Pennsylvania Hunting & Fishing Licenses

Resident hunting licenses cost $20.97 and include 1 antlered deer tag and 2 fall turkey tags. Non-resident licenses cost $101.97 and include the same tags - exceptional value.

The HuntFishPA app has had significant reliability issues, particularly during peak license sales in June 2023 when 85,000+ hunters were stuck in queue. Always carry a printed paper backup of your license.

Pennsylvania hunting licenses include 1 antlered deer tag, 2 fall turkey tags, and the right to hunt small game. Archery hunting requires an additional $15.97 stamp. Antlerless deer require separate DMAP tags.

Hunting licenses run from July 1 through June 30. Fishing licenses run calendar year (January 1 - December 31). The different cycles can be confusing.

Yes! Pennsylvania recently expanded Sunday hunting. Previously limited to three Sundays, hunting is now allowed on many more Sundays. Check current PGC regulations for specific dates.

Pennsylvania's deer seasons typically run: archery from late September through mid-November (and a post-Christmas extension), regular firearms for two weeks starting the Monday after Thanksgiving, muzzleloader in mid-October and again after Christmas, and flintlock in late December through mid-January. Special regulation areas may have different dates. Always confirm exact dates on the PGC website for the current year.

Non-residents pay $101.97 for a general hunting license, which includes 1 antlered deer tag and 2 fall turkey tags - the same package residents get. You'll need additional stamps for archery ($26.97) or muzzleloader ($16.97). Non-residents can also purchase antlerless deer tags ($26.97 each) through the DMAP program. Pennsylvania does not require non-residents to have a hunter education certificate from another state, but you must have completed an approved course.

Pennsylvania has over 1.5 million acres of State Game Lands (SGLs) across 300+ tracts, plus state forests, Army Corps of Engineers lands, and national forest land in the Allegheny region. Popular areas include the Tioga and Sproul State Forests in the north-central part of the state and the Michaux State Forest near Gettysburg. Game Lands near cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia see heavy pressure, so scouting remote tracts in Potter, Clinton, and Lycoming counties often yields better results.

Yes, Pennsylvania offers a limited elk hunt through a lottery draw managed by the Game Commission. The elk herd is centered in Elk and Cameron counties in the north-central part of the state. Applications typically open in the spring, and the hunt runs for a few weeks in the fall. Drawing a PA elk tag is extremely competitive - thousands apply for a handful of bull and cow tags each year. Preference points accumulate for unsuccessful applicants.

Pennsylvania has established Disease Management Areas (DMAs) in parts of the state where Chronic Wasting Disease has been detected, primarily in south-central counties near the Maryland border. Within DMAs, hunters must follow specific rules: mandatory harvest reporting within 24 hours, restrictions on transporting whole carcasses out of the DMA, and head submission for CWD testing. Additional antlerless tags are often available in DMAs to help reduce deer density. Check the PGC's interactive DMA map for current boundaries.

Pennsylvania's Mentored Youth Hunting Program allows children of any age to hunt without completing hunter education first. The youth hunter must have a mentored youth permit ($2.97) and hunt under direct supervision of a licensed adult mentor who stays within arm's reach at all times. Youth get their own set of tags for antlered deer, antlerless deer, spring turkey, and fall turkey. This is one of the most permissive youth hunting programs in the Northeast and a great way to get kids started early.

Yes. Pennsylvania requires you to tag harvested deer, bear, elk, and turkey immediately in the field with the appropriate tag from your license. For deer and turkeys, you should report your harvest through the PGC's online reporting system. In CWD Disease Management Areas, reporting within 24 hours is mandatory. Bear harvests must be brought to a check station within 24 hours. Failure to report can result in fines and loss of hunting privileges.

Pennsylvania uses antler point restrictions (APRs) that vary by Wildlife Management Unit. In most WMUs, bucks must have at least 3 points on one side to be legal during the regular firearms season. Junior and senior license holders, disabled hunters, and mentored youth hunters are generally exempt from APRs and can harvest any legal antlered deer. During archery season, antler restrictions also apply. Check the specific regulations for your WMU, as some special regulation areas have different point requirements.