Pennsylvania Game Commission

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Pennsylvania Game Commission Pennsylvania's State Wildlife Agency. For more than 125 years, the Game Commission has managed the Commonwealth's wildlife resources for all Pennsylvanians.

With the help of more than 700 full-time employees and thousands of part-timers and volunteers, the agency provides a host of benefits to wildlife, state residents and visitors.

While bear archery season is underway in select WMUs across the state, there’s not quite the constant, crisp autumn air ...
10/15/2026

While bear archery season is underway in select WMUs across the state, there’s not quite the constant, crisp autumn air we all hope for. But hey, maybe the winds will change this coming Saturday, October 17 for the statewide bear archery opener.

Regardless of the season on the calendar, if you harvest a bear on an unseasonably warm day, plan ahead and take extra precautions to prevent spoilage. Here are some tips to help keep you ready for that exciting harvest:

- Place a 3- to 4- inch stick in the bear’s mouth, before rigor mortis sets it, to aid in the check process.
- Once you tag your bear, field dress immediately to begin the cooling process.
- Consider removing the hide and quartering your bear to help meat cool faster.
- If not quartering, consider a game cart, drag sled, or tarp to speed up transport.
- On warm days, pack ice inside the carcass to aid in cooling.
- Keep your bear off the ground to aid in cooling.
- If using a processor, be sure to check ahead of time they accept bears for processing.

As a reminder, all harvested bears are required to be checked within 24 hours by the Game Commission. Only the bear’s tagged head and hide, along with your licenses, are required to be checked. For these early seasons, call 1-833-PGC-HUNT for instructions to have your bear checked. Be sure to also know the date, time, and approximate location of the harvest.

By being prepared, you can ensure your hunt is not only memorable, but you stay safe and healthy too.

Thanks for being a Pennsylvania bear hunter and good luck this season!

Some hunters would rather take on the briars and brush than the timbers and tree stands this time of the year. For those...
10/14/2026

Some hunters would rather take on the briars and brush than the timbers and tree stands this time of the year. For those hunters, your time starts this weekend!

In addition to squirrel season already being open, this Saturday, October 17 marks the beginning of ruffed grouse and rabbit seasons!

Hunters can take to the fields and forests in search of these exciting small game opportunities. With the rush of a grouse flushing or a rabbit darting from one hedgerow to the next, small game hunting is thrilling, fast-paced, and full of excitement.

As a general reminder, hunters must wear a minimum of 250 square inches of fluorescent orange on their head, back, and chest, visible from 360 degrees.

Limits for small game seasons are:
Squirrel: 6 daily, 18 possession
Ruffed Grouse: 2 daily, 6 possession
Rabbit: 4 daily, 12 possession

Waiting patiently for pheasant season? Don’t worry, that opens NEXT weekend, October 24.

Good luck, have fun, and hunt safely!

They blazed the path for us, now it's our job to frame the future. Hunting runs deep in the hearts of many Pennsylvania...
10/12/2026

They blazed the path for us, now it's our job to frame the future.

Hunting runs deep in the hearts of many Pennsylvanians. But nothing great should be gatekept. So, what about those individuals who don't hunt? How do we want our story to be told?

How a hunt is perceived by a spectator often begins with a harvest photo. If we want people to appreciate a hunt, we have a responsibility to represent it thoughtfully.

A picture is worth a thousand words — make those words speak highly of hunting.

Sharing tasteful, respectful harvest photos online helps tell the story of hunting in a way that reflects the care, respect, and passion hunters have every time we go afield. And hopefully that creates interest in becoming a Pennsylvania hunter, or at least a new appreciation.

Set a good example when you take your harvest photo this year. You may encourage the next generation of hunters.

Thank you for being a Pennsylvania hunter!

10/10/2026

It’s SHOWTIME — duck season is officially OPEN today! 🦆

Hunters are required to have not only a general hunting license but also a migratory game bird license AND Federal Duck Stamp (physical stamp or E-Stamp — applies to hunters 16 and older).

Season lengths vary by zone. Please note, Lake Erie Zone season does NOT begin until November 2. Check your Hunting & Trapping Digest for full season dates and details.

As a reminder, migratory bird hunting is currently NOT included in Sunday hunting opportunities.

Be sure to report all banded birds at reportband.gov.

Good luck. Have fun. Hunt Safely.

10/08/2026

Good grief, we love foliage! 🍁

You can drop the security blanket, and we promise not to pull the football away because the seasons are quietly shifting before our eyes. As the days get shorter and temperatures chill, just like the critters, trees begin preparing for winter too.

With less sunlight and cooler temperatures, trees gradually stop producing chlorophyll — the green pigment that helps leaves capture sunlight for photosynthesis.

As the chlorophyll breaks down, the green fades and reveals yellow and orange pigments. In some trees, sugars become trapped and help produce those brilliant red and purple hues.

Don’t be a blockhead, we know you like foliage as much as we do!

Tag it. Report it. Your harvest COUNTS! With Pennsylvania’s statewide archery deer season underway, we’re reminding hun...
10/07/2026

Tag it. Report it. Your harvest COUNTS!

With Pennsylvania’s statewide archery deer season underway, we’re reminding hunters to report their harvest within 10 days.

Report one of three ways:

💻 Online at huntfish.pa.gov
☎️ By calling 1-800-838-4431
📬 By mailing a 2026-27 harvest report card to: PA Game Commission, Attn: Harvest Reports, 2001 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg, PA 17110-9851

By reporting your harvest, you provide Game Commission wildlife biologists with information they need to estimate and track harvest, hunting success, and the age and s*x of harvested animals in each WMU.

This data helps them monitor population trends and understand how changes to seasons could affect harvest.

Higher reporting rates means estimates are more accurate and help show clearer trends over time.

Report now: https://bit.ly/4hNcic9

Thank you for being a Pennsylvania hunter!

Good luck. Have fun. Hunt safely.

10/03/2026

While October 3 is Means Girls Day to some, for us, today means OPENING DAY of archery season!

And you know what makes it totally fetch?

Sundays! It’s like the limit does not even exist on how many opportunities you have to get out and enjoy this fall.

The statewide season runs now through Friday, November 20, which means there are plenty of Wednesdays to wear camo, not pink.

Good luck, have fun, and hunt safely!

10/02/2026

Boots on, bows drawn. Tomorrow's the day.

Good luck, have fun, and hunt safely.

Crisp mornings, quiet woods, and heavy anticipation. Our time is here, and we have the perfect soundtrack to get you to...
10/01/2026

Crisp mornings, quiet woods, and heavy anticipation.

Our time is here, and we have the perfect soundtrack to get you to and from your tried-and-true stand this coming archery season — Broadhead Ballads, now streaming on Spotify.

And before you ask, of course “Fred Bear” is on the playlist.

Find the link in the comments for this playlist and more. PLUS, we’ll be adding more seasonal playlists throughout the fall!

“Does this black fur make me look fat?” There’s a reason National Park Service calls it Fat Bear Week. PA black bears a...
09/28/2026

“Does this black fur make me look fat?”

There’s a reason National Park Service calls it Fat Bear Week.

PA black bears are putting on the pounds for winter. And no, they don’t need your leftovers.

Human food attractants can be very tempting as the days get colder and shorter, making it that much more important to stay BearWise.

Simple efforts like cleaning your BBQ grills, securing compost areas, latching trashcans, containing livestock, taking birdfeeders inside, and winterizing your summer gardens can help keep your property a “no-bear-food zone.”

Learn more tips at: https://bit.ly/3QGC9p0

Address

2001 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA
17110

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+17177874250

Website

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