Am I right about the short season?

[mannyrock]

 
Dear Folks,
 
    I am retired, and have been looking at property on the internet, to buy for hunting and recreation only.  I was attracted to central and western Pennsylvania, because of the relatively cool summers, and size of the deer herd.  Land can still be bought in 50 to 100 acre tracts for relatively reasonable prices.
 
  But, in looking at your state regs, it looks like the statewide deer season is only one week long.   Can this be right?   Last year, about 325,000 deer were killed in Pennsylvania, and you killed the vast majority of them in 7 days?
 
    I just can't imagine what those 7 days must be like up there in your woods.  How do you do it??
 
    I spent the last 30 years in West Tennessee.  The regular rifle season is often 4 weeks long.  Muzzleloading season is about two weeks long.  And if you count up all of the deer you can possibly take, including rifle, archery, muzzleloading etc., it is about 20 per person.
 
   Are there other rifle seasons in Pennsylvania besides the one week I see in the regs?
 
Thanks for any info.
 
 Mannyrock
 
 
 

[Graybeard]

I have a friend up there who hunts on their 200 acre family farm. From what I've gathered from him PA has a really mixed up way of managing their hunting. Each kinda hunting you do requires a permit or tag at extra cost.

Bow hunting I think costs separately as does turkey hunting and muzzle loader hunting.

If you buy a license you get a buck tag which I believe can be filled during any of the various seasons. Getting a doe tag is mostly a matter of applying at the right time but does cost extra and some times a third tag also doe only can be gotten but not all the time.

I think first up is their early muzzle loader season, then bow season, then gun season which I think is two weeks or has been. Next up I think is bow season again followed by the late (flintlock and patched round ball only) season.

Don't take that to the bank but I think that's about how it works. Someone who lives there will come along and straighten out anything I got wrong.

[Bigeasy]

Mannyrock
 
When you buy a resident lisc., it cover small game, birds, some predators, spring and fall turkey, and includes a buck tag.  Archery, flintlock, furbearer (trapping), and bear are extra endorsements.  Doe tags are also available, based on the area you are hunting.  Elk tags by lottery.  The regular buck season is generally two weeks thru most of the state.  Between early muzzleloader, regular deer, and flintlock seasons, you can get some time in the woods.  I particularly like coyote season being open year round, with night hunting allowed. 
 
With the liberalization on killing does (used to be one tag, maybe, and a 3 or so day season), and the antler restrictions in place (most of the state is at least 3 points on one side, some areas 4), the overall deer numbers are down in most areas, especially on public land.  But when you do see a buck, it is usually a decent one, antler wise.  Unless you are hunting private farms, or the suburban areas that are limited to archery only, you sure don't see the numbers of deer you used to.  One bonus is great woodchuck hunting.  Most of the farms that wont let you hunt deer (family only) are usually happy to let you shoot chucks or coyote.  Lots of state land in central / western PA.
 
Larry

[Bingo]

You really need to look at the regs. Archery is about 6 weeks with an in line muzel loader season for doe early in fall. 2 week rifle season for bucks and the second week is for rifle doe too. Archery and flint lock come back after Christmas and some over populated counties can hunt doe all Jan. Small game is mid Oct until Thanksgiving and the day after Christmas until Feb.
 
    Type in PA. game commission and you can see all the dates.

[hornady]

This link will answer all your questions, we now have what they call wildlife management units, and it can get confusing, the normal rifle deer season is two weeks long, depending on the WMU Doe only can be much longer.

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pgc/9106

[mannyrock]

 
  Thanks to all for this great info.
 
Mannyrock

[av-doctor]

migratory birds is another stamp.