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2018-19 Seasons and Bag Limits

Note: PROPOSED 2019-2020 season and bag limits can be found in this news release.

It is unlawful to hunt wildlife, except foxes, crows and coyotes, on Sundays. 
These are the seasons and bag limits for most hunting and trapping seasons from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019.

Big Game

BLACK BEAR (Statewide) regular firearms: Nov. 17-21. Only one bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (Statewide) archery: Oct. 29-Nov. 3. Only one bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D) archery: Sept. 15-Nov. 24. Only one bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (WMU 5B) archery: Sept. 29-Nov. 10. Only one bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D) muzzleloader: Oct. 13-20. Only one bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D) special firearms: Oct. 18-20. Only one bear may be taken during the license year. For junior and senior license holders, resident active-duty military, and certain disabled persons' permit holders. 

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D) extended season: Nov. 26-Dec. 8. Only one bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D) extended season: Nov. 26-Dec. 1. Only one bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 1B, 2C, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 5A) extended season: Nov. 28-Dec. 1. Only one bear may be taken during the license year.

ELK (Designated Elk Hunt Zones) regular season: Nov. 5-10. Only one elk may be taken during the license year.

ELK (Outside Elk Management Area) extended season: Nov. 12-17. Only one elk may be taken during the license year. For eligible elk license recipients who haven’t harvested an elk by Nov. 10, in designated areas. 

DEER, REGULAR FIREARMS (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D) antlered and antlerless: Nov. 26-Dec. 8. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, REGULAR FIREARMS (WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A and 5B) antlered only: Nov. 26-30. 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, REGULAR FIREARMS (WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A and 5B) antlered and antlerless: Dec. 1-8. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, ARCHERY (Statewide) antlered and antlerless: Sept. 29-Nov. 12 and Dec. 26-Jan. 12. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, ARCHERY (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D) antlered and antlerless: Sept. 15- Nov. 24 and Dec. 26-Jan. 26. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license. 

DEER, MUZZLELOADER (Statewide) antlerless: Oct. 13-20. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license. 

DEER, SPECIAL FIREARMS (Statewide) antlerless: Oct. 18-20. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license. Junior and Senior License holders, Mentored Youth Permit 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. Also included are persons who have reached or will reach their 65th birthday in the year of the application for a license and hold a valid adult license, or qualify for license and fee exemptions under section 2706. 

DEER, FLINTLOCK (Statewide) antlered and antlerless: Dec. 26-Jan. 12. One antlered deer per hunting license year, or one antlerless deer and an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

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

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

DEER (Military Bases) antlerless: Hunting permitted on days established by the U.S. Department of the Army at Letterkenny Army Depot, Franklin County; New Cumberland Army Depot, York County; and Fort Detrick, Raven Rock Site, Adams County. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

TURKEY, FALL (Season limit 1 bird, either sex): WMU 1B – Oct. 27-Nov. 3; WMUs 1A, 2A, 4A and 4B – Oct. 27-Nov. 3 and Nov. 22-24; WMUs 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4D and 4E – Oct. 27-Nov. 10 and Nov. 22-24; WMU 2B (Shotgun and bow and arrow) – Oct. 27-Nov. 16 and Nov. 22-24; WMU 2C – Oct. 27-Nov. 16 and Nov. 22-24; WMU 5A – Nov. 1-3; WMU 5B – Oct. 30-Nov. 1; WMUs 5C and 5D – CLOSED TO FALL TURKEY HUNTING.

TURKEY, SPRING YOUTH HUNT (Statewide) bearded bird: April 20, 2019. Only one spring gobbler may be taken during this hunt. Special season for eligible junior hunters, with required license, and mentored youth. 

TURKEY, SPRING (Statewide) bearded birds: April 27-May 31, 2019. Daily limit 1, season limit 2. (Second spring gobbler may be only taken by persons who possess a valid special wild turkey license.) From April 27-May 11, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon; from May 13-31, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.

Small Game

BOBWHITE QUAIL: Oct. 13-Nov. 24, Dec. 10-24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 28 (8 daily, 24 possession).

CROW: July 1-April 14, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only. No limit.

PHEASANT, JUNIOR HUNT: Oct. 6-13 (2 daily, 6 possession). Special season for hunters 12-16 years old without a license; and junior license holders, who must have successfully completed an HTE course. Male pheasants only in WMUs 4E and 5A. Male and female pheasants may be taken in all other WMUs. There is no open season for taking pheasants in Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas, except within the Central Susquehanna Wild Pheasant Recovery Area, as authorized by executive order.

PHEASANT: Oct. 20-Nov. 24, Dec. 10-24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 28 (2 daily, 6 possession). Male pheasants only in WMUs 4E and 5A. Male and female pheasants may be taken in all other WMUs. There is no open season for taking pheasants in Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas, except within the Central Susquehanna Wild Pheasant Recovery Area, as authorized by executive order.

RABBIT (Cottontail) JUNIOR HUNT: Sept. 29-Oct. 13 (4 daily, 12 possession). Special season for hunters 12-16 years old without a license; and junior license holders, who must have successfully completed an HTE course, and mentored youth. 

RABBIT (Cottontail): Oct. 13-Nov. 24, Dec. 10-24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 28 (4 daily, 12 possession).

RUFFED GROUSE: Oct. 13-Nov. 24 and Dec. 10-24 (2 daily, 6 possession).

SQUIRRELS, JUNIOR HUNT (Red, Gray, Black and Fox combined): Sept. 29-Oct. 13 (6 daily, 18 possession). Special season for hunters 12-16 years old without a license; and junior license holders, who must have successfully completed an HTE course, and mentored youth.

SQUIRRELS, (Red, Gray, Black and Fox combined): Oct. 13-Nov. 24; Dec. 10-24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 28 (6 daily, 18 possession).

SNOWSHOE HARE (VARYING HARE): Dec. 26-Jan. 1 (1 daily, 3 possession).

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

STARLINGS AND ENGLISH SPARROWS: No closed season, except during the antlered and antlerless deer season. No limit.


Waterfowl & Migratory Game Birds

Waterfowl and Migratory Game Bird seasons and bag limits 

Ducks & Geese

DUCKS, SEA DUCKS, COOTS and MERGANSERS:  Lake Erie Zone - Oct. 29-Jan. 5;  Northwest Zone - Oct. 6-Dec. 8 and Dec. 27-Jan. 1;  North Zone - Oct. 6-Nov. 17 and Dec. 18-Jan. 12;  South Zone - Oct. 13-20 and Nov. 20-Jan. 19. (Ducks & Sea Ducks - 6 daily, 18 possession. Coots - 15 daily, 45 possession. Mergansers - 5 daily, 15 possession.) 

CANADA GEESE: Southern James Bay Population Zone - Sept. 1-25 (In western Crawford County, the season runs from Sept. 1-15) (1 daily, 3 possession); Oct. 6-Nov. 24 and Dec. 11-Jan. 19 (3 daily, 9 possession).  Resident Population Zone - Sept. 1-25 (8 daily, 24 possession); Oct. 27-Nov. 24, Dec. 17-Jan. 19 and Jan. 26-Feb. 23 (5 daily, 15 possession).  Atlantic Population Zone - Sept. 1-25 (8 daily, 24 possession); Nov. 15-24 and Dec. 15-Jan. 31 (3 daily, 9 possession). 

LIGHT GEESE: Southern James Bay Population Zone - Regular Season Oct. 1-Jan. 19 and Conservation Season Jan. 21-April 19.  Resident Population Zone - Regular Season Oct. 23-Feb. 23 and Conservation Season Feb. 25-April 19.  Atlantic Population Zone - Regular Season Oct. 1- Jan. 31 and Conservation Season Feb. 1-April 19. (25 daily, no possession limit).

Webless Birds & Brant

BRANT (All goose zones):  Oct. 13-Dec. 21 (2 daily, 6 possession).
COMMON SNIPE (Statewide): Oct. 13-Nov. 24 and Dec. 10-18 (8 daily, 24 possession).
DOVES (Statewide): Sept. 1-Nov. 24 and Dec. 18-Jan. 5 (15 daily, 45 possession).
GALLINULES (Statewide): Sept. 1-Nov. 21 (3 daily, 9 possession).
VIRGINIA and SORA RAILS (Statewide): Sept. 1-Nov. 21 (3 daily, 9 possession).
WOODCOCK (Statewide): Oct. 13-Nov. 24 and Dec. 10-18 (3 daily, 9 possession).

YOUTH WATERFOWL DAYS: Statewide Sept. 15.  North Zone - Jan. 19.  Northwest Zone - Dec. 15.  Lake Erie Zone - Oct. 20.  South Zone - Jan. 26.

 

Furbearer Hunting

BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4C, 4D and 4E): Jan. 12-Feb. 6. One bobcat per license year. Licensed furtakers may obtain one permit each.

FOXES and RACCOONS: Oct. 20-Feb. 16. No limit.

COYOTES: No closed season. No limit. 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 furtaker license.

OPOSSUMs, STRIPED SKUNKS and WEASELS: No closed season, except Sundays. No limit.

PORCUPINE: Sept. 1-March 30. (3 daily, season limit 10).

 

Furbearer Trapping

BEAVERS (Statewide): Dec. 26-March 31 (Limits vary depending on WMU).

BOBCATS (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4C, 4D and 4E): Dec. 15-Jan. 6.
One bobcat per license year. Licensed furtakers may obtain one permit each.

COYOTES, FOXES, OPOSSUMS, RACCOONS, STRIPED SKUNKS and WEASELS: Oct. 21–Feb. 17. No limit.

COYOTES and FOXES (Statewide) cable restraints: Dec. 26-Feb. 17. No limit. Participants must pass cable restraint certification course.

FISHERS (WMUs 1B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E): Dec. 15-26. One fisher per license year. Licensed furtakers may obtain one permit each.

MINKS and MUSKRATS: Nov. 17-Jan. 6. No Limit.

RIVER OTTERS (WMUs 3C and 3D): Feb. 16-23. One river otter per license year. Licensed furtakers may obtain one permit each.

 

Falconry

BOBWHITE QUAIL: Sept. 1-March 30 (8 daily, 24 possession)
COTTONTAIL RABBITS: Sept. 1-March 30 (4 daily, 12 possession)
RINGNECK PHEASANTS (Male or Female combined): Sept. 1-March 30 (6 daily, 18 possession)
RUFFED GROUSE: Sept. 1-March 30 (2 daily, 6 possession)
SQUIRRELS (combined): Sept. 1-March 30 (6 daily, 18 possession)
SNOWSHOE HARES (VARYING HARES): Sept. 1-March 30 (1 daily, 3 possession)

 

No open season on other wild birds or mammals.