Brian Whipkey

Pennsylvania Outdoors Columnist

April 6, 2026, 3:16 p.m. ET

PA Game Commission sets 2026-27 hunting seasons for deer, small game

• Rifle deer season is set to begin the Saturday after Thanksgiving and will include three Sundays.
• The commission will also vote on several land acquisitions, exchanges, and a mining agreement.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission plans to adopt the final hunting seasons and bag limits for the 2026-27 hunting year on April 11, including keeping the opening day of rifle deer on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but extending some small game seasons in to rifle deer season.

The board’s tentative meeting agenda sets rifle deer season to begin on Nov. 28, a Saturday, and continue through Sunday, Dec. 13. The season would include three Sundays. In recent years, the season ended on a Saturday and the only Sunday was the second day of the season.

New this year, the agency has several small game opportunities overlapping with rifle deer season.

The first squirrel season is expected to be Sept. 12-Dec. 24, cottontails and grouse are proposed Oct. 17-Dec. 24 and the early pheasant season is slated for Oct. 24-Dec. 24.

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Also new for the 2026-27 license year, each hunting season includes the Sundays between the dates. Last year, the governor signed a bill and lifted the ban on Sunday hunting. The 2025 fall seasons included 13 Sundays.

In addition to finalizing all of the hunting seasons, the agency will also announce the number of antlerless deer licenses that will be available.

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Land purchases, trades

The agency’s board will also vote on several land acquisitions, exchanges and mining agreements, including the following:

• Cyrus Palmer Dolbin, et al., are offering 117.8 acres of land in Wayne Township, Schuylkill County, an indenture to State Game Land No. 110 for $155,000. The agency reports the property is located along the Kittatinny Ridge, an important bird area, and is also part of the Blue Mountain Natural Heritage Area.
• Kovalchick Salvage Company is offering an 18-acre right-of-way on State Game Land No. 332 in Young and Blacklick Townships, Indiana County for $5,000. The right-of-way will provide administrative and lawful user access to the existing game lands.
• Allan Myers is offering 49 acres in West Keating Township, Clinton County, adjoining State Game Land No. 321, to the Commission in exchange for 49 acres of State Game Land No. 321. In addition to the land exchange, Myers has offered the acquisition of a private road to the agency for $26,000. The agency reports this road access from New Garden Road is vital for administrative and lawful users of State Game Land No. 321.
• The Game Commission is considering a bituminous coal surface mining agreement with RES Coal of Armagh on Game Land 198 in Cresson Township, Cambria County, and Juniata Township Blair County. RES requested an amendment to its September 2024 agreement to increase surface mining and support acres by 81.7 acres. If approved, the total acreage for the mining effort would include 207.7 acres. The agency owns the surface, but not the coal rights. RES plans to pay the Game Commission an additional $1,049,219 for the additional property. The fee would be reduced by $461,727 if RES cannot mine the electric right-of-way corridor over a five-year period.
• The PGC is considering a land exchange and water use agreement on Game Land 111 in Lower Turkeyfoot Township, Somerset County. The Confluence Municipal Borough Water Authority (CMBWA) has requested to complete drilling and establish appropriate right-of-way agreements for four water wells on State Game Land No. 111 to supply approximately 700 residents of Confluence with drinking water. In exchange, the authority would convey 46.4 acres of land to the agency. After 25 years, the PGC can assess an annual water production royalty payment of up to 2% of gross receipts.

The Game Commission’s board meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. April 11 at its headquarters in Harrisburg. The full agenda is available on the agency’s website.