

April 26, 2025.

Only 1 spring gobbler may be taken during this hunt. Hunting hours end at noon.

STATEWIDE:

Nov. 23; Sunday, Nov. 24; and Nov. 25-26.

Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

EXTENDED FIREARMS:

(WMUs 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4E and 5A):

Nov. 30, Sunday, Dec. 1, and Dec. 2-Dec. 7.

(WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D):

Nov. 30, Sunday, Dec. 1, and Dec. 2-Dec. 14.

Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D: Sept. 21-Nov. 16, Sunday Nov. 17, Nov. 18-23, Sunday Nov. 24, Nov. 25-29 and Dec. 26-Jan. 25, 2025

Statewide: Oct. 5-Nov. 16, Sunday Nov. 17, Nov. 18-22 and Dec. 26-Jan. 20, 2025.

One antlered deer per hunting license year.

One antlered deer, and an antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A and 5B with required muzzleloading license: Dec. 26-Jan. 20, 2025

(WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D) with required muzzleloading license: Dec. 26-Jan. 25, 2025.

One antlered deer per hunting license year, or one antlerless deer and an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

Furbearer Hunting

Trapping

Migratory Game Bird

DUCKS:

North Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 12-26, and Nov. 19-Jan. 11.

South Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 12-19, and Nov. 19-Jan. 18.

Northwest Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 12-Nov. 29, and Dec. 23-Jan. 11.

Lake Erie Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Nov. 4-Jan. 11.

Total Duck Bag Limits: 6 daily, 18 in possession of any species, except for the following restrictions: daily limit may not include more than 4 mallards including no more than 2 hen mallards, 2 black ducks, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 1 pintail, 4 sea ducks; including no more than 3 eiders and no more than 1 female eider, 3 long-tailed ducks, and 3 scoters. Daily limit for scaup varies; see below. Possession limits are three times the daily limits.

Scaup Bag Limits:

North Zone: 1 scaup daily, Oct. 12-26 and Nov. 19-Dec. 19; 2 scaup daily, Dec. 20-Jan.11

South Zone: 1 scaup daily, Oct. 12-19 and Nov. 19-Dec. 26; 2 scaup daily, Dec. 27-Jan. 18

Northwest Zone: 1 scaup daily, Oct. 12-Nov. 27; 2 scaup daily, Nov. 28-29 and Dec. 23-Jan. 11

Lake Erie Zone: 1 scaup daily, Nov. 4- Dec. 19; 2 scaup daily, Dec. 20-Jan. 11

Youth, Veterans and Active Duty Military Days:

Licensed junior and mentored youth hunters, military veterans and active military personnel can hunt ducks, mergansers, brant, coots, gallinules and Canada geese during selected days. Hunters 16 or older need a federal duck stamp to participate. All hunters need a Pennsylvania migratory game bird license.

Same daily bag limits as regular season.

Statewide - Youth only – Sept. 21

North Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 2
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

Northwest Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Sept. 28
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

Lake Erie Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Oct. 26
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

South Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 9
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 25

(5 daily, 15 possession)

Youth, Veterans and Active Duty Military Days:

Same daily bag limits as regular season.

Statewide - Youth only – Sept. 21

North Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 2
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

Northwest Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Sept. 28
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

Lake Erie Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Oct. 26
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

South Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 9
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 25

(15 daily, 45 possession)

Youth, Veterans and Active Duty Military Days:

Same daily bag limits as regular season.

Statewide - Youth only – Sept. 21

North Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 2
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

Northwest Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Sept. 28
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

Lake Erie Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Oct. 26
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

South Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 9
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 25

**(includes WHITE-FRONTED GEESE)**

Resident Population Goose Zone (RP):

All of Pennsylvania except for the Atlantic Population zone. Sept. 2-25 (8-goose daily bag limit); and Oct. 26-Nov. 29, Dec. 16-Jan. 18, and Jan. 31-Feb. 22 (5-goose daily bag limit in latter 3 segments)

Exception: See hunting digest.

Atlantic Population Zone (AP):

The area east of SR 97 from Maryland State Line to the intersection of SR 194, east of SR 194 to intersection of US Route 30, south of US Route 30 to SR 441, east of SR 441 to SR 743, east of SR 743 to intersection of I-81, east of I-81 to intersection of I-80, south of I-80 to New Jersey state line. Sept. 2-25 (8-goose daily bag limit); and Nov. 23-29 and Dec. 23-Jan. 18 (3-goose daily bag limit in latter two segments).

Exception: See hunting digest.

Youth, Veterans and Active Duty Military Days:

Same daily bag limits as regular season.

Statewide - Youth only – Sept. 21

North Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 2
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

Northwest Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Sept. 28
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

Lake Erie Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Oct. 26
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

South Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 9
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 25

Sept. 2-Nov. 21.

(3 daily, 9 in possession)

Youth, Veterans and Active Duty Military Days:

Same daily bag limits as regular season.

Statewide - Youth only – Sept. 21

North Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 2
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

Northwest Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Sept. 28
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

Lake Erie Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Oct. 26
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 18

South Zone
- Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 9
- Veterans and active military only – Jan. 25

Seasons and Bag Limits

Small Game

Big Game

Furbearer Hunting

Trapping

Migratory Game Bird

Falconry

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Seasons and Bag Limits

Small Game

SQUIRRELS, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined)

RUFFED GROUSE

RABBIT (Cottontail)

RING-NECKED PHEASANT

BOBWHITE QUAIL

HARES (SNOWSHOE RABBITS) OR VARYING HARES

WOODCHUCKS (GROUNDHOGS)

CROWS

STARLINGS AND ENGLISH SPARROWS

Big Game

FALL WILD TURKEY - (Male or Female)

SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only)

BLACK BEAR - FIREARMS

BLACK BEAR, MUZZLELOADER (Statewide)

BLACK BEAR, SPECIAL FIREARMS (Statewide)

BLACK BEAR - ARCHERY

ELK

DEER, ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless)

DEER, ANTLERLESS MUZZLELOADER - ANTLERLESS

DEER, ANTLERLESS SPECIAL FIREARMS (Statewide)

DEER, REGULAR FIREARMS (Antlered and Antlerless) Statewide

DEER, ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK

DEER, ANTLERLESS EXTENDED REGULAR FIREARMS

DEER, ANTLERLESS (Military Bases)

Furbearer Hunting

COYOTES

FOXES

RACCOONS

OPOSSUM, STRIPED SKUNKS and WEASELS

BOBCAT

PORCUPINES

Trapping

MINKS and MUSKRATS

COYOTES, FOXES, OPOSSUMS, RACCOONS, STRIPED SKUNKS and WEASELS

COYOTES and FOXES, CABLE RESTRAINTS (Statewide)

BEAVERS (Statewide)

BOBCATS

FISHERS

RIVER OTTERS

Migratory Game Bird

DUCKS

MERGANSERS

COOTS

CANADA GEESE

BRANT

LIGHT GEESE (Snow Geese and Ross’ Geese)

HARLEQUIN DUCKS, and TUNDRA and TRUMPETER SWANS:

DOVES

WOODCOCK

WILSON'S SNIPE

GALLINULES

VIRGINIA AND SORA RAILS

CLAPPER AND KING RAILS

Falconry

SQUIRRELS (combined)

BOBWHITE QUAIL

RUFFED GROUSE

COTTONTAIL RABBITS

SNOWSHOE OR VARYING HARES

RING-NECKED PHEASANT (Male or Female combined)

MINK, MUSKRAT, FOX, OPOSSUM, RACCOON, STRIPED SKUNK and WEASEL

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