Pennsylvania Hunting License: Cost & Deer Tags (2026)

Pennsylvania's base Resident Adult Hunting License ($20.97) grants general hunting for all legal game. Turkey tags are included at no additional charge — one of the few states where spring and fall turkey hunting comes with the base license. However, separate permits are required for archery season ($16.97 resident / $26.97 NR) and muzzleloader season ($11.97 resident / $21.97 NR). Hunters pursuing deer across all three seasons (archery, firearms, flintlock) need both additional permits, bringing the total to approximately $49 for residents. Non-resident total with archery and muzzleloader is approximately $151.

Antlerless deer licenses are sold separately on a per-unit basis. General antlerless licenses cost $6.97 resident / $26.97 NR and must be purchased for the specific Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) where you intend to hunt, subject to remaining allocation. The DMAP (Deer Management Assistance Program) offers additional antlerless permits at $10.97 resident / $35.97 NR for hunting on enrolled private property. Bear permits are $16.97 resident / $36.97 NR and are not included with the base license. A Migratory Bird Permit ($3.97) is required for dove, duck, and goose hunting in addition to the Federal Duck Stamp ($25).

Pennsylvania's Junior Hunting License ($6.97 resident / $41.97 NR for ages 12–16) is one of the most accessible youth hunting entry points in the Northeast. Mentored youth under 12 may hunt with no license or hunter education requirement — the licensed adult mentor must remain within arm's reach at all times. Pennsylvania requires hunter education for all first-time adult licensees (effectively all hunters born after 1900 under regulation, meaning all modern hunters). Seniors 65 and older pay $13.97 annually or $51.97 for a one-time lifetime license. There is no free senior license in Pennsylvania, but the $51.97 lifetime cost is among the lower lifetime pricing in the region.

Pennsylvania imposes a 3-point antler restriction in most WMUs: bucks must have at least 3 points on one antler to be legally harvested during the firearms season. WMUs 2B, 5C, and 5D (southeast Pennsylvania) operate under a different antler restriction system — check the current Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest for WMU-specific rules each year. The restriction is designed to protect young bucks and allow them to reach greater maturity before harvest. Pennsylvania does not have statewide earn-a-buck programs.

The Regular Firearms season opens November 29 and runs through December 13 — a relatively late start compared to many neighboring states. An early Muzzleloader season (October 18–25) provides antlerless-only hunting with a muzzleloader prior to the firearms season. Following the main firearms season, Pennsylvania's distinctive Flintlock season (December 26–January 19) is unique among US states — only traditional flintlock-style muzzleloaders are legal during this period, creating a special late-season hunt for those who prefer traditional equipment. Archery season opens October 4 (September 20 in WMUs 2B, 5C, 5D) and runs through November 15.

Pennsylvania's WMU system divides the state into wildlife management units for population-specific deer management. Antlerless tag availability, season dates, and antler restrictions can vary by WMU. Hunters must purchase antlerless licenses specific to the WMU they intend to hunt — an antlerless tag from WMU 4D cannot be used in WMU 2C, for example. The Pennsylvania Game Commission publishes annual WMU-level deer population data and harvest statistics at pgc.pa.gov, which allows hunters to research deer density and harvest pressure in target WMUs before purchasing antlerless tags.

Pennsylvania has one of the largest and most huntable black bear populations in the northeastern United States, with estimates ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 bears. The population is concentrated in the north-central counties (Cameron, Clinton, Potter, Sullivan, Lycoming) and the Pocono/northeastern region (Pike, Wayne, Monroe, Carbon). The Pennsylvania Game Commission manages bear harvest through a combination of seasons: Archery Bear (October 18–25), Muzzleloader/Special Firearms (October 23–25, with special firearms for juniors, seniors, mentored hunters, disabled veterans, and active military), and Regular Firearms (November 22–25). Select WMUs have extended seasons through December 13.

The Regular Firearms bear season runs concurrently with the late deer archery season, allowing hunters to carry both a bear license and a deer archery permit during the same weekend. A bear license ($16.97 resident / $36.97 NR) is required in addition to the general hunting license. One bear per license year is the limit across all seasons combined. Sunday hunting is included in the November 22–25 season (November 23 is a Sunday in this framework), which is significant because Pennsylvania previously prohibited Sunday hunting for decades — the state has gradually expanded Sunday hunting opportunities over recent years.

For the archery bear season and muzzleloader/special firearms season, hunters use the same WMUs as deer season. Bear hunting requires no special draw or application in Pennsylvania — all hunters with a valid bear license may hunt during open seasons in any open WMU. This over-the-counter access to bear hunting is one of Pennsylvania's distinctions from many other eastern states where bear tags are more restricted or limited.