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
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.
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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.
2026-27 HUNTING SEASONS AND BAG LIMITS
SQUIRREL, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license – Sept. 12-27 (6 daily, 18 in possession limit after second day).
SQUIRREL, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Sept. 12-Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 28, 2027 (6 daily, 18 possession).
RUFFED GROUSE: Oct. 17-Dec. 24 (2 daily, 6 possession).
RABBIT (Cottontail): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license, and Mentored Permit Holders age 16 and under – Oct. 3-18 (4 daily, 12 possession).
RABBIT (Cottontail): Oct. 17-Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 28, 2027 (4 daily, 12 possession).
PHEASANT: Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license, and all mentored hunters, regardless of age – Oct. 10-18 (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.
PHEASANT: Oct. 24-Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 28, 2027 (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: Sept. 1-Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-March 31, 2027. No limit. There is no open season for the taking of bobwhite quail in the Letterkenny Army Depot Bobwhite Quail Recovery Area.
WOODCHUCK (GROUNDHOG): Dec. 15, 2025-June 30, July 1-Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-June 30, 2027. No limit.
HARE (SNOWSHOE RABBIT) OR VARYING HARE: Dec. 26-Dec. 31, statewide (1 daily, 3 season).
CROW: Aug. 20-March 21, 2027, 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.
WILD TURKEY, FALL (Male or Female): WMUs 1A, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B and 4D – Oct. 31-Nov. 15; WMUs 1B, 3D, 4C and 4E – Oct. 31-Nov. 8; WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B and 3C – Oct. 31-Nov. 15 and Nov. 25-27; WMUs 2B, 2C, 2D and 2E – Oct. 31-Nov. 20 and Nov. 25-27; WMUs 5A and 5B – Oct. 31-Nov. 3; WMUs 5C and 5D – CLOSED TO FALL TURKEY HUNTING.
SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with required license, and mentored hunters 16 and under – April 24-25, 2027. Only 1 spring gobbler may be taken during this hunt.
SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): May 2-30. 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. May 1-31, 2027. Daily limit 1, season limit 1. From May 1-16, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon; from May 17-31, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.
DEER, ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless) WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D: Sept. 19-Nov. 27 and Dec. 26-Jan. 24, 2027. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit. One antlered deer per hunting license year.
DEER, ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless) Statewide: Oct. 3 -Nov. 20 and Dec. 26-Jan. 24, 2027. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS MUZZLELOADER (Statewide): Oct. 17-25. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS SPECIAL FIREARMS (Statewide): Oct. 22-25. Junior and Senior License Holders, Mentored Permit Holders, Disabled Person Permit (to use a vehicle) Holders, and Pennsylvania residents serving on active duty in U.S. Armed Services or in the U.S. Coast Guard only, with required antlerless license. Also included are persons who have reached or will reach their 65th birthday in the year of the application for a license and hold a valid adult license or qualify for license and fee exemptions under section 2706. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, REGULAR FIREARMS (Antlered and Antlerless) Statewide: Nov. 28-Dec. 13. One antlered deer per hunting license year. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK (Statewide): Dec. 26-Jan. 24, 2027. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer may be taken with a general license antlered deer harvest tag, and an antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS EXTENDED REGULAR FIREARMS (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D): Dec. 26-Jan. 24, 2027. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS EXTENDED REGULAR FIREARMS (WMUs, 4A, 4C, 4D and 5A): Dec. 26-Jan. 18, 2026. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS EXTENDED REGULAR FIREARMS (Statewide DMAP): Dec. 26-Jan. 24, 2027. Only on properties enrolled in the Deer Management Assistance Program. An antlerless deer with each required DMAP harvest permit.
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, 2027. An antlerless deer with each required agricultural deer control harvest permit.
BLACK BEAR, ARCHERY (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D): Sept. 19-Nov. 27. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR, ARCHERY (WMUs 3C, 3D and 5B): Oct. 3-Nov. 20. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR, ARCHERY (WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 5A): Oct. 17-25. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR, MUZZLELOADER (Statewide): Oct. 22-25. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR, SPECIAL FIREARMS (Statewide): Oct. 22-25, Junior and Senior License Holders, Mentored Permit Holders, Disabled Person Permit (to use a vehicle) Holders, and Pennsylvania residents serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Services or in the U.S. Coast Guard only. Also included are persons who have reached or will reach their 65th birthday in the year of the application for a license and hold a valid adult license or qualify for license and fee exemptions under section 2706. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR REGULAR FIREARMS (Statewide): Nov. 21-24. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR, EXTENDED FIREARMS (WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D): Nov. 28-Dec. 13. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR, EXTENDED FIREARMS (WMUs 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4E and 5A): Nov. 28-Dec. 6. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.