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Established Small Game Seasons – Daily Local

Established Small Game Seasons – Daily Local

By Tom Tatum

Pennsylvania's season for most small game species began Oct. 19. Approved game species now include rabbits and capercaillie, with seasons running until November 29th, joining the squirrel season which already began on September 14th and also runs until November 29th. But the small game Most hunters look forward to hunting ring-necked pheasant, and this season doesn't begin until October 26th and runs until November 29th.

For small game hunters like us, there is nothing like a ring-necked pheasant lurking within shotgun range. With dogs zigzagging through cover, birds thundering away with a pulse-quickening cackle, and hunters having to be ready at all times, the season for this long-tailed bird in Pennsylvania is always full of excitement.

In total, the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) plans to phase in approximately 237,000 birds by early January, with most releases occurring on public lands. Approximately 15,000 pheasants went to the Junior Pheasant Hunt, which was open to all junior hunters and mentored hunters of all ages. The junior season ran from October 12th to 19th.

“Releases occur weekly from late October to late November,” said Ian Gregg, head of the Game Commission’s Wildlife Operations Division. “A mid-December release will increase pre-holiday hunting opportunities, and in the fourth year it is planned that many locations will also be stocked twice after Christmas for late season hunting.” Increased production on our two game farms has enabled us to do this “To make improvements to winter pheasant hunting without affecting opportunities during the traditional fall season.”

Pheasant hunting is available statewide, with the exception of the two Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas (WPRAs) in Pennsylvania – the Central Susquehanna WPRA in Northumberland, Montour and Columbia counties and the Franklin WPRA in Franklin County. There will be no pheasant season in either WPRA this year.

Elsewhere in the state, hunters can harvest either male or female pheasants. Both are released by the Game Commission at a ratio of approximately three males per female. Although chicken conservation is an important aspect of wild pheasant management, the survival rate of increased pheasants is too low to support sustainable populations, even without hunting mortality. Hunters must maintain a daily limit of two pheasants and a limit of six pheasants.

All adult hunters and some senior hunters who hunt pheasants must obtain a pheasant permit in addition to a general hunting license. The permit costs $26.97 and is available through HuntFishPA or from any licensor. Like a general hunting license, hunters can save a digital pheasant license to a smart device to carry with them while hunting. Paper licenses and permits must be signed during transportation. Senior Lifetime License holders who purchased their license before May 13, 2017 are exempt from the need for a pheasant permit. Junior hunters and supervised permit holders under the age of 17 require a free permit.

Although revenue from pheasant permits is not specifically earmarked for the propagation program and does not fully offset the costs of raising and storing pheasants, it is important to ensure the financial sustainability of the program. Permit revenue for the 2023-24 license year was nearly $1.5 million.

“Over 75,000 pheasant permits are issued each year,” Gregg said. “This interest is encouraging for the future of small game hunting in Pennsylvania and it is a great time to be a pheasant hunter. Good luck, have fun and have a safe hunt!”

Visit the pheasant hunting page at www.pgc.pa.gov for information on stocking locations.

****MUZZLELOADER SEASON IN PLAY NOW. Pennsylvania's statewide antlerless muzzleloader season began Oct. 19 and runs through Oct. 26. Hunters must hold a muzzleloader license in addition to a general hunting license, and any required antlerless license may harvest an antlerless deer.

Remember to wear the required 250 square inches of fluorescent orange, visible from 360 degrees, on the head, chest and back. A hat and vest meet this requirement. Good luck. Have fun. Hunt safely.

****FURTAKING SEASONS OPEN ON SATURDAYS. The trapping season for foxes, coyotes, raccoons, opossums, striped skunks and weasels in Pennsylvania begins Oct. 26 and runs through Feb. 23 of next year. The season for mink and muskrat does not begin until November 23rd and runs until January 12th. There is no daily limit on the number of Furbearers that can be taken per day. The fox and raccoon hunting season also begins on October 26th.

**** Tom Tatum is the outdoor columnist for MediaNews Group. You can reach him at [email protected].

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