There’s an all-new process for obtaining antlerless deer licenses in 2023-24. Hunters no longer apply for antlerless licenses by mail, they simply buy one for the Wildlife Management Unit of their choice, as long as licenses there remain available. Antlerless licenses can be purchased anywhere licenses are sold, though hunters who qualify for landowner, military or disabled veteran licenses may need to obtain them from a certain location. Antlerless deer license sales begin on the first day of general hunting license sales – Monday, June 26. Sales begin at 8 a.m. on that day. Only Pennsylvania resident hunters are eligible to purchase antlerless deer licenses initially. Sales to nonresidents begin two weeks later. All hunters are limited to purchasing just one antlerless license in the first round of sales, and cannot exceed three antlerless licenses by the close of the third round. In the fourth round, hunters can buy additional licenses to reach their personal limit of six unfilled antlerless deer licenses. Sales of Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) permits will not begin until the third round of antlerless license sales, on Monday, Aug. 14 at 8 a.m.
All 2023-24 license sales begin at 8 a.m. on June 26. Antlerless deer license sales begin at 8 a.m. in all rounds. DMAP sales begin at 8 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 14.
Resident and nonresident antlerless deer licenses can be purchased anywhere hunting licenses are sold, including issuing agents (sporting goods stores, gun shops, big-box retailers, etc.), County Treasurer offices, Game Commission offices, or online at HuntFish.PA.gov. Resident Disabled Veteran and Resident Armed Forces Antlerless Deer Licenses are available only at County Treasurer offices and Game Commission offices. Resident Disabled Veteran antlerless deer licenses are now available to Disabled Veterans that have a disability rating of 60-99% through Veterans Affairs. Resident and nonresident Landowner Antlerless Deer Licenses must be obtained at a County Treasurer office. Landowners seeking such licenses should contact their local County Treasurer for address information and hours of operation.
All hunting license holders may obtain up to six antlerless deer licenses before the start of the deer hunting seasons. No hunter may hold more than six unfilled antlerless licenses at a time. Those who hold mentored hunting permits – which are different than hunting licenses – may obtain only one antlerless deer license total in a license year. The number of antlerless deer licenses made available in each Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) is allocated by the Game Commission based on scientific data on deer populations. With limited numbers available, licenses for at least some WMUs could sell out before the second or third round of sales begins. Consequently, most hunters will never reach their personal limit of six unfilled antlerless deer licenses. But in WMUs where licenses remain, enabling more hunters to purchase antlerless licenses increases their opportunity and helps to achieve deer-management goals. Hunters who obtain six antlerless deer licenses may buy additional licenses, if available, as they harvest deer and report them through HuntFishPA. Hunters who report harvests online through HuntFish.PA.gov or call the Customer Support line at 1-800-838-4431 instantly become eligible to purchase another license, if any are available. Those reporting by mail will not be eligible to buy another license until their report is logged.
Qualified resident and nonresident applicants for landowner antlerless deer licenses (see license section in the back of this digest for qualifications) must apply directly to the County Treasurer of the county where the qualifying acreage is located.
These licenses are available the 3rd week in June, a Monday if not a state observed holiday, and should be applied for prior to the start of the regular application period, which begins the 4th Monday in June. If the qualifying acreage is located within a county with two or more WMUs, the applicant selects the WMU he or she desires.
If the applicant or his or her agent cannot apply in person, a completed application, proper remittance ($6.97 for residents, $26.97 for nonresidents), proof of ownership and a Landowner Antlerless Deer License Application/Affidavit (available from County Treasurers, Game Commission offices or www.pgc.pa.gov) should be mailed to the Treasurer in a plain envelope marked “Landowner Antlerless Application.”
Applicants who apply by mail must include a self-addressed, stamped return envelope. Do not mail antlerless requests directly to the Game Commission.
Qualified resident applicants who have a service-incurred 60-100% disability, or the loss of use of one or more limbs, may apply to any County Treasurer or Game Commission office for the WMU in which they desire to hunt. Regardless of allocations or application deadlines, only one antlerless deer tag is guaranteed per license year.
Qualified residents serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, or within 60 days from honorable discharge, may apply to any County Treasurer or Game Commission office for the WMU in which they desire to hunt.
Regardless of allocations or application deadlines, only one antlerless deer license is guaranteed.
Applicants who lose their antlerless deer license may obtain a replacement at any license sales location. Do not mail replacement requests directly to the Game Commission.
2023-24 Allocation
Antlerless deer licenses are allocated based on scientific data on deer populations. Increased allocations might address CWD risk in some WMUs or forest impacts in others. *Hunters also should note WMU 2H has been eliminated and its area placed into WMU 2G. The allocation increase reported for WMU 2G reflects combined numbers. The 2023-24 allocation, followed by the change from last year and the 2022-23 sell-out date are below.
WMU 1A – 46,000 (+3,000) 8/24
WMU 1B – 37,000 (+3,000) 8/1
WMU 2A – 46,000 (+7,000) 10/11
WMU 2B – 53,000 (+4,000) N/A
WMU 2C – 88,000 (+21,000) 10/7
WMU 2D – 86,000 (+12,000) 9/12
WMU 2E – 52,000 (+10,000) 9/30
WMU 2F – 49,000 (+12,000) 8/2
WMU 2G* – 35,000 (+4,000) 7/18
WMU 3A – 21,000 (+2,000) 8/1
WMU 3B – 32,000 (-1,000) 8/5
WMU 3C – 40,000 (+3,000) 8/15
WMU 3D – 41,000 (+/- 0) 9/22
WMU 4A – 61,000 (+11,000) N/A
WMU 4B – 46,000 (+12,000) 8/17
WMU 4C – 32,000 (+1,000) 8/2
WMU 4D – 77,000 (+22,000) 9/13
WMU 4E – 54,000 (+12,000) 8/18
WMU 5A – 40,000 (+9,000) 11/1
WMU 5B – 60,000 (+/- 0) 9/12
WMU 5C – 70,000 (+/- 0) 10/11
WMU 5D – 29,000 (+/- 0) 11/28
The listed 2022-23 sell-out dates are associated with the mail-in application process. Sales patterns might change significantly.