HARRISBURG -- Pennsylvania’s firearms deer season wraps up this Saturday, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission is reminding hunters to make the most of these final days in the woods.
This year marked a historic milestone for hunters across the Commonwealth. Thanks to the new Sunday hunting law, the fall hunting season included a total of 13 Sunday hunting opportunities, giving more hunters more chances to get afield with family and friends than ever before. While all seasons kept their originally scheduled closing dates, including the firearms deer season ending Saturday, Dec. 13, the added Sundays provided a welcome boost for hunting participation. All of the expanded Sunday opportunities for the 2025-26 seasons have now come and gone, with the final Sunday occurring on Dec. 7.
Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith praised hunters for maintaining an exemplary safety record during those 13 Sundays, noting that even with the additional opportunities, there was not a single safety incident reported involving a hunter and a non-hunter.
“This demonstrates what we have stated all along: hunters and non-hunters can safely share Pennsylvania’s outdoors together. We look forward to building on the success from this year and continuing to expand hunting access for generations to come,” Smith said.
For the remainder of the license year, through June 30, Sunday hunting remains open only for foxes, coyotes, and crows during their respective seasons. There is no Sunday hunting during the upcoming extended firearms deer seasons or during the late archery and flintlock deer seasons.
Looking ahead to next license year, the Game Commission will begin the process of adopting the 2026-27 hunting seasons in January 2026. This will mark the first time the Board of Commissioners can consider adding more Sunday opportunities from the outset. That means hunters could see even greater access next year.
The new law lifting Pennsylvania’s longstanding prohibition on Sunday hunting took effect in September, well after the 2025-26 seasons were finalized. Still, the Game Commission moved quickly to implement the change, adding Sundays where doing so would provide meaningful opportunities without negatively impacting wildlife populations.