Pennsylvania Hunting Seasons 2023-2024 [Updated Schedule!] - HuntingSeasons.Org (2024)

The hunting seasons in Pennsylvania are the best times to harvest large and small game. The Pennsylvania Game Commission schedules many hunting seasons, youth hunt days, and special seasons for various firearms and hunting methods, including conventional firearms, archery, and muzzleloaders. You’ll find some of the best deer hunting on the East Coast in the state of Pennsylvania.

We set out to provide the best resource possible on Pennsylvania’s hunting seasons for 2023-2024. Learn about the season’s dates, rules, and bag limits, as well as licensing requirements and useful links. The information presented in today’s guidance will appeal to you. Let’s get started.

Pennsylvania Hunting Season 2023

In Pennsylvania, whitetail deer hunting is quite popular. Opening day is treated as an unofficial holiday in the state, and schools are closed on that day.

Deer Season

Elk Season

Deer Bag Limit: One antlerless deer may be taken with each valid antlerless license. 1 antlered deer per hunting license year.

Squirrel Season

Squirrel (Junior Hunt)

Hunting Season for Junior Hunters who Qualify, with or without the Necessary License:

Ruffed Grouse Season

Rabbit Season

Rabbit (Junior Hunt)

Hare Season

Note: Statewide, the hare (Snowshoe Rabbits) or varying hare hunting season runs from December 26, 2023, to January 1, 2024. The holding limit is three hares, and the daily restriction is one hare.

Pheasant Season

Pheasant Junior Hunt

Note: All WMUs permit the taking of both male and female pheasants. Except for the Central Susquehanna Wild Pheasant Recovery Area, which is permitted by presidential order, there is no open season for hunting pheasants in wild pheasant recovery areas.

Quail Season

Note: The Letterkenny Army Depot Bobwhite Quail Recovery Area does not have a bobwhite quail open season.

Woodchuck Season

Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, can be pursued from July 1, 2023, to June 29, 2024, which is a lengthy hunting season. There is no restriction on how many woodchucks a shooter may acquire or capture in a single day.

Crow Season

Sparrow Season

Turkey Season

Note:

• It is only permitted to capture bearded birds; licenses are needed.
• Hunting hours end at noon.
• During the first two weeks of the season, only one spring gobbler may be taken; a second bird needs a special authorization. Depending on the date, hunting hours change.

Bear Season

Furbearer Hunting Season

Coyote

Note: Outside of big game seasons, a hunting license or a furtaker registration (no orange needed) is mandatory. when legally pursuing large game during big game seasons with a furtaker certificate.

Fox Season

Raccoon Season

Opossum, Striped Skunk and Weasel

Bobcat Season

Porcupine Season

PA Trapping Season

Falconry Season

Hunting Regulations in Pennsylvania

• PA General Hunting Regulations:

• License: Pennsylvania requires a regular hunting pass year-round. Hunters with flintlock muzzleloader licenses can hunt antlerless deer after Christmas. An average ticket allows one antlered deer per year. In all other seasons, a hunter must have an antlerless deer license or DMAP sanction to hunt or capture one deer per license or permit, up to six empty permits per hunter. Deer seasons require archery and muzzleloader permits. Junior and senior license users, guided youth, active-duty military, and disabled people can kill antlerless deer during Special Firearms season.

• Deer Tagging: Pennsylvania hunters must write the capture month and day on deer ears with a ballpoint pen. Game commission workers can read the number on the tag until the deer is handled or hung. The tag rests on the head and gathers vital science data.

• Deer Archery: Pennsylvania deer hunters can use long, recurve, compound, and crossbows with modern broadheads. Crossbows have enlarging lenses and red-dot sights. 7/8-inch wide and 3.25-inch long broadheads are required. Archery hunters cannot carry weapons without a license. They can bring muzzleloading guns year-round with archery, muzzleloading license, and bright orange. To gather scientific data, hunters must affix harvest tags to deer ears with the month and day of harvest and keep them there until processing or mounting.

• Deer Firearms: Pennsylvania weapons deer seasons allow manually operated centerfire rifles, pistols, shotguns, and semi-automatic and single-projectile shotguns with all-lead, ball, or expanding rounds.Crossbows and long, recurve, or composite bows equipped with contemporary broadheads are permitted. October Antlerless Muzzleloader, Flintlock, and Special Deer Only Firearms Seasons offer a variety of guns and ammo.

• Fluorescent Orange Requirements: All deer seasons, including extensions, in Pennsylvania require shooters to wear at least 250 square inches of conspicuous orange clothing on their heads, torsos, and backs. A Neon orange disguise works too. Archery seekers are encouraged to wear bright orange. Besides muzzleloaders, big-game hunters must wear neon orange during October antlerless muzzleloader deer season. Particular regulating areas may have brilliant orange regulations.

• Turkey Blinds: All deer seasons, including extensions, in Pennsylvania require shooters to wear at least 250 square inches of conspicuous orange clothing on their heads, torsos, and backs. A Neon orange disguise works too. Archery seekers are encouraged to wear bright orange. Besides muzzleloaders, big-game hunters must wear neon orange during October antlerless muzzleloader deer season. Particular regulating areas may have promising orange regulations.

• Requirements for Turkey Reporting and Tagging: Pennsylvania hunters can use plastic, nylon, canvas, cotton, or wooden turkey traps, not rocks, logs, or limbs. For concealment, the cover must surround the target. State game areas and Hunter Access assets must mark portable hunting nets. Pennsylvania hunters must tag and move birds promptly after hunting. The turkey’s leg should be tagged until it’s eaten or hung. Hunters must submit their catch to the Game Commission’s website, phone, or harvest card within ten days.

• Turkey Live Decoys, Drives, and Electronic Calls: During Pennsylvania’s spring and fall turkey hunting seasons, artificial calls, driving, and live turkey decoys are prohibited.

Resources That Can Help

https://huntfish.pa.gov/ is the official state website.

FAQs related to Pennsylvania Hunting Seasons

Post Views: 3,022