PA Deer Hunting Season Kicks Off

PENNSYLVANIA — It's like an early holiday present for hundreds of thousands of hunters across the state: Deer hunting season begins Saturday and runs through Dec. 10, with the exception of Sunday, Dec. 4.

Statistics suggest hunters will be extremely busy throughout the season. According to the National Deer Association, in the 10 hunting seasons between 2011 and 2020, Pennsylvania ranked second in the nation for buck harvest per square mile three times, third twice, fourth three times and fifth twice.

Hunters are aided by a flexible season designed around the Thanksgiving weekend when many people aren't working. For decades, until recently, Pennsylvania deer hunting season did not begin until the Monday following Thanksgiving.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans said the season is "as user friendly as any we’ve offered."

“Pennsylvania’s firearms deer season draws more than 600,000 hunters to Penn’s Woods every year and it’s not hard to see why,” he said in a statement. “A productive deer herd that, thanks to antler point restrictions, includes a high proportion of adult bucks, spread out across the commonwealth, (and sets) the stage for an exciting time."

David Stainbrook, the game commission's deer and elk management section supervisor, said that hunters should be able to find both bucks and antlerless deer provided they put in the effort to locate them.

“Success in harvesting deer starts with scouting and knowing the land,” Stainbrook said. “But patience and putting in time are important, too. Persistence matters, as one additional day hunting can make the difference between a successful season and an unsuccessful one.”

Hunters who harvest a deer are required to attach a valid tag to the ear – not an antler – before the deer is moved. Hunters – especially those considering having their deer mounted – can use a large safety pin to attach the tag, as it won’t damage the ear.

The tag must be filled out with a ballpoint pen and notched or cut with the correct date of

harvest. Hunters must then report their harvest to the Game Commission within 10 days. Harvests can be reported online at www.huntfish.pa.gov or by calling 1-800-838-4431.

Deer hunters statewide must at all times wear a minimum of 250 square inches of fluorescent orange material on their head, chest and back combined, visible from 360 degrees, during the firearms deer season. An orange hat and vest will satisfy the requirement.