The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners made the final approval for the 2024-25 hunting and trapping seasons on Saturday, April 13. The Game Commission also announced that 1,186,000 antlerless deer licenses will be allocated, up from 1,095,000 the year prior. The majority of season opening dates and bag limits are the same as in previous years, with several changes:
- The October muzzleloader season for black bears will be shortened to three days to promote stabilization of the bear population and reduce harvest rates on female bears.
- There will be an extended firearms season for antlerless deer from Jan. 2 to Jan. 20 in Wildlife Management units 4A, 4D and 5A, to run consecutively with the final two weeks of the flintlock and late archery seasons. Chronic wasting disease is present in the wildlife management units and the extended seasons are being offered to help meet deer harvest goals.
- Mentored hunters of all ages are eligible to hunt in the early October pheasant season segment, better known as the Junior Hunt.
- Fall season length will be increased in 11 wildlife management units and in Unit 5A for wild turkeys. The areas that were previously closed to fall hunting will now be opened for a three-day season, with Wildlife Management units 3D and 4C having reduced seasons.
- Wildlife Management Unit 2D will be opened to bobcat hunting and trapping for furbearers. The fisher trapping season will be increased by one week in all wildlife management units open to fisher harvest to allow for concurrent fisher and bobcat trapping seasons.
- If pheasant hunting within the Central Susquehanna Wild Pheasant Recovery Area is opened again, it will be open to all hunters. Potential season dates and bag limits will be determined later this year, following data collection.
