Resident hunting licenses go on sale Monday with improvements to some seasons

When Pennsylvania Game Commission executive director Steve Smith spoke at the recent Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs Southeast Region meeting one of his topics was the 2026-27 hunting license sales which begin 8 a.m. June 22.

Smith said that the PGC has once again made some changes in the sale of hunting licenses, but those changes are seen as fine tuning. Most significantly is expanded Sunday hunting to include all seasons, open small game seasons during the regular firearms deer season, a reduced spring gobbler limit to one bird while the impact of Sunday is studied and major regulatory changes to elk, bear, and CWD carcass disposal.

“The new hunting license year is almost here, and we are looking forward to plenty of great seasons ahead,” Smith said. “The 2026-27 seasons are full of expanded opportunities, including all hunting seasons being open on Sundays, with the exception of migratory game birds. Thank you to all our hunters, trappers, recreational shooters and license buyers who support the great conservation work of the agency through the purchase of their licenses. PFSC was a major supporter to having this legislation changed, and I thank the organization for its support.”

The new license year begins July 1, at which time 2025-26 hunting and furtaker licenses, as well as mentored permits and other permits and privileges, will expire and new licenses will be needed before heading afield. Hunters can purchase their new licenses in person at any of the more than 500 commercial license issuing agents, including county treasurer offices and PGC offices.

Licenses can also be purchased online at www.HuntFish.PA.gov and licenses and harvest tags will then be mailed to those who purchase online. The cost for Pennsylvania’s general hunting licenses remains $20.97 for resident adults and $101.97 for nonresident adults, remaining one of the most affordable hunting licenses in the country.

A full list of prices can be found online at www.HuntFish.PA.gov  by clicking on License Catalog under the Hunting tab. Hunters are encouraged to have their CID number before going to purchase their new license, as doing so will help ensure a smooth and speedy transaction.

Pennsylvania’s Hunting & Trapping Digest for the 2026-27 license year will be available license issuing agents and is also available on the PGC’s website. More information about purchasing a 2026-27 hunting or trapping license is available online.

Hunters interested in purchasing antlerless deer licenses for the upcoming seasons can get them anywhere hunting licenses are sold. Antlerless deer licenses cost $6.97 for residents and $26.97 for nonresidents, and sales begin at 8 a.m. in all rounds.

As in recent years, antlerless deer licenses will be available when general license sales open. Pennsylvania residents are guaranteed to get an antlerless license for the Wildlife Management Unit of their choice, so long as they buy it by 7 a.m. July 13, the day license sales open to nonresidents.

Here is the 2026-27 sales schedule for antlerless deer licenses:

ROUND 1: June 22, beginning at 8 a.m., Pennsylvania residents only; all Wildlife Management Units; resident hunters are guaranteed one antlerless deer license in any WMU through 7 a.m. on July 13.

July 13, beginning at 8 a.m.; all remaining licenses will be sold on a first come, first served basis until the license allocation for the WMU is exhausted; nonresidents may buy; no licenses are guaranteed.

ROUND 2: July 27, beginning at 8 a.m.; unsold licenses will be available to all license buyers on a first come, first served basis.

ROUND 3: Aug. 10, beginning at 8 a.m.; unsold licenses will be available to all license buyers on a first come, first served basis; Deer Management Assistance Program permit sales will also begin at 8 a.m.

ROUND 4: Aug. 24, beginning at 8 a.m.; unsold licenses will be available to all license buyers on a first come, first served basis.

In most of the state, hunters may hold up to six unfilled antlerless licenses at a time. Once reaching that limit, they are not able to buy additional licenses until they use tags by harvesting deer and reporting them.

Hunters in WMUs 5C and 5D, in southeastern Pennsylvania, may hold up to 15 unfilled antlerless licenses at a time. In these highly developed WMUs, where there’s less public land and limited hunting access, a higher limit helps hunters better seize opportunities to harvest antlerless deer.

Hunters can view the number of remaining antlerless licenses in real time at HuntFish.PA.gov  by clicking on the Antlerless Deer tab, then  Antlerless Deer Quota. As antlerless license sales progress, tracking sales gives a clear sense of how fast licenses for a given WMU are selling, and how urgent it might be to buy one soon.

A new early October firearms elk season is added for the rut, and the late season is shifted to January. Those applying for an elk tag must be in possession of a hunting license.

Archery bear season is expanded in WMUs 3C and 3D to overlap with the full first segment of archery deer. This is done to help reduce human-bear conflicts.