HARRISBURG, PA – For archery deer hunters, it’s about to be the best time of the year. Pennsylvania’s statewide archery deer season opens on Oct. 3, 2026, and runs through Nov. 20, 2026.
Deer hunters can harvest one antlered deer per license year, and an antlerless deer with each required license or permit. After regular firearms deer season, archery deer season reopens Dec. 26, 2026, and runs through Jan. 24, 2027.
“It’s hunting season here in Pennsylvania and we have a lot to look forward to in the weeks and months ahead,” said Steve Smith, Game Commission Executive Director. “Thank you to all our hunters for being on the front lines of conservation. Good luck, have fun, and hunt safely.”
MORE SUNDAYS TO HUNT
On the heels of last year’s historic legislation, 2026-27 marks the first Pennsylvania hunting season with Sunday hunting expanded to include all Sundays that fall within the seasons start and end dates, with the exception of migratory game bird seasons.
Many seasons that previously ended on Saturdays now end on Sundays, providing more weekend hunting opportunities throughout the year. While Sunday hunting is open for all state game lands and state forests, it’s limited in some state parks and state preserves.
TREE STAND SAFETY TIPS
Archery hunters using tree stands are reminded to hunt safely this season. The Game Commission encourages hunters to wear a full-body safety harness or belt before their feet leave the ground; check tree stands for missing or broken parts before each use; choose trees that are alive and will support their weight; hunt with a partner and have a plan in case of an emergency; and carry a whistle or other signaling device in case of an emergency.
BE SAFE. BE SEEN.
Non-hunters using state game lands are also encouraged to be safe and be seen during hunting seasons. Between Oct. 1, 2026, and Jan. 30, 2026, non-hunters must wear a fluorescent orange hat or 250 square inches of fluorescent orange on the head, chest, and back combined while using state game lands. Review the 2026-27 Hunting & Trapping Digest for more details on fluorescent orange requirements.
TAG IT. REPORT IT.
Successful hunters are reminded to report their harvest this season in one of three ways: Online at huntfish.pa.gov; by phone at 1-800-838-4431; or by mail using a harvest report card enclosed in the 2026-27 Hunting & Trapping Digest. By reporting big game harvests, hunters provide wildlife biologists with information for future decision-making and tag allocations.
NEW CWD REGULATIONS
The Game Commission is reminding deer hunters of changes to its Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) regulations. Several adjustments were made earlier this year to better protect the state’s deer and simultaneously help hunters.
The agency’s goal in managing CWD is to mitigate risks related to the disease across the Commonwealth. The new regulations for the 2026-27 hunting seasons are preventative in nature. The updates are as follows:
· Hunters are no longer prohibited from transporting harvested deer – including high-risk deer parts – between any two locations. Instead, hunters statewide are required to dispose of high-risk deer parts through a commercial trash service.
· High-risk parts may be left on the landscape at the site of the harvest. If the carcass is moved, high-risk parts go in the trash.
· The regulatory prohibition on the use of cervid urine-based attractants in any outdoor setting has also been removed.
“The Game Commission’s new regulations are preventative in nature,” said Andrea Korman. “If high-risk deer parts are disposed of in the trash stream, it eliminates the possibility they will introduce CWD to a new area, and otherwise limits the disease’s spread. That’s the real key, making sure that all high-risk parts, from deer harvested everywhere in Pennsylvania, are disposed in a safe manner.”
Additionally, the regulatory prohibition on the use of cervid urine-based attractants in any outdoor setting has also been removed. State law was changed in 2025 to make these attractants legal. Additionally, the Game Commission’s Executive Director was provided discretionary authority to establish targeted restrictions on feeding deer and other wild cervids in relation to CWD at the county and township levels.
The Game Commission still offers free testing in areas with CWD detections with its head collection bins. Click here to view locations. Hunters who submit a head for testing can look up their test results online. The agency is also working on a sample kit program that would provide free testing to hunters statewide.
The Game Commission is also announcing four new CWD positive detections, three within a captive facility, and one in the wild. The Butler, Warren, and Lycoming County detections were all within captive facilities, while a road-killed deer in Pringle Borough, Luzerne County was recently detected.
EXPLORE THE NEW MAPPING CENTER
The Game Commission recently revamped its Mapping Center, which serves as an interactive supplement to the Hunting & Trapping Digest, with several exciting improvements, including a cleaner mobile-friendly interface; faster access to maps and information; live data from authoritative agency sources; improved search, navigation, and overall performance.
The Game Commission manages and protects wildlife and their habitats while promoting hunting and trapping for current and future generations. Those seeking additional information about CWD can view the agency’s CWD surveillance map and learn more at www.pa.gov/pgc.