The Pennsylvania Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday, January 24, and has given preliminary approval to the 2026-27 Seasons and Bag limits. Final approval will occur at the April 10 & 11 meeting. For now, the following information might help you plan out your hunting in Pennsylvania for this fall through next spring.

First, a few points of interest regarding recent rumors and several significant changes. For several weeks, variations on the start of rifle deer season have been swirling around that would also have affected the timing of other seasons, such as rifle bear season. By a 6-3 vote, the Board rejected the plan and decided to move ahead with a proposal that largely mirrors last year’s seasons.

For wild turkeys, a bag limit of one spring gobbler is proposed to offset potential additional harvest resulting from the inclusion of Sundays. For black bears in WMU3D, a longer archery bear season overlapping the entire first segment of the archery deer season is proposed. For elk, a new early October firearms season segment (during the rut) is proposed. And, for small game, the squirrel, ruffed grouse, rabbit, pheasant, bobwhite quail, and woodchuck seasons are proposed to remain open during the firearms deer season.

For wild turkeys, one hen or one gobbler may be taken in the fall. The season for WMU2B runs from October 31 to November 15. Other seasons vary by specific WMU. During the spring season, only ONE gobbler (bearded bird) may be taken, and the season runs from May 1 to May 31. From May 1-16, the legal shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise until noon, and from May 17-31, legal shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset. The Special season for eligible junior hunters, with a required license, and mentored hunters 16 and under is on April 24 & 25, and only one spring gobbler may be taken during the hunt.

Regarding whitetail deer, the statewide archery season runs from October 3 to November 20 and from December 26 to January 24, 2027. One antlered deer per hunting license year, and one antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit. The statewide antlerless muzzleloader season is from October 17-25, allowing an antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit. The statewide antlerless special firearms season runs from October 22-25 (Thursday through Sunday), wherein Junior and Senior license holders, Mentored Permit holders, some disabled persons, and some Pennsylvania resident active duty U. S. Armed Services individuals may take one antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit. The regular firearms (antlered and antlerless) statewide deer season will run from November 28 to December 13, when one antlered deer per hunting license year may be taken and one antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit. The antlered or antlerless flintlock season will run from December 26 to January 24, 2027.

As for the archery black bear season in WMU 2G, it runs from October 17-25. The statewide black bear muzzleloader season is from October 22-25 (Thursday to Sunday), and hunters are restricted to the same requirements as for the statewide antlerless special firearms season. The statewide black bear special firearms season also runs from October 22-25 (Thursday to Sunday), thus coinciding with the statewide antlerless special firearms season. Finally, the statewide regular firearms season is from November 21-24. The bag limit remains at one per license year.

There remains no limit and no closed season for coyote hunting, and the hunting season for bobcat runs from January 9 to February 3, 2027, with a limit of one bobcat per license year.

Please note that beginning with the 2026-2027 license year, all mentored hunters — including those under 7 years old — will get antlered deer and turkey harvest tags with their permits.

While the purchase date for hunting licenses will officially be set at the Board meeting in April, for your planning purposes, they usually become available for purchase in the last week of June.