Hunting & Trapping Digest 2024-2025Big Game Regulations

Big_G_RLawful Arms & AmmunitionDeer and Bear, Regular Seasons

Manually operated (pump, lever, bolt actions, single-shot) centerfire rifles, and handguns (revolvers or single-shots) with all-lead bullet or ball, or bullet designed to expand on impact;

Manually operated or semiautomatic centerfire shotguns (shotguns do not have to be plugged) that propel singleprojectile ammunition. Buckshot is not legal, except during certain controlled hunts where the Game Commission issues a special permit.

Muzzleloading long guns of any type, .44 caliber or larger, or a muzzleloading handgun .50 caliber or larger, and;

Long, recurve, compound bows (minimum draw weight of 35 pounds) or crossbows (minimum 125-pound draw weight), with a broadhead that has an outside diameter or width of at least 7/8 of an inch and may not exceed 3.25 inches in length.

Bear Archery Season

Long, recurve and compound bows (minimum draw weight of 35 pounds), or crossbows, with a legal broadhead (see broadhead stipulations that follow).

Deer Archery Seasons

Long, recurve and compound bows (minimum draw weight of 35 pounds), and crossbows, and legal broadheads (an outside diameter or width of at least 7/8 of an inch and may not exceed 3.25 inches in length). Magnifying scopes and sights such as red dot on crossbows can be used. Persons hunting deer in the archery seasons may not possess a firearm, except those individuals who have a License to Carry Firearms, and then only those firearms authorized by the permit (most sporting arms are not authorized). Muzzleloading firearms also can be carried by bowhunters during any muzzleloading season, providing the hunter has an archery license and a muzzleloader license and meets the fluorescent orange requirements of the muzzleloader season.

Dual-Carry Rules

Possession of any firearm while archery hunting is prohibited unless the individual possesses a License to Carry Firearms, and then only those firearms authorized by the permit. Archery hunters are permitted to carry a muzzleloading firearm only during overlaps of archery deer or bear season with a muzzleloader deer or bear season.

Bow & Arrow Equipment Definitions

Arrow - A projectile shot from a bow with an overall length exceeding the brace height of the bow with fletching designed only for guidance at the aft end and a broadhead mounted on the fore-end. No electronic tracking device shall be part of or attached to the arrow. No device, material or system capable of causing damage or injury to the animal in excess of that inflicted by the cutting edges of the broadhead shall be part of or attached to any arrow. A projectile for a crossbow is known as a bolt.

Bow - A device for launching an arrow, which derives its propulsive energy solely from the bending and recovery of two limbs. The energy used to propel the arrow may not be derived from another source. These limitations shall not exclude the mechanical leverage advantage provided by eccentric wheels or cams so long as the energy stored in the bent limbs of the bow is the sole result of a single, continuous and direct pulling effort by the shooter. The bowstring must be drawn and released as a direct and conscious action by the shooter. Release shall be accomplished by either relaxing the tension of the fingers or triggering the release action of a manually operated release aid.

Broadhead - Must have a fixed or mechanical tip having sharpened cutting edges consisting of metal or naturally occurring stone. The broadhead must have an outside diameter or width of at least 7/8 of an inch, and the length may not exceed 3.25 inches.

Crossbow - Must have a draw weight not less than 125 pounds.

Muzzleloader Deer & Bear Seasons

October Antlerless Deer Season & Bear Season - Any single-barrel muzzleloading long gun with flintlock, in-line or percussion ignition .44 caliber or larger, or .50 caliber or larger handgun. Scope sights permitted.

Flintlock Season - Flintlock-ignition, single-barrel long guns manufactured prior to 1800, or a similar reproduction of an original muzzleloading single-barrel long gun .44 caliber or larger, or .50 caliber or larger handgun, using a single projectile. It is unlawful to use telescopic sights. Late-season flintlock hunters are permitted to take an antlered deer or an antlerless deer anywhere in the state with their unused antlered deer tag.

Fall Turkey Season

Manually operated and semiautomatic shotguns limited to no more than three shells in the chamber and magazine combined;

Muzzleloading shotguns;

Shotshell pellets no larger than No. 4 lead, No. 2 steel or No. 4 of any other composition or alloy of nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;

Possessing or using single-projectile ammunition, rifles, handguns, muzzleloading rifles and slug guns is unlawful.

Long, recurve, compound bows (minimum draw weight of 35 pounds) or crossbows with legal broadheads (defined earlier).

Spring Gobbler Season

Manually operated and semiautomatic shotguns limited to no more than three rounds in the chamber and magazine combined;

Muzzleloading shotguns of all types and gauges; and

Long, recurve, compound bows (minimum draw weight of 35 pounds) or crossbows with legal broadheads (defined earlier). Shotgun fine shot pellets only, no larger than No. 4 lead, No. 2 steel or No. 4 of any other composition or alloy of nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Rifle/shotgun combinations may be used if ammunition is confined to shotgun shells. Possessing or using single-projectile ammunition, rifles, handguns, dogs, electronic callers or live decoys is unlawful. It is unlawful to conduct drives for turkeys. Hunting by calling only. Hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon from the opening day through the third Saturday (including the Youth Spring Turkey Hunt), and then to one-half hour after sunset for the remainder of the season. Hunters are asked to be out of the woods by 1 p.m. when closing time is noon.

Elk General & Late Seasons

Manually operated centerfire rifles and handguns at least .26 caliber using all-lead projectiles or bullets of at least 120 grains designed to expand on impact;

Manually operated or semiautomatic centerfire shotguns (shotguns do not have to be plugged) that propel singleprojectile ammunition. Shotguns must be at least 12-gauge;

Muzzleloading firearms (including handguns) at least .50 caliber propelling a single projectile weighing at least 210 grains;

Bow with a minimum draw weight of 45 pounds;

Crossbows with a minimum draw weight of 125 pounds;

Any arrow or crossbow bolt with a broadhead that has an outside diameter or width of at least 1 inch, and the length may not exceed 3.25 inches;

RestrictionsBear Season

It is unlawful to 1) kill a bear in a den; 2) use a radio to locate a bear to which a radio transmitter has been attached 3) use scents or lures.

Blinds

Blinds can be used for big game (see turkey section for specifics for blinds while turkey hunting), however, a minimum of 100 square inches of fluorescent orange material (orange alert band will suffice) must be displayed within 15 feet of the blind and visible in a 360-degree arc during the firearms deer, bear and elk seasons. This is in addition to wearing orange while in the blind.

Dogs

It is unlawful to use dogs to hunt elk, bears, deer or spring turkey.

Organized Drives

Drives are permitted for deer and bear hunting only. It is unlawful to drive elk or turkeys. Drive participants must be in possession of a valid hunting license and comply with all fluorescent orange requirements. Unlicensed individuals can accompany a licensed hunter but cannot actively participate in any hunting activity and are strongly encouraged to wear fluorescent orange.

Hunting Parties

It is unlawful to hunt deer, elk or bears in a party of more than 25 persons.

Tree Stands & Blinds

It is unlawful while hunting or preparing to hunt to 1) damage any tree on public or private property by constructing a tree stand or using a portable tree stand or device to climb a tree; 2) use or occupy a tree stand that, when constructed, damages a tree. This does not apply to landowners constructing stands on their own property, or persons who have received written permission from a landowner to build or use a tree stand; 3) tree stands and portable hunting blinds on state game lands can be placed out not more than two weeks before the first and must be removed no later than two weeks after the final deer season in that area. Placing a tree stand or hunting blind does not reserve the area for its owner; other hunters can hunt there. Tree stands and portable hunting blinds left on state game lands and other Hunter Access properties under the Game Commission’s management need to be conspicuously marked with a durable and legible identification tag that includes the owner’s first and last name and legal home address, or bears the CID number that appears on the owner’s hunting license or a number issued by the Game Commission to the stand or blind owner. Sportsman’s Equipment ID numbers are assigned to license buyers and found in their customer profiles at www.HuntFish.PA.gov.

Shooting at Random

During the open seasons for deer and bears, it is unlawful to shoot at any target other than legal game. Target shooting is lawful only when done: 1) on property owned by the shooter or by a guest of the property owner; 2) within 200 yards of a camp or headquarters where the shooter is either quartered or an invited guest; 3) at an established shooting range. The target must be protected by a natural or artificial barrier so that the bullet or arrow cannot travel more than 15 yards beyond it.

Unfit for ConsumptionAny person who legally harvests any big-game animal and discovers the flesh is unfit for human consumption at the time of harvest shall, within 12 hours following the discovery, deliver the entire carcass, less entrails, but including the head and hide, to any Game Commission game warden who, being satisfied that the game was unfit for human consumption at the time of harvest, shall issue written authorization to the person to harvest a second animal or bird of the same species during the unexpired portion of the season for that species.Transporting Big GameDeer, bear, elk and turkey under transport, including those taken outside of Pennsylvania, must have an appropriate tag completed and attached. Unmarked parts of a big-game carcass taken in Pennsylvania may be transported. Upon request of any Game Commission law-enforcement officer, the name and address of the person who killed the animal must be furnished, along with other information necessary to properly establish legal possession. Before moving a harvested deer outside of a CWD Disease Management Area (DMA) or the Established Area (EA) in Pennsylvania, or bringing in a harvested deer, elk or moose from outside of Pa., all high-risk parts must be removed. Also, high-risk parts cannot be placed on the landscape in DMAs or the EA, unless they are left at the kill site. Now, however, any hunter who harvests a deer out-of-state or within a DMA or EA can take it directly to a cooperating processor or taxidermist anywhere in the state. See the CWD section in this digest.Reporting Big-Game HarvestsEach hunter who harvests a deer or turkey must report it to the Game Commission within 10 days (five days for persons required to make a homemade tag) by sending in a postage-paid report card from this digest, or reporting online or over the phone. Be sure to read report cards thoroughly before filling out. Use one report card per animal harvested. For secondlicense turkey and DMAP antlerless deer, where reporting is required regardless of harvest success, be sure to check the “no harvest” box if no game is harvested. Hunters also can report their big-game harvests online at www.HuntFish.PA.gov by following instructions given there. Hunters and trappers also can report their deer, turkey, bobcat, fisher and otter harvests over the telephone by calling 1-800-838-4431. Hunters will need to have their license and information from the tag used, including the tag number.Within 24 hours, each person who harvests a bear or elk must have it checked by the Game Commission. Bear check stations are open the first two days of the regular bear season, and on select days of the extended seasons. Check station schedules are in the Bear section. When bear check stations aren’t open, hunters should call 1-833-PGC-HUNT or 1-833-PGC-WILD for instructions on having their bears checked. Those drawn for an elk license will be notified by letter the location and operating hours of the Elk Check Station.Tagging Big Game

Hunters who harvest a bear, deer, elk or turkey must follow instructions printed on tags supplied with licenses.

Harvest tags must be filled out with a ballpoint pen.

Tagging requirements for persons authorized to hunt without a license are identical, except that a homemade tag must be used listing the hunter’s name, address, game harvested and date, time, WMU, county and township where it was taken.

It is unlawful to possess an expired, fulfilled, revoked, suspended or invalid big-game harvest tag or hunting license while engaged in hunting or trapping activities.

BEARS must be tagged immediately after harvest and before the carcass is moved. The harvest tag must be attached to the ear and remain attached until the animal is processed for consumption or prepared for mounting.DEER can be tagged any time before the carcass is moved. A prior regulation had required a hunter to tag any harvested deer before attempting to take another. That regulation has been rescinded. The harvest tag must be attached to the ear and remain attached until the animal is processed for consumption or prepared for mounting. When submitting a sample for CWD testing, the completed harvest tag should remain with the head being submitted for testing.ELK must be tagged immediately after harvest and before the carcass is moved. The harvest tag must be attached to the ear and remain attached until the animal is processed for consumption or prepared for mounting.TURKEYS must be tagged immediately after harvest and before the carcass is moved. Turkey tags must be attached to the bird’s leg.Dividing RuleFeral SwineFeral swine have no place in Pennsylvania. They damage wildlife habitats, will kill birds and young mammals, and transmit a host of dangerous diseases. Because feral swine have no natural predators, they can live anywhere, and reproduce rapidly, and are difficult to control in the best circumstances.In some areas of the state, protection may be removed from feral swine by an executive order of the director; however, to increase the efficiency of eradication efforts, protection may be applied to townships or counties where eradication trapping operations actively are being conducted. If you think you may have encountered feral swine, refer to www.pgc.pa.gov, for specific details on townships or counties that may have restrictions on incidental shooting of feral swine.Feral swine may be hunted during lawful daylight hunting hours, except Sundays, with a hunting or furtaker license. However, feral swine may be taken from the first day to the last day inclusive of any big-game season only by persons who have a valid tag and are lawfully engaged in hunting big game. Those hunting feral swine with a firearm are required at all times to wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange material on the head, chest and back combined.Firearm and archery equipment is restricted to lawful arms and ammunition identified in the Game & Wildlife Code Sec. 2308. Those killing feral swine, must contact the nearest Game Commission region office within 24 hours, so samples can be collected for disease testing.
img1Pennsylvania’s Big Game Scoring ProgramEach year, deer, bear and elk that are among the largest ever to be harvested in Pennsylvania are added to the Pennsylvania Big Game Records book. Now those hunters and trophy owners who have a listing in the record book also may purchase an Exclusive Member Big Game Records patch.Patches are $9.43, plus $2.95 shipping, plus sales tax. Funds from the sale of these patches are used to support the state’s Big Game Scoring Program. To order, call 1-888-888-3459 or visit www.HuntFish.PA.gov.The 2024 records book becomes available in October, and costs $10, plus $2.95 shipping, plus 6 percent sales tax.To enter a big game animal, or for more information, call the Game Commission Harrisburg Headquarters.
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