Outdoors calendar
HUNTER-TRAPPER INDEPENDENT STUDY COURSE
NOTE: Must be 11 years old to register. Students must attend the two- to three-hour class to be tested and certified. Students must study entire course content on own online, taking about 8-10 hours to complete.
SUCCESSFUL TURKEY HUNTING
Online registration only; must be at least age 11 to register. Prior to attending, you should complete the independent study part of this program online. If you don’t want to study online, please telephone the PGC Hunter-Trapper Education Division at 717-787-7015 (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday) to request a copy of our “Successful Turkey Hunting Student Manual.”
FAIRBANK ROD AND GUN CLUB SPORTING CLAYS
Every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
Find us on Facebook.
SUCCESSFUL FURTAKING
Prior to attending the one-day class, all students must complete the independent study part of the training by clicking on the link “Successful Furtaking Student Manual” on the website at www.pgc.state.pa.us.
If not online, please telephone the PGC Hunter-Trapper Education Division at 717-787-7015 (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday) to request a printed version of the manual.
SUCCESSFUL BOWHUNTER-ED CLASSES
NOTE: All the online Pennsylvania Bowhunter Education Course must be completed before registering for Successful Bowhunting.
The online bowhunter education course (Pennsylvania Bowhunter Education Course) and Successful Bowhunting field day to complete the requirements for bowhunter education.
2021-22 HUNTING SEASONS AND BAG LIMITS
WOODCHUCKS (GROUNDHOGS): Dec. 13-June 30, 2022. No limit.
STARLINGS AND ENGLISH SPARROWS: No closed season, except during the regular firearms deer season. No limit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS (Military Bases): Hunting permitted on days established by the U.S. Department of the Army at Letterkenny Army Depot, Franklin County; New Cumberland Army Depot, York County; and Fort Detrick, Raven Rock Site, Adams County. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
2021-22 FURBEARER HUNTING SEASONS
COYOTES: No closed season. Unlimited. Outside of any big game season (deer, bear, elk and turkey), coyotes may be taken with a hunting license or a furtaker license, and without wearing orange. During any big game season, coyotes may be taken while lawfully hunting big game or with a furtaker license.
OPOSSUM, STRIPED SKUNKS and WEASELS: No closed season, except during the firearms deer season. No Sunday hunting. No limits.
2022-23 MIGRATORY GAME BIRD SEASONS AND BAG LIMITS
DUCKS: North Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 8-22, and Nov. 15-Jan. 7. South Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 8-15, and Nov. 22-Jan. 21. Northwest Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 8-Dec. 3, and Dec. 27-Jan. 7. Lake Erie Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 31-Jan. 7.
Total Duck Bag Limits: 6 daily, 18 in possession of any species, except for the following restrictions: daily limit may not include more than 2 mallards including no more than 1 hen mallard, 2 black ducks, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 1 pintail, 1 mottled duck, 1 fulvous whistling duck, 4 sea ducks; including no more than 3 eiders and no more than 1 female eider, 3 long-tailed ducks, and 3 scoters. Daily limit for scaup varies; see below. Possession limits are three times the daily limits.
Scaup Bag Limits: North Zone: 1 scaup daily, Oct. 8-22 and Nov. 15-Dec. 15; 2 scaup daily, Dec. 16-Jan.7. South Zone: 1 scaup daily, Oct. 8-15 and Nov. 22-Dec. 29; 2 scaup daily, Dec. 30-Jan. 21. Northwest Zone: 1 scaup daily, Oct. 8-Nov. 23; 2 scaup daily, Nov. 24-Dec. 3 and Dec. 27-Jan. 7. Lake Erie Zone: 2 scaup daily, Oct. 31- Nov. 22; 1 scaup daily, Nov. 23-Jan. 7.
Mergansers: 5 daily, 15 in possession
Coots: 15 daily, 45 in possession.
CANADA GEESE (includes WHITE-FRONTED GEESE):
Resident Population Goose Zone (RP)
All of Pennsylvania except for the Atlantic Population zone. Sept. 1-24 (8-goose daily bag limit); and Oct. 22-Nov. 25, Dec. 12-Jan. 14, and Feb. 3-Feb. 25 (5-goose daily bag limit in latter 3 segments).
Exception: See hunting digest.
Atlantic Population Zone (AP):
The area east of SR 97 from Maryland State Line to the intersection of SR 194, east of SR 194 to intersection of US Route 30, south of US Route 30 to SR 441, east of SR 441 to SR 743, east of SR 743 to intersection of I-81, east of I-81 to intersection of I-80, south of I-80 to New Jersey state line. Sept. 1-24 (8-goose daily bag limit); and Nov. 22-25 and Dec. 23-Jan. 21 (1-goose daily bag limit in latter two segments).
Exception: See hunting digest.
BRANT (All Zones): Oct. 8-Dec. 5. 2 daily, 6 in possession.
LIGHT GEESE (Snow Geese and Ross’ Geese):
Atlantic Population Zone:
Regular: Oct. 1-Jan. 28, 25 daily, no possession limit. Conservation Hunt: Jan. 30 – April 21; 25 daily, no possession limit.
Resident Population Zone:
Regular: Oct. 25-Feb. 25; 25 daily, no possession limit. Conservation Hunt: Feb. 27 – April 21; 25 daily, no possession limit.
HARLEQUIN DUCKS, and TUNDRA and TRUMPETER SWANS: No open season.
Junior Days:
Sept. 24; Open to junior hunters and mentored youth hunters under the age of 16 when properly accompanied, for ducks, mergansers, gallinules and coots, and Canada goose as permitted. Same daily bag limits as regular season. Hunting hours to close at sunset.
Junior, Veteran and Active Duty Military Days:
In Lake Erie Zone; Oct. 22; in Northwest Zone, Dec. 17; in North Zone, Nov. 5; and in South Zone, Nov. 12. Open to junior hunters and mentored youth hunters under the age of 16, when properly accompanied; veterans (as defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code); and members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserves on active duty (other than for training) for ducks, mergansers, gallinules and coots, and Canada goose as permitted. Same daily bag limits as regular season.
Veteran and Active Duty Military Days:
In Lake Erie Zone; Jan. 14; in Northwest Zone, Jan. 14; in North Zone, Jan. 14; and in South Zone, Jan. 28. Veterans (as defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code); and members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserves on active duty (other than for training) for ducks, mergansers, gallinules and coots, and Canada goose as permitted. Same daily bag limits as regular season.
DOVES: Sept. 1-Nov. 25, and Dec. 21-Jan. 7. 15 daily, 45 in possession.
WOODCOCK: Oct. 15-Nov. 25, and Dec. 12-21. 3 daily, 9 in possession.
COMMON SNIPE: Oct. 15-Nov. 25, and Dec. 12-21. 8 daily, 24 in possession.
GALLINULES: Sept. 1-Nov. 21. 3 daily, 9 in possession.
VIRGINIA AND SORA RAILS: Sept. 1-Nov. 21. Bag limits by single species or in the aggregate; 3 daily, 9 in possession.
CLAPPER AND KING RAILS: No open season.
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