The Pennsylvania Game Commission just dropped some significant changes that will affect how hunters across the state plan their seasons. After months of discussion and public input, the board has finalized the 2026-27 hunting calendar with modifications that touch nearly every aspect of the sport.
The most talked-about change didn't happen. The commission originally considered shifting firearms deer season to start a week earlier - the Saturday before Thanksgiving instead of after. This would have created a domino effect, pushing bear season and others forward as well. When it came time to vote at their January meeting in Harrisburg, the board rejected that proposal 6-3, deciding instead to keep the traditional calendar that hunters have come to expect.
What did change, however, affects hunters pursuing everything from turkeys to black bears to furbearers. The modifications reflect the commission's ongoing effort to balance harvest numbers with population sustainability while expanding opportunities where possible.
Sunday Hunting Expands Into Spring
Pennsylvania's relatively recent embrace of Sunday hunting continues to grow. The 2027 spring gobbler season will now include Sundays for the first time. This represents a major shift for turkey hunters who previously had to work around weekend schedules that excluded Sundays entirely.
But there's a tradeoff. To prevent overharvesting due to these additional hunting days, the commission is implementing a strict one-bird limit for spring gobblers. Previously, hunters could purchase a second spring turkey tag, but that option disappears for the 2027 season. The spring gobbler season itself runs from May 1-31, 2027, with special youth and mentored hunts on April 24-25. Legal hunting hours remain one-half hour before sunrise until noon for the first half of May, then extend to one-half hour after sunset for the final two weeks.
The commission's reasoning is straightforward: more hunting days could mean more birds harvested. By capping the bag limit at one, they're ensuring harvest rates stay within sustainable levels even with the expanded access.
Deer Season Gets Fine-Tuned
While the main firearms deer season stays put - running November 28 through December 13 - hunters will notice adjustments to several other segments. The archery season maintains its split structure, with early segments starting in October and a late season running December 26 through January 24, 2027. The specific start date varies by Wildlife Management Unit, with WMUs 2B, 5C, and 5D opening earliest on September 19.
The antlerless muzzleloader season holds steady at October 17-25, while the special firearms season for juniors, seniors, mentored hunters, disabled permit holders, and active military remains October 22-25. The flintlock season continues to overlap with the late archery period, running December 26 through January 24.
Extended firearms seasons for antlerless deer show more variation by location. WMUs 2B, 5C, and 5D get the longest extension running through January 24, while WMUs 4A, 4C, 4D, and 5A close on January 18. Statewide DMAP properties have a shorter window from December 26 to January 3.
The changes aim to reduce complexity while ensuring season lengths match up with weapon efficiency and management goals. All seasons now include Sundays that fall within the listed dates, and many that previously ended on Saturdays now conclude on Sundays, adding an extra day of opportunity.
Bear Hunters See Major Changes in 3D
Black bear hunters in WMU 3D will find significantly expanded opportunities this year. The archery bear season in that unit now runs the entire length of the first archery deer segment, from October 3 through November 20. This represents a substantial increase in hunting days compared to the statewide archery bear season of October 17-25.
The commission made this adjustment in direct response to increasing bear-human conflicts in the area. By extending the archery season and potentially increasing harvest, wildlife managers hope to reduce problem bear encounters while giving hunters more time in the field.
The regular bear season runs November 21-24 statewide. Extended firearms bear seasons vary by unit, with WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C, and 5D open through December 13, while WMUs 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4E, and 5A close on December 6. The archery season in WMUs 2B, 5C, and 5D starts earliest at September 19, while 5B begins October 3.
Special firearms and muzzleloader bear seasons for eligible hunters run October 22-25. The one-bear-per-year limit remains in effect across all seasons.
Elk Season Gets Reconfigured
Elk hunters face perhaps the most dramatic restructuring. The commission is splitting the regular firearms season into three distinct segments rather than the traditional two. The new early October segment runs October 3-11, followed by the traditional fall hunt October 31 through November 8. The third segment has been pushed significantly later into winter, running January 9-17, 2027.
This reorganization addresses two concerns. First, by creating three separate segments, the commission aims to reduce crowding in elk range as license allocations potentially increase in coming years. Spreading hunters across three periods should improve the experience for everyone.
Second, moving the late season away from the December holidays gives hunters a better chance to actually use their tags without competing against family obligations and travel plans. January might be colder, but it's also less hectic.
The archery elk season remains September 12-27, maintaining its early positioning before any firearms activity.
Small Game Stays Open During Deer Season
In a significant convenience for hunters who pursue multiple species, squirrel, ruffed grouse, rabbit, pheasant, bobwhite quail, and woodchuck seasons all remain open during firearms deer season. Previously, some of these closed, forcing hunters to choose between opportunities.
Squirrel season runs essentially year-round with only a brief Christmas Day closure, from September 12 through February 28, 2027. The daily limit stays at six with an 18-bird possession limit. A special youth season begins the season on September 12-27.
Ruffed grouse opens October 17 through December 24, with the usual two-bird daily limit. Rabbit season mirrors this schedule with a four-bird daily limit, though youth hunters get an early October 3-18 window before the general opener.
Pheasant season includes a youth and mentored hunter period October 10-18, then opens to all hunters October 24 through February 28, 2027. The two-bird daily limit applies statewide, though Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas remain closed except by executive order.
Bobwhite quail season offers nearly unlimited opportunity from September 1 through March 31, 2027, with no bag limit except in the Letterkenny Army Depot recovery area where hunting remains prohibited.
Woodchuck season runs July 1 through June 30, 2027, with only a Christmas Day break and no limit. Crow season operates Thursday through Sunday only from August 20 through March 21, 2027.
Furbearer Expansion
The commission is opening new areas for bobcat and river otter harvest, signaling confidence in population levels. WMU 5A joins the bobcat hunting and trapping roster, while WMUs 2G, 3A, and 4C open for river otter trapping. Wildlife biologists determined these units can sustain harvest based on habitat conditions and population surveys.
Bobcat season runs January 9 through February 3, 2027, for hunting, with trapping allowed December 19 through January 10. The one-bobcat-per-year limit remains, and furtakers must obtain a special permit.
River otter trapping spans a brief February 13-21, 2027 window in open units. Like bobcat, the limit is one per year with a required permit.
Coyote remains open year-round with no limit. Fox and raccoon season runs October 24 through February 21, 2027, with nighttime hunting allowed except during the firearms deer season. Beaver trapping extends December 19 through March 31, 2027, with limits varying by WMU.
Fisher trapping continues in designated units December 19 through January 10, maintaining the one-per-year limit. Mink and muskrat season runs November 21 through January 10 with no limits.
Fall Turkey Gets Regional Treatment
Fall turkey season varies significantly across the state, reflecting local population conditions. Some units get two-week seasons while others extend to three weeks with split dates.
WMUs 1A, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B, and 4D run October 31 through November 15. WMUs 1B, 3D, 4C, and 4E have a shorter window from October 31 to November 8. Several units get split seasons with a Thanksgiving weekend bonus: WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B, and 3C run October 31 through November 15, then reopen November 25-27, while WMUs 2B, 2C, 2D, and 2E extend through November 20 before the Thanksgiving bonus days.
The shortest seasons appear in WMUs 5A and 5B with only October 31 through November 3. WMUs 5C and 5D remain completely closed to fall turkey hunting.
Public Input Continues
These preliminary approvals aren't final yet. The commission scheduled its next meeting for April 10-11 at their Harrisburg headquarters, where they'll finalize the 2026-27 seasons and set antlerless deer license allocations for each WMU. Between now and then, hunters can submit comments on any aspect of the proposed changes.
The commission heard from dozens of hunters at their January 24 meeting, which started at 8:30 a.m. at 2001 Elmerton Avenue in Harrisburg. Those unable to attend in person watched on the Pennsylvania Game Commission's YouTube channel, where the meeting remains available for viewing.
Migratory game bird seasons aren't included in these proposals since federal regulations determine those dates. The commission will announce waterfowl and dove seasons later after receiving federal frameworks. Whether Sunday hunting extends to migratory birds remains undetermined.
What It Means for Hunters
The overarching theme across these changes is Sunday hunting expansion balanced against harvest management. Nearly every season that previously excluded Sundays now includes them, and many that ended on Saturdays now close on Sundays instead. This represents an extra day per week across most of the calendar.
For deer hunters, the traditional late-November firearms opener survives despite pressure to move it earlier. The extended seasons and special hunts provide ample opportunity for antlerless harvest in units where doe numbers need reduction.
Turkey hunters face the most significant tradeoff - Sunday hunting access in exchange for giving up the second spring tag. Whether this proves popular or controversial will likely determine if it continues beyond 2027.
Bear management increasingly reflects regional differences, with problem areas getting longer seasons while maintaining conservative approaches elsewhere. The WMU 3D archery extension specifically targets conflict reduction rather than just providing opportunity.
Elk hunters must now plan around three potential seasons rather than two, but the trade-off is potentially less crowding and better timing around personal schedules. The late January hunt might appeal to those who struggled to get time off during traditional fall seasons.
Small game enthusiasts benefit from continuous opportunity through firearms deer season, eliminating the need to choose between pursuing grouse or rabbits and joining the deer drive.
The furbearer expansions reflect successful wildlife management, with populations strong enough to sustain harvest in additional areas. River otter in particular has made a remarkable comeback in Pennsylvania after complete extirpation decades ago.
All these changes exist within seasons that now routinely include Sundays, a shift that Pennsylvania resisted for generations before finally embracing in recent years. The expansion continues incrementally, adding Sunday hunting to more activities while watching harvest numbers to ensure sustainability.
Hunters interested in commenting on the proposals can reach the commission before the April meeting. Those wanting to watch the process unfold can tune into the board meetings via YouTube. The commission maintains detailed information about all its actions on its website.
For now, hunters should mark their calendars based on these preliminary dates while awaiting final approval in April. The seasons represent a continuation of Pennsylvania's careful approach to wildlife management - expanding opportunity where populations allow while restricting harvest where necessary to maintain healthy numbers for future generations.
