pa game commission

Late Deer Seasons Begin Today Across Pennsylvania

December 26, 2025 | Jen Russell

Pennsylvania hunters can head back into the woods today as late flintlock, archery, and extended firearms seasons officially begin.

Pennsylvania Firearms Deer Season Ends Saturday as Game Commission Touts Safety Record

December 12, 2025 | Jen Russell

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is reminding hunters that firearms deer season concludes this Saturday, following a safe and expanded season that included new Sunday hunting opportunities.

Pennsylvania Firearms Deer Season Begins November 29 With Added Sunday Opportunities

November 22, 2025 | Jen Russell

More than half a million hunters will head into the woods starting November 29 for a two-week season that now includes two Sundays and high expectations for harvest numbers.

Pennsylvania Drivers Face Heightened Deer Collision Risk, Game Commission Warns

October 28, 2025 | Jen Russell

Pennsylvania drivers now face a one in 62 chance of hitting a large animal as deer activity increases this fall, according to state officials.

Pennsylvania’s Fall Turkey Season Begins on November 1

October 24, 2025 | Jen Russell

The Pennsylvania Game Commission has announced the start of the fall turkey season, with varying lengths across the state and a below-average reproductive outlook for the birds.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Projects Another Strong Bear Season

October 11, 2025 | Jen Russell

State officials expect the 2025 bear harvest to be consistent with previous high-yield years, offering hunters widespread opportunities across Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Pheasant Season Set to Open This Month

October 8, 2025 | Jen Russell

The junior pheasant season begins on October 11, followed by the statewide season on October 25, with the Game Commission planning to stock approximately 215,000 birds.

Pennsylvania to Celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day with Free Events

September 25, 2025 | Jen Russell

State wildlife agencies will recognize National Hunting and Fishing Day this Saturday with several free, public events scheduled across the Commonwealth.

Pennsylvania Archery Deer Season Opens Soon with Expanded Sunday Hunting

September 23, 2025 | exploreJefferson

Hunters will have more weekend opportunities this year after the state’s longstanding ban on Sunday hunting was fully repealed.

Driving Tours Return to State Game Lands

September 18, 2025 | exploreJefferson

All tours are free, held rain or shine and open only to vehicles licensed for travel on public roads.

Game Commission Asks Public to Report Sick, Dead Deer Amid Disease Outbreak

September 11, 2025 | exploreJefferson

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is asking for the public’s help in tracking a disease that is often fatal to white-tailed deer and has been confirmed in several northwestern counties.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Calls for Final Turkey Sighting Reports

September 3, 2025 | exploreJefferson

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is asking the public to submit all wild turkey sightings from July and August through its online portal by the September 6 deadline.

Game Commission to Consider Changes for Young Hunters, Deer Permits

September 2, 2025 | exploreJefferson

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners will vote on a proposal to allow mentored hunters under age 7 to get their own big game tags at its upcoming public meeting.

Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Elk Cam Launches for 2025 Season

August 18, 2025 | exploreJefferson

Wildlife enthusiasts can now get a live look into the heart of Pennsylvania’s elk country as the popular Elk Cam has returned ahead of the fall rutting season.

Third Round of Antlerless Deer License Sales, DMAP Permit Sales Begin Aug.11

August 5, 2025 | exploreJefferson

Hunters can purchase additional antlerless deer licenses and Deer Management Assistance Program permits beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, August 11.

Pennsylvania Expands Sunday Hunting, Adds 13 Dates for Fall Seasons

July 29, 2025 | exploreJefferson

The decision allows hunting on all Sundays from Sept. 14 through Dec. 7 that fall within an established open season for a given species.

Game Commission to Discuss Expanded Sunday Hunting at July 28th Meeting

July 24, 2025 | exploreJefferson

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners will meet later this month to discuss adding more Sunday hunting opportunities, following a recent change in state law that gives the board full authority to regulate the issue.

How a Bipartisan Push — and Backing from Farmers — Helped End Pennsylvania’s Sunday Hunting Ban

July 21, 2025 | Spotlight PA

The law, which will allow the Game Commission to set Sunday hunting dates, takes effect in early September.

Gov. Shapiro Signs Bill Ending Pennsylvania’s Sunday Hunting Ban

July 9, 2025 | exploreJefferson

The new law is expected to bolster wildlife conservation efforts and stimulate rural economies across the commonwealth.

Game Commission Board Reschedules Meeting to Allow Public Comment on Sunday Hunting Bill

July 9, 2025 | Jen Russell

The postponement will allow more time for gathering public comment following the recent passage of House Bill 1431, which would repeal Pennsylvania’s Sunday hunting ban.

Bill to End Sunday Hunting Ban Heads to Governor’s Desk

July 1, 2025 | exploreJefferson

Legislation that would fully repeal Pennsylvania’s ban against Sunday hunting received a final vote of approval Monday, and now heads to the governor to be signed into law.

Sunday Hunting Bill Passes Senate

June 27, 2025 | exploreJefferson

Pennsylvania’s Sunday hunting ban soon could become a thing of the past.

2025-26 Hunting Licenses To Go on Sale June 23

June 18, 2025 | exploreJefferson

This year, all Pennsylvania residents are guaranteed to get an antlerless deer license for the Wildlife Management Unit of their choice, so long as they buy it by Monday, July 14.

Sunday Hunting Bill Passes Pa. House

June 12, 2025 | exploreJefferson

The bill, which would fully repeal Pennsylvania’s ban on Sunday hunting, now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Game Commission Announces Spraying Plans

April 22, 2025 | exploreJefferson

Spraying is planned for 16 different state game lands and will begin as soon as leaf-out occurs and spongy moth egg masses hatch, likely in late April and May.

Spring Gobbler Season Is Calling

April 19, 2025 | exploreJefferson

The 2025 spring gobbler season is almost here: It starts with a one-day hunt for junior and mentored youth hunters on April 26, with the regular statewide season opening on May 3.

Game Commission Releases Deer Harvest Estimates

April 1, 2025 | exploreJefferson

The 2024-25 antlerless harvest increased 17% over the year before and 21% over the three-year average.

Annual Report: Pa. Game Commission Faces Plummeting Gas Revenue, Adds Shooting Ranges, Hunting Licenses Stable

March 19, 2025 | exploreJefferson

Pennsylvania Game Commission reported a $221 million drop in gas royalties while announcing plans to expand public shooting ranges and increase staffing in its annual report to state lawmakers Tuesday.

Game Commission Applauds Sunday Hunting Bill

March 7, 2025 | Jen Russell

Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, this week reintroduced Senate Bill 67, which would end the state’s prohibition on Sunday hunting and allow the Game Commission to include Sundays when establishing hunting seasons annually.

Game Commission Hires Two New Bureau Directors

March 1, 2025 | exploreJefferson

Timothy Haydt and Eric Allen both began in their new roles in November.

Game Commission Accepting Comments on Proposed Waterfowl Seasons

February 24, 2025 | exploreJefferson

An online question-and-answer session will be held on the proposed seasons on Thursday, March 6 at 1 p.m. on the Game Commission’s YouTube channel.

Pheasants to Be Released Next Week

February 7, 2025 | exploreJefferson

The Pennsylvania Game Commission will be releasing approximately 8,400 pheasants, mostly hens, to provide additional hunting recreation in the last two weeks of pheasant season, which runs through Feb. 28.

New Game Wardens Join Ranks

February 6, 2025 | exploreJefferson

The 36th Class of the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Ross Leffler School of Conservation graduated Feb. 1, adding 18 more officers to the ranks.

Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in New Area of Pennsylvania

February 4, 2025 | exploreJefferson

The two deer, one hunter-harvested and one from a captive facility, were detected in Luzerne County. Both deer were adult males.

Winter Turkey Sighting Survey Has Begun

January 15, 2025 | exploreJefferson

Trapping turkeys during winter is part of the Game Commission’s ongoing population monitoring, and provides information for large-scale turkey studies.

Bird Flu Suspected in Snow Goose Mortalities

January 6, 2025 | exploreJefferson

Avian influenza is suspected to have caused the deaths of about 200 snow geese found December 30 in the greater Allentown area.

Game Commission Discusses 2025-26 Hunting Season Proposals

December 20, 2024 | exploreJefferson

The commission’s Wildlife Management Committee advanced several proposals to the agenda for January 2025 Board of Commissioners meeting.

2025-26 Hunting and Trapping Season Proposals to Be Discussed

December 17, 2024 | exploreJefferson

Among the proposals are removing the requirement for mentored youth under 7 years old to receive big-game tags by transfer, establishing an early archery season for antlerless deer, and allowing fall turkey hunters to use single projectile muzzleloading firearms.

The Game Commission Changed the 1st Day of Rifle Deer Season in 2019. Some Rural Pa. Businesses Want to See It Switched Back.

November 27, 2024 | Spotlight PA

Despite opposition from hunters, the Pennsylvania Game Commission moved the opening date for rifle deer season from the Monday after Thanksgiving to the Saturday.

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