SPECIAL REGULATIONS INCLUDE:
In western Pennsylvania, all of Allegheny County.
In southeastern Pennsylvania, all of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, and also during special controlled hunts at Ridley Creek and Tyler state parks.
Deer
While hunting seasons generally are set to run statewide or within specific Wildlife Management Units, certain laws and regulations apply in counties within Special Regulations Areas.
Deer & Bear Seasons, 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 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 and handguns; muzzleloading shotguns; single-projectile muzzleloaders .40 caliber or less; bows; crossbows; manually operated or semiautomatic air rifles or handguns that propel a single-projectile pellet or bullet in calibers from .177 to .22 for small game; For woodchucks and furbearers, air guns must be at least .22 caliber. BB ammunition cannot be used. Buckshot is not permitted. Bottlenecked centerfire cartridges are prohibited in Special Regulations Areas. Coyote and woodchuck hunters can use centerfire straight-walled cartridges in rifles and manually operated handguns. In Philadelphia County, only bows, crossbows, air rifles and shotguns are permitted. Centerfire, single-projectile ammunition is prohibited in these areas.
Lawful Deer Baiting
The use of bait is permitted while hunting deer in Southeast Special Regulations Area counties, but specific requirements must be followed. Baiting is permitted on private, municipal and federal lands, and bait can be distributed via feeder or placed on the ground. Allowable bait includes shelled corn, apples, protein pellets and natural agricultural products intended for human or livestock consumption. The use of mineral blocks and supplements is specifically prohibited. Bait accumulation must not exceed 5 gallons at any time; bait can only be present from two weeks before the opening of the first deer season to the close of the last deer season. A label displaying the full name and address of the person administering bait at that location, or that person’s Sportsman’s Equipment ID number (which is printed in the lower right corner of each license panel), shall be visible within the immediate vicinity of the bait pile. 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.
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 pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks, select Explore State Parks, select a park, on the park’s webpage click the hunting icon at the top for park specific information. If hunting is not listed as an activity, hunting is not permitted in that park.
Fluorescent Orange
Ag Tag hunters may participate in other deer seasons, such as the archery deer season, but always need to wear fluorescent orange when hunting with Ag Tags. Ag Tag hunters must follow fluorescent orange requirements for the regular firearms deer season – 250 square inches of fluorescent orange material on the head, chest and back combined, visible from 360 degrees and worn at all times. This requirement applies to Ag Tag hunters regardless of the sporting arm being carried.
No fluorescent orange is required for those hunting archery seasons for deer or bear.
250 square inches of fluorescent orange on the head, chest and back combined, and visible from 360 degrees, is required at all times.
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
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.
WMUs 2B, 5C & 5D and DMAP
250 square inches of fluorescent orange on the head, chest and back combined, and visible from 360 degrees, 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.