Deer

All Special Regulations Area counties are now contained within the Wildlife Management Unit system. Seasons and antler restriction requirements are based mostly on these units and general deer seasons. However, certain laws and regulations in regard to arms and ammunition still apply to specific counties in Special Regulations Areas.

Deer & Bear Season, Arms & Ammunition

• Philadelphia County – Only bows and arrows, including crossbows.

• Remaining Counties – Manually operated rifles and handguns chambered for straight-walled centerfire cartridges, muzzleloading long guns, .44 caliber or larger; manual or semiautomatic shotguns, .410 or larger, using slugs; bows and crossbows. Crossbows must have a minimum draw weight of 125 pounds. Buckshot no longer can be used. When hunting in parks within Special Regulations Areas, the species, arms and ammo allowed vary from park to park. Additional guidance for which state parks allow hunting, as well as contact information can be found on each park’s webpage. Go to www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks.

Small Game, Furbearers & Crows, Arms & Ammunition

Manually operated or semiautomatic shotguns plugged to a 3-shell capacity; manually operated or semiautomatic .22 caliber or less rimfire rifles; manually operated .22 caliber or less rimfire handguns; and bows and crossbows. Buckshot is not permitted. A manually operated or semiautomatic air rifle or manually operated air handgun that propels a single-projectile pellet or bullet for small game in calibers from .177 to .22. For woodchucks and furbearers, air guns must be .22 caliber. BB ammunition cannot be used. In Special Regulations Areas, bottlenecked centerfire cartridges are prohibited. Coyote and woodchuck hunters can use centerfire straight-walled cartridges in rifles and manually operated handguns. In Philadelphia County, only bows and arrows, crossbows, air rifles and shotguns are permitted. Centerfire, single-projectile ammunition is prohibited in these areas.

State Parks

Species, arms and ammo vary from park to park within the Special Regulations Areas. Additional guidance for those that permit hunting, as well as contact information for all parks, can be found on each park’s webpage. Go to www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks, select Find a Park, select a park, on the park’s webpage click the hunting icon at the top for park specific information. If there is no hunting icon at the top of the page, hunting is not permitted in that park.

Private Property Deer Baiting

A baiting permit no longer is needed when using bait to hunt deer on private property in the Southeast Special Regulations Area. However, other requirements remain. Bait must be shelled corn or protein-pellet supplements only, corn may not contain any additives; bait accumulation must not exceed 5 gallons at any time; bait only can be used from two weeks before the opening of the first deer season to the close of the last deer season; automatic mechanical feeders must be used; and feeders must distribute bait during hunting hours, no more than three times a day. Landowners and hunters need to ensure bait sites comply with regulations.

Lawful While Trapping

Manually operated or semiautomatic .22 caliber or less rimfire rifles and manually operated .22 caliber or less rimfire handguns. A manually operated or semiautomatic air rifle or manually operated air handgun in calibers from .177 to .22 that propel a single-projectile pellet or bullet. BB ammunition cannot be used.

Fluorescent Orange

Ag Tag Season (antlerless deer only)

Aug. 1- April 15, including Sundays, 9/14 - 12/7

• During overlaps with established deer seasons, Ag Tag hunters must follow orange requirements for the season they’re hunting. When there are no overlaps, Ag Tag hunters must at all times wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange on the head, chest and back combined, and visible from 360 degrees, regardless of the sporting arm used.

Archery Seasons for Deer and Bear

• No fluorescent orange is required for those hunting archery seasons for deer or bear.

October Muzzleloader Antlerless Deer Season

Oct. 18-25, including Sunday, 10/19

• 250 square inches of fluorescent orange on the head, chest and back combined, and visible from 360 degrees, is required at all times.

Special Firearms Antlerless Deer Season

Oct. 23-25

Licensed seniors, Junior license holders, Mentored Hunting permit holders, qualified active-duty military personnel, and persons with a permit to use a vehicle as a blind

• 250 square inches of fluorescent orange on the head, chest and back combined, and visible from 360 degrees, is required at all times.

Regular Firearms Deer Season (antlered and antlerless)

Nov. 29-Dec. 13

• 250 square inches of fluorescent orange on the head, chest and back combined, and visible from 360 degrees, is required at all times.

Flintlock Deer Season (antlered and antlerless)

WMUs 2B, 5C & 5D: Dec. 26-Jan. 24; Other WMUs Dec. 26-Jan. 19

• Fluorescent orange is not required. It’s not required for archery hunters either, but keep in mind a firearms deer season is open and it is suggested that orange be worn.

Extended Antlerless Deer Firearms Season

WMUs 2B, 5C & 5D: Dec. 26-Jan. 24

• 250 square inches of fluorescent orange on the head, chest and back combined, and visible from 360 degrees, is required at all times.

Small Game

• 250 square inches of fluorescent orange on the head, chest and back at all times is required. Furbearer and crow hunters do not need to wear fluorescent orange. Woodchuck hunters must wear a solid fluorescent cap visible 360 degrees.