Deer season 2026–27 · last checked Sep 26, 2026

Pennsylvania deer season dates 2026–27

Official dates from Pennsylvania Game Commission, by season and zone, plus the public land in Pennsylvania from our directory. Archery opens Oct. 3, 2026 (Sept. 19 in WMUs 2B, 5C, 5D). Firearms: Nov. 28, 2026 (Regular firearms, statewide).

Last checked Sep 26, 2026 against the official Pennsylvania Game Commission page. Dates vary by zone, unit and county, and agencies can change them. Confirm with Pennsylvania Game Commission before you hunt.

Quick answers

When does archery deer season start in Pennsylvania?: Oct. 3, 2026 (Sept. 19 in WMUs 2B, 5C, 5D), per Pennsylvania Game Commission. See the table for zone differences and closing dates.
When does gun (firearms) deer season start in Pennsylvania?: Nov. 28, 2026 (Regular firearms, statewide).
Where are the official rules?: Pennsylvania Game Commission: hunting information. Bag limits, licenses, tags and weapon rules are not repeated here.

Pennsylvania deer season dates, 2026–27

Deer

Season	Where	Dates
Archery (antlered & antlerless)	WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D	Sept. 19 – Nov. 27, 2026 and Dec. 26, 2026 – Jan. 24, 2027
Archery (antlered & antlerless)	Statewide	Oct. 3 – Nov. 20, 2026 and Dec. 26, 2026 – Jan. 24, 2027
Antlerless muzzleloader	—	Oct. 17–25, 2026
Antlerless special firearms	Statewide; junior and senior license holders and other listed groups only	Oct. 22–25, 2026
Regular firearms (antlered & antlerless)	Statewide	Nov. 28 – Dec. 13, 2026
Flintlock (antlered or antlerless)	Statewide	Dec. 26, 2026 – Jan. 24, 2027
Antlerless extended regular firearms	WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D	Dec. 26, 2026 – Jan. 24, 2027
Antlerless extended regular firearms	WMUs 4A, 4C, 4D and 5A	Dec. 26, 2026 – Jan. 18, 2027

Antlerless licenses are issued by Wildlife Management Unit (WMU). Check PGC rules for your WMU, including fluorescent orange requirements.

Official sources (checked Sep 26, 2026)

Public land in Pennsylvania that may allow deer hunting

Our directory lists 480 named public land units in Pennsylvania (about 4.6M ac, from USGS PAD-US 4.1): 395 state wildlife & game areas, 36 forests & grasslands, 4 wildlife refuges & WPAs, 5 lake & reservoir project lands, 40 other public land units. PAD-US shows who manages the land. It doesn’t cover hunting rules. Before you go, check the area’s own rules with the managing agency. WMAs, refuges and forests often have special dates, permits or closed zones.

State wildlife areas & game lands in Pennsylvania

All 395 →

State wildlife / game area
State Game Land 013
50,758 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Sullivan County, Columbia County
Open access
State wildlife / game area
State Game Land 057
45,986 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Wyoming County, Luzerne County
Open access
State wildlife / game area
State Game Land 211
44,185 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Dauphin County, Lebanon County + 1 more
Open access
State wildlife / game area
State Game Land 044
39,048 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Elk County
Open access
State wildlife / game area
State Game Land 075
27,494 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Lycoming County
Open access
State wildlife / game area
State Game Land 127
26,153 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Monroe County
Open access
State wildlife / game area
State Game Land 012
24,600 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Bradford County, Sullivan County
Open access
State wildlife / game area
State Game Land 025
24,195 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Elk County
Open access
State wildlife / game area
State Game Land 091
23,706 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Luzerne County, Lackawanna County
Open access

National & state forests and grasslands in Pennsylvania

All 36 →

National Forest land
Allegheny National Forest
513,952 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Warren County, McKean County + 2 more
Open access
State forest
Sproul State Forest
283,149 acres
State: department of natural resources · Clinton County, Centre County + 2 more
Open access
State forest
Susquehannock State Forest
228,657 acres
State: department of natural resources · Potter County, Clinton County + 1 more
Open access
State forest
Bald Eagle State Forest
180,888 acres
State: department of natural resources · Union County, Centre County + 3 more
Open access
State forest
Elk State Forest
174,169 acres
State: department of natural resources · Cameron County, Elk County + 3 more
Open access
State forest
Moshannon State Forest
161,044 acres
State: department of natural resources · Clearfield County, Centre County + 2 more
Open access

National wildlife refuges & WPAs in Pennsylvania

National Wildlife Refuge
Erie National Wildlife Refuge
8,991 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Crawford County
Restricted access
National Wildlife Refuge
Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge
5,624 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Monroe County, Northampton County
Restricted access
National Wildlife Refuge
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge At Tinicum
1,004 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Delaware County, Philadelphia County
Restricted access
National Wildlife Refuge
Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge
152 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Beaver County
Restricted access

Counties with the most listed public land

Browse all 480 public land areas in Pennsylvania

Not legal advice and not an official source. This independent site is not affiliated with any government agency. Season dates are copied from the agency pages linked above as of the “last checked” date and may have changed since. The agency’s current regulations are what count. Full disclaimer.

Deer season dates in other states

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2026 deer season opening dates by state (table)