The Permit: Goose Blinds on Pymatuning's Controlled Hunting Areas are available by permit only. Blinds will be assigned each morning. Blinds are open for hunting on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, Oct. 28-Nov. 24, 2023 and Dec. 11-Jan 20, 2023. No hunting blinds are available on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
Applying for a Permit: Hunters apply for a Goose Blind at Pymatuning through their
www.huntfish.pa.gov account online, or in person at the Game Commission's Harrisburg headquarters or a Game Commission region office. No other form of application will be accepted. Hunters must be properly licensed to apply. Each hunter may apply
only once. A hunter's name can be on only one application.
The Drawing: Applications for Goose Blinds at Pymatuning are received and reviewed prior to the drawing. Hunters are selected through a random drawing. Successful applicants will be notified by mail. Applicants can view their application status on their
www.huntfish.pa.gov account. Blinds will be assigned each morning. See information on No-show Blinds below.
If selected for a Goose Blind at Pymatuning, applicants will be notified by mail and receive a hunting reservation that allows them to bring three guests. Blinds will be assigned each morning. The Pymatuning Administration Building is located at 9552 Hartstown Rd.; Hartstown, PA 16131.
2023 Dates for regular Goose Blinds at Pymatuning drawings
- Application Deadline: Aug. 30 2023
- Drawing: Sept. 10, 2023
- Drawing results posted: Sept 16, 2023
- Blinds are assigned each morning
Regular Hunt Dates: Oct 30; Nov 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24; Dec 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 27, 29, 30; Jan 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20
2023 Hunt Dates:
- Hunt Days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
- 1st half: Oct. 28-Nov. 24 (Doors open at 4:30am)
- 2nd half. Dec. 11- Jan 20, 2024 (Doors open at 5:00am)
- Disabled Veterans Hunt - Nov. 10 2023
- Youth Only Goose Hunt - Oct. 28 2023
- Check-in one week prior for hunt dates
This reservation type is for hunters who were selected prior to hunting season in the September drawing. Check-in one week prior to your hunt date to be selected for your guaranteed goose blind at
Special Hunt Reservation (pa.gov). Blind assignments will randomly be drawn on the morning of the assigned hunt, after the permit winner and their guests check-in. Exactly one week prior to the assigned hunt date, the blind holder must check in. For example, if a hunter was selected to hunt Tues., Nov. 23, 2021, they must check in online Tues., Nov. 16, 2021 between the hours of 12:01 AM and 11:59 PM. This check-in determines how many blinds are reserved on a given day so remaining blinds can be assigned to no-show applicants.
Please Note: Although hunters may reserve their permit online, hunters and their party must still check in at the Goose Management Building, in person, on the morning of their scheduled hunt. Hunting parties must also check out in person at the Goose Management Building per rules and regulations listed.
Goose Blind Locations:
Apply one week prior for hunt dates: Youth Hunt: Oct 28, Veteran's with Disabilities Hunt: Nov 10
*Applicants must be qualified to participate in each special hunt.
*A hunter may be awarded a no-show blind, only one time
per hunting season. However, a hunter may be a guest of a no-show permit winner
as many times as they may be invited to hunt by a no-show permit winner.
Regular Hunt Dates: Oct 30; Nov 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24; Dec 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 27, 29, 30; Jan 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20
This reservation type is for hunters applying for left over goose blinds not claimed by hunters from the September drawing. Apply one week prior to your hunt date to be part of the drawing for no-show goose blinds at Special Hunt Reservation (pa.gov). For example, if a hunter wants to hunt Tues., Nov. 22, 2022, they must apply online Tues., Nov. 15, 2022 between the hours of 12:01 AM and 11:59 PM. Each hunting party may submit only one application. Blind assignments will be randomly drawn on the morning of the assigned hunt, after the permit winner and their guests check-in. Notifications (both successful and unsuccessful) sent within 1-3 days of applying.
Federal and statewide regulations as published in current Hunting & Trapping Digest are in effect with the following additional requirements:
- Reservation holders may bring up to three guests.
- Only geese and ducks are legal game.
- Shooting is permitted only from your assigned blind. Entering any other blind is prohibited.
- Every reasonable effort must be made to retrieve crippled birds.
- Do not attempt to shoot at geese and ducks out of range. Let them get close. Use decoys and goose calls for best results. Shooting at game out of range is cause for permit cancellation.
- Throwing out corn or any other grain or facsimile thereof in the vicinity of the blind is unlawful.
- Each hunter is limited to 10 rounds of ammunition at the beginning hour of each shooting day. It is unlawful to obtain or possess more than those 10 rounds. It is permitted to use rounds given to you from other hunters' 10 round limit using the same blind.
- Park only at assigned parking areas. Do not park on roads. Driving across fields to and from blinds is prohibited. See map of location of parking areas and blinds.
- Do not remove ducks and geese from your blind until you are prepared to check out.
- Goose decoys are no longer available for rental.
- Daily limit of geese is one per person. Duck limit conforms with state and federal regulations.
- Shooting days are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of each week. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until 12:30 PM each shooting day.
- All blinds must be vacated at 12:30 PM or when the party's limit of geese is taken.
- Hunters must keep their guns unloaded at all times, except while occupying assigned blinds.
- No person shall leave any litter in or around any blind.
- Check out deadline is 1:30 PM. Each reservation holder must personally surrender his/her permit at the Registration Center and all hunters must present for examination all game taken prior to 1:30 PM each shooting day.
- Dogs can be used to retrieve dead game and must be under control.
- Each member of a party may be held responsible when game is killed in excess of the daily limit.
- The Pymatuning Administration Building will be open for the hunters 1½ hours prior to official shooting time.
- The Game Commission reserves the right to cancel permits and deny any further privileges on the area to any person or group violating state or federal regulations or indulging in unsportsmanlike activities.
- Only approved nontoxic shot may be used. A list of approved shot can be found on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website.
The Permit: Permits to hunt Controlled Duck Hunt Areas at Pymatuning will be issued each morning of hunting days at the Pymatuning Administration Building. The building will be opened 1½ hours prior to official shooting time. If less than 85 applicants are present at opening time, permits will be issued on a first-come basis. If more than 85 applicants are present, a drawing will be held until 85 permits are assigned. Permits returned to the Administration Building prior to 10:00 AM may be reissued to other applicants. The Pymatuning Administration Building is located at 9552 Hartstown Rd.; Hartstown, PA 16131.
Applying for a Permit:
Applicants sign in on site. This is a first-come, first-served opportunity.
2023-2024 Dates for Duck Hunting at Pymatuning
Hunt Dates:
- 1st half: Oct. 7-Dec. 2, 2023
- 2nd half: Dec. 26 -Jan. 6, 2024
Hunt Days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
Rules and Regulations for Controlled Duck Hunting Areas at Pymatuning: Federal and statewide regulations as published in current Hunting & Trapping Digest are in effect with the following additional requirements:
- Hunting on the Controlled Duck Hunting Areas is limited to 50 hunters in Area J and 35 hunters in Area L.
- Hunting on Controlled Duck Hunting Areas is allowed from official starting time until 12:30 PM on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday
- Hunters must possess identification tags furnished by the Commission while hunting on Controlled Duck Hunting Areas. Identification tags must be returned to the registration office at time of check out.
- Dogs and decoys are permitted.
- Only ducks are legal game on Controlled Duck Hunting Areas. Duck limits on Controlled Duck Hunting Areas comply with all state and federal regulations.
- Reasonable effort must be made to retrieve crippled birds.
- Continued shooting at ducks out of killing range is justification for permit cancellation.
- Hunters must check out at the Administration Building before 1:30 PM each hunt day and present all harvested game for examination.
- The Game Commission reserves the right to cancel permits and deny any further privileges on the area to any person or group violating state or federal regulations or indulging in unsportsmanlike activities.
- Only approved nontoxic shot may be used. A list of approved shot is found on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website.
The Permit: The Controlled Deer Hunt at Pymatuning is available by permit only. Hunters can apply for a chance to hunt in one of seven zones within the Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area. Successful applicants will be assigned a zone and be able to bring one guest to hunt for one week (Mon.-Sat.).
Applying for a Permit: Hunters may apply for the Controlled Deer Hunt at Pymatuning through their www.huntfish.pa.gov account online, or in person at the Game Commission's Harrisburg headquarters or a Game Commission region office. No other form of application will be accepted. Hunters must be properly licensed to apply. Each hunter may apply only once. Permits are not transferable.
The Drawing: Applications for the Controlled Deer Hunt at Pymatuning are received and reviewed prior to the drawing date. A random drawing will be held electronically. Successful applicants may select the week and/or zone in which they prefer to hunt.
If selected for the Controlled Deer Hunt at Pymatuning, hunters will be notified by phone call and/or postal mail. Hunters (and their one guest) are required to attend a pre-hunt orientation, during which they will be issued their permit and the rules and regulations will be explained. Failure to attend an orientation will result in forfeiture of the permit.
2023 Dates for the Controlled Deer Hunt at Pymatuning
- Application Deadline: Aug. 30 2023
- Drawing: Sept. 10. 2023
- Winners posted: Sep 16, 2023
- Mandatory Orientation: Sept. 23, 9:00am or Sept. 27, 6:00pm
- Held at 9552 Hartstown Rd, Hartstown, PA 16131
- Hunt Dates: NO SUNDAY HUNTING
- Week 1 – Oct. 2-7
- Week 2 – Oct. 9 -14
- Week 3 – Oct. 16-21
- Week 4 – Oct. 23-28
- Week 5 – Jan. 1-Jan. 6
- Week 6 – Jan. 8-13 2024
Rules and Regulations for the Controlled Deer Hunt at Pymatuning Statewide regulations as published in current Hunting & Trapping Digest are in effect with the following additional requirements:
- Only the permit holder may hunt deer and only in their assigned zone during their assigned week. Scouting is not permitted outside of assigned dates and established times.
- Only deer may be hunted.
- Hunting hours begin each day at 12:30 PM and end at the close of legal hunting hours. Permittees may enter the controlled area no sooner than 12:30 PM and must vacate the controlled area within one hour after the close of hunting hours. Entering or remaining in the Controlled Hunt Area outside of this period must be pre-authorized by calling the Centralized Dispatch Center at 1-833-PGC-HUNT
- Permittees may enter and hunt deer only within their assigned hunt zone. Entry into other hunt zones or areas outside the hunt zone to pursue a wounded deer shall be authorized in advance by calling the Centralized Dispatch Center at 1-833-PGC-HUNT
- Permittees shall park only in assigned parking areas and shall display the provided parking placard on the dashboard of the vehicle in a manner that allows it to be read from the exterior of the vehicle.
- Permittees must submit the provided harvest report card to Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area, 9552 Hartstown Road, Hartstown, PA 16131 within 10 calendar days of the expiration of the permit. This is in addition to the general requirement to report a harvest within 10 calendar days. Permittees may be cited for failing to report their harvest. The report must be returned even if nothing was harvested, or the permittee did not hunt.
- Permittees authorized to use Parking Lot A must keep the gate closed at all times.
- All other posted regulations, verbal instructions, laws, and regulations not exempted by this permit must be followed.
View Map PDF
The Permit: Hunters possessing a Junior License may apply to hunt one of seven hunt zones at Pymatuning with a non-hunting adult escort. The hunt will be held during the statewide Youth Turkey Day. Each permit is good only for 24 hours beginning at 12:00 PM the day prior to the statewide Youth Turkey Day. The hunting party will have from 12:00 PM until 6:00 PM the day prior to the statewide Youth Turkey Day to scout for a stand/blind location. The permit expires at 12:00 PM on the day of the statewide Youth Turkey Day. All hunters shall be out of the Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area by 1:00 PM.
Applying for a Permit: Hunters may apply for the Junior Licensed Youth Spring Turkey Hunt at Pymatuning through their www.huntfish.pa.gov account online, or in person at the Game Commission's Harrisburg headquarters or a Game Commission region office. No other form of application will be accepted. Hunters must have a Junior License to apply. Each hunter may apply only once.
The Drawing: Applications for the Junior Licensed Youth Spring Turkey Hunt at Pymatuning are received and reviewed prior to the drawing. The drawing will be held electronically. Hunters are selected through a random drawing and are assigned one of seven designated hunt zones. Only one Junior hunter will be assigned to each zone. Successful applicants will be notified by phone and email. If selected applicants cannot participate, alternates will be selected.
If selected for the Junior Licensed Youth Spring Turkey Hunt, hunters will be notified by phone and/or postal mail. Permittees and their non-hunting adult escort are required to attend an orientation. During orientation, permits will be issued and hunt zones, parking areas, and reporting requirements will be explained. Failure to attend an orientation will result in forfeiture of the permit.
2024 Dates for the Junior Licensed Youth Turkey Hunt at Pymatuning
- Application Deadline: March 22, 2024
- Blind Drawing: March 27, 2024
- Results Posted: March 29, 2024
- Mandatory Orientation: April 26, 2024 - 10:00am (1 hour class)
- Hunt Date: April 27, 2024
- Number of Zones: 7
- Total Hunters Drawn: 7
View Map PDF