SUNDAY HUNTING BILL SIGNED INTO LAW. HARRISBURG, PA - It's official: expanded Sunday hunting is coming to Pennsylvania in 2020. Gov. In Pennsylvania, Sunday hunting generally is limited to the hunting of foxes, coyotes, crows and feral hogs during open seasons.
20. One antlered deer per hunting license year, or one antlerless deer and an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
2019-20 FURBEARER HUNTING SEASONS
- BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E): Jan.
- COYOTES: No closed season.
- FOXES: Oct.
- OPOSSUM: No closed season, except Sundays.
- PORCUPINES: Oct.
- RACCOONS: Oct.
- STRIPED SKUNKS: No closed season, except Sundays.
The Pennsylvania spring turkey hunt is set to start as scheduled. The youth spring turkey hunt is set for April 25. The statewide spring gobbler season runs from May 2 to May 30.
All licenses are issued on a first-come, first-served basis, until the allocations set for each of the state's 23 WMUs run out. A hunter can receive up to three licenses, except in WMUs 5C, 5D and 2B, where there is no tag limit.
What can I hunt in spring
- In North America turkeys are one of the most thought of and most affordable spring hunt.
- In Europe stalking the great Capercaillie can be as exciting and difficult as any big game hunt.
- Whether done over bait, with hounds or spot and stalk, bear hunting can be another exciting remedy to your spring fever.
On the contrary, I'm hoping you'll get afield and make the most of the spring season without taking COVID-19 risks.” The statewide spring gobbler season runs from May 2 to May 30 and it's shaping up to be a season that has something for every spring gobbler hunter.
One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit. DEER, ANTLERLESS MUZZLELOADER (Statewide): Oct. 17-24. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit. DEER, ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK (Statewide): Dec. 26-Jan. 18, 2021.
Rifle deer season has started on the Monday after Thanksgiving since 1963. The change takes effect this year. The season will open on November 30, 2019. HARRISBURG -- The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits for the 2019-20 license year.
For the one-week general season to run Nov. 2-7, 26 antlered and 78 antlerless tags have been allocated. In the archery season open only in select Elk Hunt Zones, to run from Sept. 12-26, 10 antlered and 16 antlerless licenses are available.
The opening day of rifle season has been on the Monday after Thanksgiving since 1963. Hunters will start the season on Nov. 30 this year after the Game Commission's Board of Commissioners voted 5-3 Tuesday to change the start date.
You can only use it on a doe if you have a valid antlerless tag for the WMU you are hunting in. You cannot use a buck tag on a doe with anything but a flintlock license, using a flintlock, during flintlock season. You can only use a bow for a doe if you have a valid antlerless tag for the WMU you are hunting in.
During any big game season, coyotes may be taken while lawfully hunting big game or with a furtaker license. FOXES: Oct. OPOSSUM: No closed season, except Sundays. No limits.
Of course you can bow hunt during the rifle season, you always could have even 20 years ago. You don;t need an archery stamp to do it. It might help if you read the digest that was supplied with your license.
Daily limit 1, season limit 2. (Second spring gobbler may be only taken by persons who possess a valid special wild turkey license.) From May 2-16, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon; from May 18-30, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.
RUFFED GROUSE: Oct. 17–Nov. 27 and Dec. 14-24 (2 daily, 6 possession). RABBIT (Cottontail) Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license: Oct. 3-Oct. 17 (4 daily, 12 possession). RABBIT (Cottontail): Oct. 17-Nov. 27, Dec. 14-24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 27 (4 daily, 12 possession).
Gun Fight Friday Muzzleloader Edition: Flintlock vs Inline. Two muzzleloaders square off in today's fight. One is as traditional as a muzzleloader can be, the other is purely modern, and also a thing of beauty in its own way. Due to its slow and sometimes unpredictable ignition, flintlocks are not easy rifles to shoot.
Convicted felons can't hunt with a firearm, but they can legally hunt or trap with air guns, archery equipment and more. Raup said denying hunting licenses to these people would also deny them access to legal hunting activities.
2019-20 FURBEARER HUNTING SEASONS
- BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E): Jan.
- COYOTES: No closed season.
- FOXES: Oct.
- OPOSSUM: No closed season, except Sundays.
- PORCUPINES: Oct.
- RACCOONS: Oct.
- STRIPED SKUNKS: No closed season, except Sundays.
Handguns. To lawfully carry a handgun while hunting, a hunter must carry a Sportsman's Firearms Permit or a License to Carry Firearms permit. A hunter with a Sportsman's Firearms Permit may not carry a concealed handgun or a loaded handgun in a vehicle, and may not carry a handgun during bowhunting or spotlighting.
From April 27-May 11, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon; from May 13-31, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sun- rise until one-half hour after sunset.
Firearms & Devices
The law prohibits hunting with automatic firearms. Semiautomatic rifles, air- or gas-powered rifles, and manually operated handguns may be used to hunt small game and furbearers. However, it is legal to hunt deer, bear, and elk with semiautomatic centerfire shotguns that fire single-projectile ammo.The legislation permits Sunday hunting on one day during rifle deer season, one during statewide archery deer season and a third day the Pennsylvania Game Commission will pick. The law will take effect Feb. 25, 2020, after which the first new Sunday hunting opportunities will be announced by the Game Commission.
But, it does not equal the death penalty in Pennsylvania. You can never, ever, shoot someone if they're merely a simple trespasser on land.
In Pennsylvania, you may not hunt private property without the permission of the landowner. Written permission is not required, but it is advisable.
Qualified landowners, those with their land under continuous commercial cultivation, can hunt their own land without a hunting license during the legal seasons but they can not hunt on any other lands.
For big game, semiautomatic centerfire rifles and shotguns would be legal sporting arms. Full-metal-jacket ammunition would continue to be prohibited for deer, bear and elk hunting. All semiautomatic firearms would be limited to six rounds' ammunition capacity – magazines can hold no more than five rounds.
Pennsylvania. First time hunters must successfully complete a hunter-trapper education course. 12 – 16 years olds or Junior license holders must be accompanied by an adult.
It also is unlawful to shoot into such a safety zone, even if you are outside of the zone, and to drive game, even without a firearm or bow in possession, within a safety zone without permission.
If a dog is merely chasing deer, turkeys or bears, it can be shot and killed only by a Game Commission officer. "When it's just chasing, the public isn't allowed to kill a dog," Raup said. On the flip side, Pennsylvania state law says it is illegal for owners to allow their dogs to run loose.
Resident Junior Hunting License ($6.90): Issued to bona fide residents of Pennsylvania ages 12 through 16. Eleven-year-olds may apply for a junior license if they reach age 12 by June 30 of the current license year and have successfully completed the required Hunter-Trapper Education Course.
