Hunting Seasons in PA

The following is from the Game Commissions page at https://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=576240&mode=2

 

2013-14 Hunting Seasons and Bag Limits
Downloadable Calendar of PA 2013-14 Hunting & Trapping SeasonsDownload 2013-14 Hunting Seasons and Bag Limits 2013-14 Migratory Game Bird Brochure

2013-14 Season Forecasts


These are the seasons and bag limits for most hunting and trapping seasons from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.

SQUIRRELS, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license, and mentored youth – Oct. 12 –18 (6 daily, field possession limit of 12).

SQUIRRELS, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Oct. 19–Nov. 30; Dec. 16–24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 22 (6 daily, field possession limit of 12).

RUFFED GROUSE: Oct. 19–Nov. 30, Dec. 16 –24 and Dec. 26 –Jan. 25 (2 daily, field possession limit of 4).

RABBIT (Cottontail) Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license: Oct. 12 –19 (4 daily, field possession limit of 8).

RABBIT (Cottontail): Oct. 26 –Nov. 30, Dec. 16–24 and Dec. 26–Feb. 22 (4 daily, field possession limit of 8).

PHEASANT: Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license – Oct. 12–19 (2 daily, field possession limit of 4). Male pheasants only in WMUs 2A, 2C, 4C, 4E, 5A and 5B. Male and female pheasants may be taken in all other WMUs. There is no open season for the taking of pheasants in any Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas in any WMU.

PHEASANT: Male only in WMUs 2A, 2C, 4C, 4E, 5A and 5B – Oct. 26 –Nov. 30, Dec 16 –24 and Dec. 26 –Feb 22. Male and female may be taken in all other WMUs – Oct. 26 –Nov. 30, Dec. 16 –24 and Dec. 26 –Feb. 22 (2 daily, field possession limit of 4). No open season for pheasants in any Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas.

BOBWHITE QUAIL: Oct. 26 –Nov. 30 (4 daily, field possession limit of 8). (Closed in WMUs 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D.)

HARES(SNOWSHOE RABBITS) OR VARYING HARES: Dec. 26–Jan. 1, in all WMUs except WMUs 3B, 3C and 3D, where season will run from Dec. 26–28 (1 daily, field possession limit of 2).

WOODCHUCKS (GROUNDHOGS): No closed season, except on Sundays and during the regular firearms deer seasons. No limit.

PORCUPINES: Sept. 1–Mar. 31 (3 daily with a season limit of 10). Closed during the overlap with the regular firearms deer seasons.

CROWS: July 5 –April 6, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. No limit.

WILD TURKEY (Male or Female): WMU 1B – Nov. 2 –9 and Nov. 28 –30; WMU 2B (Shotgun and bow and arrow) – Nov. 2 –22 and Nov. 28 –30; WMUs 1A, 2A and 2D – Nov. 2 –16 and Nov. 28 –30; WMUs 2C, 2E, 4A, 4B and 4D – Nov. 2 –22 and Nov. 28 –30; WMUs 2F, 2G and 2H – Nov. 2 –16 and Nov. 28 –30; WMUs 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C and 4E – Nov. 2 –22 and Nov. 28 –30; WMU 5A – Nov. 5 –7; WMUs 5B, 5C and 5D – CLOSED TO FALL TURKEY HUNTING.

SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with required license, and mentored youth – April 26, 2014. Only 1 spring gobbler may be taken during this hunt.

SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): May 3 –31, 2014. Daily/season limit is 1; season limit may be expanded to 2 by persons who possess a valid special wild turkey license. From May 3 –17, legal hunting hours are one –half hour before sunrise until noon; from May 19 –31, legal hunting hours are one –half hour before sunrise until one –half hour after sunset.

BLACK BEAR (Statewide) Archery: Nov. 18 –22. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (Statewide): Nov. 23 –27. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 4C, 4D and 4E): Dec. 4 –7. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D): Dec. 2 –14. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D): Dec. 2 –7. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D) Archery: Sept. 21 –Nov. 16. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 5B) Archery: Oct. 5 –Nov. 16. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D) Muzzleloader: Oct. 19 –26. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D) Special Firearms: Oct. 24 –26, for junior and senior license holders, disabled hunters with a permit to use a vehicle as a blind and resident active duty military.

ELK (Antlered or Antlerless): Nov. 4 –9. Only one elk may be taken during the license year.

ELK, EXTENDED (Antlered and Antlerless): Nov. 11 –16. Only one elk may be taken during the license year. Eligible elk license recipients who haven’t harvested an elk by Nov. 9, in designated areas.

Elk, Special Conservation Tag (Antlered or Antlerless): Sept. 2 –Nov. 9. One elk tag for one antlered or antlerless elk that was auctioned at the annual Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Banquet.

DEER, ARCHERY (Antlerless Only) WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D: Sept. 21 –Oct. 4, and Nov. 18 –30. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless) WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D: Jan. 13 –25. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless) Statewide: Oct. 5 –Nov. 16 and Dec. 26 –Jan. 11. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER (Antlered and Antlerless) WMUs 1A, 1B, 2B, 3A, 3D, 4A, 4C, 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D: Dec. 2 –14. One antlered deer per hunting license year. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER Antlered Only) WMUs 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3B, 3C, 4B, 4D and 4E: Dec. 2 –6. One antlered deer per hunting license year. (Holders of valid DMAP antlerless deer permits may harvest antlerless deer on DMAP properties during this period.)

DEER (Antlered and Antlerless) WMUs 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3B, 3C, 4B, 4D and 4E: Dec. 7 –14. One antlered deer per hunting license year. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, ANTLERLESS (Statewide): Oct. 24 –26. Junior and Senior License Holders, Disabled Person Permit (to use a vehicle) Holders, and Pennsylvania residents serving on active duty in

U.S. Armed Services or in the U.S. Coast Guard only, with required antlerless license.

DEER, ANTLERLESS MUZZLELOADER (Statewide): Oct. 19 –26. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK (Statewide): Dec. 26 –Jan. 11. One antlered deer per hunting license year, or one antlerless deer and an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D): Dec. 26 –Jan. 25. One antlered deer per hunting license year, or one antlerless deer and an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, ANTLERLESS EXTENDED REGULAR FIREARMS: (Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties): Dec. 26 –Jan. 25. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

FURBEARER HUNTING SEASONS

COYOTES: No closed season. Unlimited. Outside of any big game season (deer, bear, elk and turkey), coyotes may be taken with a hunting license or a furtaker license, and without wearing orange. During any big game season, coyotes may be taken while lawfully hunting big game or with a furtakers license.

RACCOON and FOXES: Oct. 26–Feb. 22, unlimited.

OPOSSUM, SKUNKS and WEASELS: No closed season, except Sundays. No limits.

BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4C, 4D and 4E): Jan. 21 –Feb. 11. One bobcat per license year, but all licensed furtakers may obtain one permit.

TRAPPING SEASONS

MINK and MUSKRAT: Nov. 23–Jan. 5. Unlimited.

COYOTE, FOXES, OPOSSUM, RACCOON, SKUNKS and WEASELS: Oct. 27–Feb. 23. No limit.

COYOTE and FOXES (Statewide) Cable Restraints: Dec. 26 –Feb. 23. No limit. Participants must pass cable restraint certification course.

BEAVER (Statewide): Dec. 26–Mar . 31 (Limits vary depending on WMU).

BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4C, 4D and 4E): Dec. 21 –Jan. 12. One bobcat per license year, and all licensed furtakers may obtain one permit.

FISHER (WMUs 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3D, 4D and 4E): Dec. 21 –26. One fisher per license year, and all licensed furtakers may obtain one permit.

FALCONRY

Squirrels (Statewide): Sept. 1–Mar. 31. (6 daily, field possession limit of 12)

Quail (Statewide): Sept. 1–Mar. 31. (4 daily, field possession limit of 8).

Ruffed Grouse (Statewide): Sept. 1–Mar. 31. (2 daily, field possession limit of 4).

Cottontail Rabbits (Statewide): Sept. 1–Mar. 31. (4 daily, field possession limit of 8).

Snowshoe or Varying Hare (Statewide): Sept. 1–Mar. 31. (1 daily, field possession limit of 2).

Ring–necked Pheasant –Male and Female (Statewide): Sept.1 –Mar. 31. (2 daily, field possession limit of 4).

Migratory Game Birds (Statewide): Seasons and bag limits shall be in accordance with Federal regulations.
The former WMU 2G will split into two WMUs beginning with the 2013-14 season. A boundary description for the new WMU, 2H, follows:
2H: From Lantz Corners, US Rt. 6 east to Coudersport. South on Rt. 872 to Austin. Northwest on Rt. 607 to Keating Summit, and then south on Rt. 155 to Rt. 120. Follow Rt. 120 south to Driftwood, and then west on Rt. 555 to Rt. 255 in Weedville. South on Rt. 255 to I-80. West on I-80 to US Rt. 219 near DuBois. North US Rt. 219 to Rt. 6 at Lantz Corners.