Outdoors Calendar
(To request to have an item added to the Outdoors Calendar or to send a digital image of your harvested bear, deer or turkey photo for possible publication please email hssports@heraldstandard.com.)
TROUT UNLIMITED ANNUAL BANQUET
Chestnut Ridge Chapter of Trout Unlimited annual banquet. Saturday, March 21. Hugo’s Restaurant, Rte. 40 west of Brownsville.
Three-entr茅e wedding-style buffet. Outdoor prizes, fishing tackle, wildlife art, outdoor gear and more.
Banquet supports CRTU’s quarter-century of coldwater conservation and promotion of fishing enjoyment in the Laurel Highlands.
Doors open 5 p.m. Dinner served 7 p.m.
Seating limited. For tickets ($40 each) call Eugene Gordon at 724-277-8688. No sales after March 11.
HUNTER-TRAPPER INDEPENDENT STUDY COURSE
NOTE: Must be 11 years old to register. Students must attend the two- to three-hour class to be tested and certified. Students must study the entire course content on their own online, taking about 8-10 hours to complete.
SUCCESSFUL TURKEY HUNTING
Online registration only; must be at least age 11 to register.
Prior to attending, you should complete the independent study part of this program online. If you don’t want to study online, please telephone the PGC Hunter-Trapper Education Division at 717-787-7015 (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday) to request a copy of our “Successful Turkey Hunting Student Manual.”
SUCCESSFUL FURTAKING
Prior to attending the one-day class, all students must complete the independent study part of the training by clicking on the link “Successful Furtaking Student Manual” on the website at www.pgc.state.pa.us.
If not online, please telephone the PGC Hunter-Trapper Education Division at 717-787-7015 (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday) to request a printed version of the manual.
FAIRBANK ROD AND GUN CLUB SPORTING CLAYS
Every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
Find us on Facebook.
SUCCESSFUL BOWHUNTER-ED CLASSES
NOTE: All the online Pennsylvania Bowhunter Education Course must be completed before registering for Successful Bowhunting.
The online bowhunter education course (Pennsylvania Bowhunter Education Course) and Successful Bowhunting field day to complete the requirements for bowhunter education.
FINAL 2025-26 HUNTING SEASONS AND BAG LIMITS
SQUIRRELS, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Dec. 26-Feb. 28, 2026 (6 daily, 18 possession).
RABBIT (Cottontail): Dec. 26-Feb. 28, 2026 (4 daily, 12 possession).
PHEASANT: Dec. 26-Feb. 28, 2026 (2 daily, 6 in possession). Male and female pheasants may be taken in all WMUs. There is no open season for taking pheasants in Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas, except as authorized by executive order.
BOBWHITE QUAIL: Dec. 26-March 31, 2026. No limit. There is no open season for the taking of bobwhite quail in the Letterkenny Bobwhite Quail Focus Area.
WOODCHUCK (GROUNDHOG): Dec. 15-June 30, 2026. No limit.
CROW: Aug. 21-March 22, 2026, on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. No limit.
STARLING AND ENGLISH SPARROW: No closed season, except during the regular firearms deer season. No limit.
SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with required license, and mentored hunters 16 and under – April 25, 2026. Only 1 spring gobbler may be taken during this hunt. Hunting hours end at noon.
SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): May 2-30, 2026. Daily limit 1, season limit 2. (Second spring gobbler may be only taken by persons who possess a valid special wild turkey license.) From May 2-16, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon; from May 18-30, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.
DEER, ANTLERLESS (Military Bases): Hunting permitted on days established by the U.S. Department of the Army at Letterkenny Army Depot, Franklin County; New Cumberland Army Depot, York County; and Fort Detrick, Raven Rock Site, Adams County. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS (Agricultural Deer Control): Aug. 1-April 15, 2026. An antlerless deer with each required agricultural deer control harvest permit.
FINAL 2025-26 FURBEARER HUNTING SEASONS
COYOTE: No closed season. No limit. Outside of any big game season (deer, bear, elk and turkey), coyotes may be taken with a hunting license or a furtaker license, and without wearing orange. During any big game season, coyotes may be taken while lawfully hunting big game or with a furtaker license.
OPOSSUM, STRIPED SKUNK and WEASEL: No closed season, except during the firearms deer season. No Sunday. No limits.
FINAL 2025-26 TRAPPING SEASONS
BEAVER (Statewide): Dec. 20-March 31, 2026 (Limits vary depending on WMU).
FINAL 2025-26 FALCONRY SEASONS
SQUIRRELS (combined): Dec. 1-March 31, 2026 (6 daily, 18 possession).
BOBWHITE QUAIL Dec. 1-March 31, 2026 (No limit).
RUFFED GROUSE Dec. 1-March 31, 2026 (2 daily, 6 possession).
COTTONTAIL RABBIT Dec. 1-March 31, 2026 (4 daily, 12 possession).
PHEASANT (Male or Female combined): Dec. 1-March 31, 2026 (2 daily, 6 possession).
SNOWSHOE OR VARYING HARES Dec. 1-March 31, 2026 (1 daily, 3 season).
MINK, MUSKRAT, FOX, OPOSSUM, RACCOON, STRIPED SKUNK and WEASEL Dec. 1-March 31, 2026 (No limits).
No hunting on Sundays.
No open season on other wild birds or mammals.
2025-26 MIGRATORY GAME BIRD SEASONS AND BAG LIMITS
Mergansers: 5 daily, 15 in possession
Coots: 15 daily, 45 in possession.
LIGHT GEESE (Snow Geese and Ross’ Geese):
Resident Population Zone:
Conservation Order: Feb. 23 – April 24; 25 daily, no possession limit.
HARLEQUIN DUCKS, and TUNDRA and TRUMPETER SWANS: No open season.
CLAPPER AND KING RAILS: No open season.
All hunters are required to have a Migratory Game Bird License to hunt migratory birds including waterfowl, doves, woodcock, brant, coots, gallinules, rails and snipe. In addition to a Migratory Game Bird License, waterfowl hunters 16 or older need a federal duck stamp, and if the actual stamp is carried, it must be signed across the face. The electronic duck stamp, or E-Stamp, version of the federal duck stamp has now been authorized for use through the entirety of a waterfowl hunting season. Stamps can be purchased online at www.HuntFish.PA.gov or at any issuing agent. Physical stamps will be mailed to E-stamp purchasers in March. A Snow Goose Permit is required to participate in the Conservation Order for light geese.