Except as further restricted by this chapter, the seasons, bag limits, hunting hours and hunting regulations for migratory game birds shall conform to regulations adopted by the United States Secretary of the Interior under authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § § 703—712) and as published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Exceptions:

1. (a) Hunting hours in § 141.4 (relating to hunting hours).
2. (b) Nontoxic shot as approved by the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is required for use Statewide in hunting and taking of migratory waterfowl.

3. (c) Hunting on Sunday not authorized.¹

   Species	First Day		Last Day	Daily Limit	Field Possession Limit After Second Day
   Squirrel—(Combined species)2	Sept. 1		Nov. 15	6	18
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 16		Sun.3, Nov. 16
   		and
   	Nov. 17		Nov. 22
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 23		Sun.3, Nov. 23
   		and
   	Nov. 24		Nov. 29
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 30		Sun.3, Nov. 30
   		and
   	Dec. 1		Mar. 31, 2026
   Quail2	Sept. 1		Nov. 15	Unlimited
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 16		Sun.3, Nov. 16
   		and
   	Nov. 17		Nov. 22
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 23		Sun.3, Nov. 23
   		and
   	Nov. 24		Nov. 29
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 30		Sun.3, Nov. 30
   		and
   	Dec. 1		Mar. 31, 2026
   Ruffed Grouse2	Sept. 1		Nov. 15	2	6
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 16		Sun.3, Nov. 16
   		and
   	Nov. 17		Nov. 22
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 23		Sun.3, Nov. 23
   		and
   	Nov. 24		Nov. 29
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 30		Sun.3, Nov. 30
   		and
   	Dec. 1		Mar. 31, 2026
   Cottontail Rabbits2	Sept. 1		Nov. 15	4	12
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 16		Sun.3, Nov. 16
   		and
   	Nov. 17		Nov. 22
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 23		Sun.3, Nov. 23
   		and
   	Nov. 24		Nov. 29
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 30		Sun.3, Nov. 30
   		and
   	Dec. 1		Mar. 31, 2026
   Ring-necked Pheasant—Male and Female (Combined)2	Sept. 1		Nov. 15	2	6
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 16		Sun.3, Nov. 16
   		and
   	Nov. 17		Nov. 22
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 23		Sun.3, Nov. 23
   		and
   	Nov. 24		Nov. 29
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 30		Sun.3, Nov. 30
   		and
   	Dec. 1		Mar. 31, 2026
   Mink, Muskrat, Fox, Opossum, Raccoon, Striped Skunk and Weasel2	Sept. 1		Nov. 15	Unlimited
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 16		Sun.3, Nov. 16
   		and
   	Nov. 17		Nov. 22
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 23		Sun.3, Nov. 23
   		and
   	Nov. 24		Nov. 29
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 30		Sun.3, Nov. 30
   		and
   	Dec. 1		Mar. 31, 2026

   Species	First Day		Last Day	Daily Limit	Season Limit
   Snowshoe or Varying Hare2	Sept. 1		Nov. 15	1	3
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 16		Sun.3, Nov. 16
   		and
   	Nov. 17		Nov. 22
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 23		Sun.3, Nov. 23
   		and
   	Nov. 24		Nov. 29
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 30		Sun.3, Nov. 30
   		and
   	Dec. 1		Mar. 31, 2026

   Migratory Game Bird¹—Except as further restricted by this chapter, the seasons, bag limits, hunting hours and hunting regulations for migratory game birds shall conform to regulations adopted by the United States Secretary of the Interior under authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and as published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

   Exceptions:

4. (a) Hunting hours in § 141.4.
5. (b) Nontoxic shot as approved by the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is required for use Statewide in hunting and taking of migratory waterfowl.

6. (c) Hunting on Sunday not authorized.¹

   Species	First Day		Last Day	Daily Limit	Season Limit
   Turkey, Fall—Male or Female1				1	1
   WMUs 1A, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B and 4D	Nov. 1		Nov. 15
   WMUs 1B, 3D, 4C and 4E	Nov. 1		Nov. 8
   WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B and 3C	Nov. 1		Nov. 15
   		and
   	Nov. 26		Nov. 28
   WMUs 2B, 2C, 2D and 2E	Nov. 1		Nov. 21
   		and
   	Nov. 26		Nov. 28
   WMUs 5A and 5B	Nov. 1		Nov. 4
   WMUs 5C and 5D	Closed to fall turkey hunting
   Turkey, Spring1 Bearded Bird only, Junior License Holders and Mentored Permit Holders 16 years of age and under	Apr. 25, 2026		Apr. 25, 2026	1	1
   Turkey, Spring1,5 Bearded Bird only				1	2
   	May 2, 2026		May 16, 2026	May be hunted 1/2 hour before sunrise to 12 noon.
   		and
   	May 18, 2026		May 30, 2026	May be hunted 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.

   Species	First Day		Last Day	Season Limit
   Deer, Archery (Antlered and Antlerless)2,6 With the required archery license	Oct. 4		Nov. 15	One antlered deer, and an antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
   		and
   WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A and 5B	Sun.3, Nov. 16	and	Sun.3, Nov. 16
   	Nov. 17		Nov. 21
   		and
   	Dec. 26		Jan. 19, 2026
   Deer, Archery (Antlered and Antlerless)2,6 With the required archery license	Sept. 20	and	Nov. 15	One antlered deer, and an antlerless deer with each required and antlerless license.
   WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D	Sun.3, Nov. 16		Sun.3, Nov. 16
   		and
   	Nov. 17		Nov. 22
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 23		Sun.3, Nov. 23
   		and
   	Nov. 24		Nov. 28
   		and
   	Dec. 26		Jan. 24, 2026
   Deer, Muzzleloader (Antlerless only)1 With the required muzzleloading license	Oct. 18		Oct. 25	An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
   Deer, Special firearms (Antlerless only) Only Junior and Senior License Holders7, Mentored Permit Holders4, Commission Disabled Person Permit Holders (to use a vehicle as a blind) and Residents serving on active duty in the United States Armed Forces or United States Coast Guard	Oct. 23		Oct. 25	An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
   Deer, Regular Firearms (Antlered and Antlerless)2,6 Statewide	Nov. 29	and	Nov. 29	One antlered deer, and an antlerless deer with each required anterless license.
   	Sun.3, Nov. 30		Sun.3, Nov. 30
   		and
   	Dec. 1		Dec. 13
   Deer, Flintlock (Antlered or Antlerless)1,6 With the required muzzleloading license WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A and 5B	Dec. 26		Jan. 19, 2026	One antlered or one antlerless deer, plus an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
   Deer, Flintlock (Antlered or Antlerless)1,6 With the required muzzleloading license WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D	Dec. 26		Jan. 24, 2026	One antlered or one antlerless deer, plus an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
   Deer, Extended Regular firearms (Antlerless)1 WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D	Dec. 26		Jan. 24, 2026	An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
   Deer, Extended Regular firearms (Antlerless)1 Statewide, only on properties enrolled in the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP)	Dec. 26		Jan. 24, 2026	An antlerless deer with each required DMAP harvest coupon.
   Deer, Extended Regular firearms (Antlerless)1 WMUs 4A, 4C, 4D and 5A	Jan. 2, 2026		Jan. 19, 2026	An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
   Deer, Antlerless1 (Letterkenny Army Depot, Franklin County and New Cumberland Army Depot, York County and Fort Detrick, Raven Rock Site, Adams County)	Hunting is permitted on days established by the United States Department of the Army.	An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
   Deer, Agricultural Deer Control (Antlerless)2 With required agriculture deer control harvest permit	Aug. 1, 2025		Apr. 15, 2026	An antlerless deer with each required agriculture deer control harvest permit.

   Species	First Day		Last Day	Season Limit
   Bear, Archery2,8 WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D	Sept. 20		Nov. 15	1
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 16		Sun.3, Nov. 16
   		and
   	Nov. 17		Nov. 22
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 23		Sun.3, Nov. 23
   		and
   	Nov. 24		Nov. 28
   Bear, Archery2,8 WMU 5B	Oct. 4		Nov. 15	1
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 16		Sun.3, Nov. 16
   		and
   	Nov. 17		Nov. 21
   Bear, Archery1,8 WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 5A	Oct. 18		Oct. 25	1
   Bear, Muzzleloader1,8 (Statewide)	Oct. 23		Oct. 25	1
   Bear, Special firearms8 Only Junior and Senior License Holders7, Mentored Permit Holders4, Commission Disabled Person Permit Holders (to use a vehicle as a blind), and Residents serving on active duty in the United States Armed Forces or in the United States Coast Guard (Statewide)	Oct. 23		Oct. 25	1
   Bear, Regular Firearms2,8 (Statewide)	Nov. 22		Nov. 22	1
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 23		Sun.3, Nov. 23
   		and
   	Nov. 24		Nov. 25
   Bear, Extended firearms2,8 WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D	Nov. 29		Nov. 29	1
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 30		Sun.3, Nov. 30
   		and
   	Dec. 1		Dec. 13
   Bear, Extended firearms2,8 WMUs 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4E and 5A	Nov. 29		Nov. 29	1
   		and
   	Sun.3, Nov. 30		Sun.3, Nov. 30
   		and
   	Dec. 1		Dec. 6

   Species	First Day		Last Day	Season Limit
   Elk, Special Conservation Tag1,9 and Special-License Tag1,9 (Antlered and Antlerless)	July 1		Nov. 8	1
   Elk, Archery1,9 (Antlered and Antlerless)	Sept. 13		Sept. 27	1
   Elk, Regular1,9 (Antlered and Antlerless)	Nov. 3		Nov. 8	1
   Elk, Late1,9 (Antlered and Antlerless)	Dec. 27		Jan. 3, 2026	1

   Species	First Day		Last Day	Daily Limit	Season Limit
   Mink and Muskrat	Nov. 22		Jan. 11, 2026	Unlimited
   Beaver	Dec. 20		Mar. 31, 2026
   WMUs 1A and 1B (Combined)				20	60
   WMUs 2A, 2B and 3C (Combined)				20	40
   WMUs 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 3A, 3B, 3D, 5C and 5D (Combined)				20	20
   WMUs 2G, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A and 5B (Combined)				5	5
   Coyote, Fox, Opossum, Raccoon, Striped Skunk and Weasel	Oct. 25		Feb. 22, 2026	Unlimited
   Coyote and Fox	Dec. 26		Feb. 22, 2026	Unlimited
   Use of cable restraint devices authorized with required certification

   Species	First Day		Last Day	Season Limit
   Bobcat, with required bobcat permit WMUs 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E	Dec. 20		Jan. 11, 2026	1
   Fisher, with required fisher permit WMUs 1B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E	Dec. 20		Jan. 11, 2026	1
   River Otter, with required otter permit WMUs 1A, 1B, 2F, 3B, 3C, 3D and 4E	Feb. 14, 2026		Feb. 21, 2026	1

   Species	First Day		Last Day	Daily Limit	Season Limit
   Coyote—(Outside of any big game season)3	May be taken with a hunting license or a furtaker’s license.	Unlimited
   Coyote—(During any big game season)	May be taken while lawfully hunting big game or with a furtaker’s license.	Unlimited
   Opossum, Striped Skunk, Weasel2	July 1		Nov. 15	Unlimited May be hunted any hour, day or night, on open dates from July 1—Nov. 28 and Dec. 14— June 30, 2026. May only be hunted from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise from Nov. 29— Dec. 13.
   	and
   Sun.3, Nov. 16		Sun.3, Nov. 16
   	and
   Nov. 17		Nov. 22
   	and
   Sun.3, Nov. 23		Sun.3, Nov. 23
   	and
   Nov. 24		Nov. 29
   	and
   Sun.3, Nov. 30		Sun.3, Nov. 30
   	and
   	Dec. 1		June 30, 2026
   Fox3	Oct. 25		Feb. 21, 2026	Unlimited May be hunted any hour, day or night, from Oct. 25—Nov. 28 and Dec. 14— Feb. 21, 2026. May only be hunted from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise from Nov. 29— Dec. 13.
   Raccoon2	Oct. 25		Nov. 15	Unlimited May be hunted any hour, day or night, on open dates from Oct. 25—Nov. 28 and Dec. 14— Feb. 21, 2026. May only be hunted from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise from Nov. 29— Dec. 13.
   	and
   Sun.3, Nov. 16		Sun.3, Nov. 16
   	and
   Nov. 17		Nov. 22
   	and
   Sun.3, Nov. 23		Sun.3, Nov. 23
   	and
   Nov. 24		Nov. 29
   	and
   Sun.3, Nov. 30		Sun.3, Nov. 30
   	and
   	Dec. 1		Feb. 21, 2026
   Bobcat, with required bobcat permit1 WMUs 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E	Jan. 10, 2026		Feb. 4, 2026	1	1
   Porcupine2	Oct. 11		Nov. 15	3	10
   	and
   Sun.3, Nov. 16		Sun.3, Nov. 16
   	and
   Nov. 17		Nov. 22
   	and
   Sun.3, Nov. 23		Sun.3, Nov. 23
   	and
   Nov. 24		Nov. 28
   	and
   Dec. 15		Dec. 24
   	and
   Dec. 26		Jan. 31, 2026

   No open seasons on other wild birds or wild mammals.

   ¹ No hunting on Sunday authorized. See 34 Pa.C.S. § 2303 (relating to hunting on Sunday prohibited).

   ² Hunting on Sunday authorized on separately delineated Sunday dates only. See 34 Pa.C.S. § 2303.

   ³ Hunting on Sunday is authorized. See 34 Pa.C.S. § 2303.

   ⁴ Includes mentored youth and mentored adults with a valid mentored hunter permit issued under Chapter 147, Subchapter X (relating to Mentored Hunting Program permit).

   ⁵ Only persons who possess a special wild turkey license as provided for in 34 Pa.C.S. § 2709 (relating to license costs and fees) may take a second spring gobbler during the hunting license year; all other persons, including mentored youth hunters, may take only one spring gobbler. A maximum of two spring gobblers per license year may be taken by any combination of licenses or exceptions for mentored youth.

   ⁶ Only one antlered deer (buck) may be taken during the hunting license year.

   ⁷ Includes resident and nonresident license holders who have reached or will reach their 65th birthday in the year of the application for the license and hold a valid adult license or qualify for license and fee exemptions under 34 Pa.C.S. § 2706 (relating to resident license and fee exemptions).

   ⁸ Only one bear may be taken during the hunting license year with the required bear license.

   ⁹ Only one elk may be taken during the hunting license year with the required elk license.

2025-2026 OPEN HUNTING AND FURTAKING SEASONS, DAILY LIMIT, FIELD POSSESSION LIMIT AND SEASON LIMIT OPEN SEASON INCLUDES FIRST AND LAST DATES LISTED

SMALL GAME

MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS

FALCONRY

WILD TURKEY

WHITE-TAILED DEER

BLACK BEAR

ELK

FURTAKING—TRAPPING

FURTAKING—HUNTING

Appendix A. [Reserved]

Authority

The provisions of this § 139.4 issued and amended under 34 Pa.C.S.

Source

The provisions of this § 139.4 adopted June 3, 1971, effective July 3, 1971, 1 Pa.B. 1473; amended July 8, 1977, effective July 9, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 1915; amended April 30, 1982, effective May 1, 1982, 12 Pa.B. 1396; amended June 19, 1987, effective July 1, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 2464; amended October 30, 1987, effective October 31, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 4320; amended June 3, 1988, effective June 4, 1988, 18 Pa.B. 2530; amended April 28, 1989, effective April 29, 1989, 19 Pa.B. 1842; amended May 25, 1990, effective July 1, 1990, 20 Pa.B. 2752; amended May 29, 1992, effective July 1, 1992, 22 Pa.B. 2839; amended November 27, 1992, effective November 28, 1992, 22 Pa.B. 5685; amended May 28, 1993, effective July 1, 1993, 23 Pa.B. 2565; amended June 3, 1994, effective June 4, 1994, 24 Pa.B. 2797; amended May 26, 1995, effective from July 1, 1995, to June 30, 1996, 25 Pa.B. 2072; amended October 27, 1995, effective from December 1995, to June 30, 1996, 25 Pa.B. 4614; amended September 6, 1996, effective July 1, 1996, to June 30, 1997, 26 Pa.B. 4339; amended May 16, 1997, effective May 17, 1997, 27 Pa.B. 2417; amended May 29, 1998, effective May 30, 1998, 28 Pa.B. 2504; amended October 30, 1998, effective October 31, 1998, 28 Pa.B. 5486; amended May 7, 1999, effective May 8, 1999, 29 Pa.B. 2454; amended May 12, 2000, effective May 13, 2000, 30 Pa.B. 2366; amended June 1, 2001, effective July 1, 2001, to June 30, 2002, 31 Pa.B. 2793; amended July 12, 2002, effective July 13, 2002, and apply retroactively to July 1, 2002, 32 Pa.B. 3392; amended June 20, 2003, effective June 21, 2003, 33 Pa.B. 2872; amended July 16, 2004, effective July 17, 2004, and apply retroactively to July 1, 2004, 34 Pa.B. 3705; amended July 15, 2005, effective from July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006, 35 Pa.B. 3928; amended June 30, 2006, effective July 1, 2006, 36 Pa.B. 3244; amended June 29, 2007, effective June 30, 2007, 37 Pa.B. 2949; amended June 27, 2008, effective June 28, 2008, 38 Pa.B. 3491; amended June 5, 2009, effective July 1, 2009, 39 Pa.B. 2792; amended June 11, 2010, effective June 12, 2010, 40 Pa.B. 3096; amended September 24, 2010, effective September 25, 2010, and remain in effect until June 30, 2011, 40 Pa.B. 5454; amended May 27, 2011, effective from July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012, 41 Pa.B. 2688; amended June 22, 2012, effective from July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013, 42 Pa.B. 3581; amended May 31, 2013, effective July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014, 43 Pa.B. 2999; amended May 23, 2014, effective July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015, 44 Pa.B. 3091; amended May 29, 2015, effective July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2016, 45 Pa.B. 2596; amended May 27, 2016, effective July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, 46 Pa.B. 2665; amended May 5, 2017, effective July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018, 47 Pa.B. 2603; amended May 25, 2018, effective July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019, 48 Pa.B. 3082; amended May 17, 2019, effective July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020, 49 Pa.B. 2500; amended May 1, 2020, effective July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, 50 Pa.B. 2258; amended May 21, 2021, effective July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, 51 Pa.B. 2929; amended June 9, 2023, effective July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, 53 Pa.B. 3090; amended May 31, 2024, effective July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, 54 Pa.B. 3021; amended May 23, 2025, effective July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, 55 Pa.B. 3571. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (419933) to (419953).

Cross References

This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 135.41 (relating to State game lands); 58 Pa. Code § 139.6 (relating to field possession and transportation limits); 58 Pa. Code § 143.42 (relating to antlerless deer license required); 58 Pa. Code § 143.206 (relating to validity of elk licenses); 58 Pa. Code § 143.243 (relating to general); 58 Pa. Code § 147.315 (relating to purpose); 58 Pa. Code § 147.553 (relating to agriculture deer control harvest permit); 58 Pa. Code § 147.556 (relating to lawful devices and methods); 58 Pa. Code § 147.664 (relating to permit); 58 Pa. Code § 147.701 (relating to general); and 58 Pa. Code § 147.804 (relating to general).