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Pennsylvania

Hunting

Hunting

Waterfowl & Migratory Game Bird Seasons

DUCKS

  • North Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 7-21, and Nov. 14-Jan. 6 , 2024.
  • South Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 7-14, and Nov. 21-Jan. 20, 2024.
  • Northwest Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 7-Dec. 2, and Dec. 26-Jan. 6, 2024.
  • Lake Erie Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Nov. 6-Jan. 13, 2024.

Total Duck Bag Limits: 6 daily, 18 in possession of any species, except for the following restrictions: Daily limit may not include more than:

  • 4 mallards including no more than 2 hen mallards
  • 2 black ducks
  • 3 wood ducks
  • 2 redheads
  • 2 canvasbacks
  • 1 pintail
  • 4 sea ducks; including no more than 3 eiders and no more than 1 female eider
  • 3 long-tailed ducks
  • 3 scoters.
  • Daily limit for scaup varies; see below. Possession limits are three times the daily limits.

SCAUP

  • North Zone: 1 scaup daily, Oct. 7-21 and Nov. 14-Dec. 14; 2 scaup daily, Dec. 15-Jan.6, 2024
  • South Zone: 1 scaup daily, Oct. 7-14 and Nov. 21-Dec. 28; 2 scaup daily, Dec. 29-Jan. 20, 2024
  • Northwest Zone: 1 scaup daily, Oct. 7-Nov. 22; 2 scaup daily, Nov. 23-Dec. 2 and Dec. 26-Jan. 6, 2024
  • Lake Erie Zone: 2 scaup daily, Nov. 6- Nov. 28; 1 scaup daily, Nov. 29-Jan. 13, 2024

(Merganser Limits: 5 daily, 15 in possession)

(Coot Limits: 15 daily, 45 in possession)

Youth, Veterans and Active Duty Military Days:

Licensed junior and mentored youth hunters, military veterans and active military personnel can hunt ducks, mergansers, brant, coots, gallinules and Canada geese during selected days. Hunters 16 or older need a federal duck stamp to participate. All hunters need a Pennsylvania migratory game bird license.

Same daily bag limits as regular season. Hunting hours to close at sunset.

  • Statewide - Youth only – Sept. 23
  • North Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 4
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 13
  • Northwest Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Dec. 16
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 13
  • Lake Erie Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Oct. 28
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 20
  • South Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 11
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 27

MERGANSERS

  • North Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 7-21, and Nov. 14-Jan. 6 , 2024.
  • South Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 7-14, and Nov. 21-Jan. 20, 2024.
  • Northwest Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 7-Dec. 2, and Dec. 26-Jan. 6, 2024.
  • Lake Erie Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Nov. 6-Jan. 13, 2024.

(Merganser Limits: 5 daily, 15 in possession)

Youth, Veterans and Active Duty Military Days:

Licensed junior and mentored youth hunters, military veterans and active military personnel can hunt ducks, mergansers, brant, coots, gallinules and Canada geese during selected days. Hunters 16 or older need a federal duck stamp to participate. All hunters need a Pennsylvania migratory game bird license.

  • Statewide - Youth only – Sept. 23
  • North Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 4
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 13
  • Northwest Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Dec. 16
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 13
  • Lake Erie Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Oct. 28
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 20
  • South Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 11
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 27

COOTS

  • North Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 7-21, and Nov. 14-Jan. 6 , 2024.
  • South Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 7-14, and Nov. 21-Jan. 20, 2024.
  • Northwest Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Oct. 7-Dec. 2, and Dec. 26-Jan. 6, 2024.
  • Lake Erie Zone: Ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers, Nov. 6-Jan. 13, 2024.

Coot Limits: 15 daily, 45 in possession.

Youth, Veterans and Active Duty Military Days:

Licensed junior and mentored youth hunters, military veterans and active military personnel can hunt ducks, mergansers, brant, coots, gallinules and Canada geese during selected days. Hunters 16 or older need a federal duck stamp to participate. All hunters need a Pennsylvania migratory game bird license.

  • Statewide - Youth only – Sept. 23
  • North Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 4
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 13
  • Northwest Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Dec. 16
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 13
  • Lake Erie Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Oct. 28
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 20
  • South Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 11
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 27

CANADA GEESE

**​(includes WHITE-FRONTED GEESE)**

  • Resident Population Goose Zone (RP):

    All of Pennsylvania except for the Atlantic Population zone. Sept. 1-25 (8-goose daily bag limit); and Oct. 28-Nov. 24, Dec. 11-Jan. 20, and Feb. 2-Feb. 24 (5-goose daily bag limit in latter 3 segments).

    Exception: See hunting digest.

  • Atlantic Population Zone (AP):

    The area east of SR 97 from Maryland State Line to the intersection of SR 194, east of SR 194 to intersection of US Route 30, south of US Route 30 to SR 441, east of SR 441 to SR 743, east of SR 743 to intersection of I-81, east of I-81 to intersection of I-80, south of I-80 to New Jersey state line. Sept. 1-25 (8-goose daily bag limit); and Nov. 18-24 and Dec. 7-Jan. 20 (3-goose daily bag limit in latter two segments).

    Exception: See hunting digest.

Youth, Veterans and Active Duty Military Days:

Licensed junior and mentored youth hunters, military veterans and active military personnel can hunt ducks, mergansers, brant, coots, gallinules and Canada geese during selected days. Hunters 16 or older need a federal duck stamp to participate. All hunters need a Pennsylvania migratory game bird license.

  • Statewide - Youth only – Sept. 23
  • North Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 4
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 13
  • Northwest Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Dec. 16
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 13
  • Lake Erie Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Oct. 28
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 20
  • South Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 11
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 27

BRANT

(All Zones): Oct. 14-Nov. 17

(1 daily, 3 in possession)

LIGHT GEESE (Snow Geese and Ross’ Geese)

  • Atlantic Population Zone:
    • Regular: Oct. 2-Jan. 27, (25 daily, no possession limit).
    • Conservation Hunt: Jan. 29 – April 26; (25 daily, no possession limit).
  • Resident Population Zone:
    • Regular: Oct. 24-Feb. 24; (25 daily, no possession limit).
    • Conservation Hunt: Feb. 26 – April 26; (25 daily, no possession limit).

HARLEQUIN DUCKS, and TUNDRA and TRUMPETER SWANS:

​NO OPEN SEASON.

DOVES

Sept. 1-Nov. 24, and Dec. 19-Jan. 6, 2024.

15 daily, 45 in possession.

WOODCOCK

​Oct. 14-Nov. 24, and Dec. 11-20.

3 daily, 9 in possession.

COMMON SNIPE

​Oct. 14-Nov. 24, and Dec. 11-20.

(8 daily 24 in possession)

GALLINULES

​Sept. 1-Nov. 21.

3 daily, 9 in possession.

Youth, Veterans and Active Duty Military Days:

Licensed junior and mentored youth hunters, military veterans and active military personnel can hunt ducks, mergansers, brant, coots, gallinules and Canada geese during selected days. Hunters 16 or older need a federal duck stamp to participate. All hunters need a Pennsylvania migratory game bird license.

  • Statewide - Youth only – Sept. 23
  • North Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 4
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 13
  • Northwest Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Dec. 16
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 13
  • Lake Erie Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Oct. 28
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 20
  • South Zone
    • Youth, veterans and active military – Nov. 11
    • Veterans and active military only – Jan. 27

VIRGINIA AND SORA RAILS

​Sept. 1-Nov. 21.

Bag limits by single species or in the aggregate;

(3 daily, 9 in possession)

CLAPPER AND KING RAILS

​NO OPEN SEASON.