When Is the PA Archery Season 2024?

With everything from black bears to turkeys, archery hunters headed to the Keystone State can fill their freezers with a variety game meat. 

To preserve, promote, and maintain the ecological balance and animal numbers, the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) establishes season dates and limits such as bag and time to ensure fairness. In this blog, we'll look at everything you need to know about the Pennsylvania archery seasons, including some scouting and preparation tips to help you make the most of your PA archery season hunt.

Overview of the 2024 Archery Seasons

The typical archery seasons in Pennsylvania span from early October to mid-November, allowing hunters to hunt various species, including elk, bear, turkey, and deer. 

To help administer and regulate hunting, the PGC has divided the hunting zones (known as Wildlife Management Units) based on various factors, including habitat and human characteristics, population density, private and public land considerations, physical features, agricultural spread, and more.

You'll notice that some hunting seasons are further divided by these zoning requirements. So, it's essential that you check the specific dates and regulations allocated to that WMU. 

The 2024 Pennsylvania archery seasons are as follows: 

Black Bear - Archery

• WMUs 2B, 5C, and 5D: September 21-November 16; Sunday, November 17; November 18-23; Sunday, November 24; and November 25-29. 
• WMU 5B: October 5-November 16; Sunday, November 17; and November 18-22 
• WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 5A: October 19-November 9.

Elk - Archery

• Archery: September 14 - 28 

Deer - Archery 

• WMUs 2B, 5C, and 5D: September 21-November 16; Sunday, November 17; November 18- 23; Sunday, November 24; November 25-29; and December 26-January 25, 2025 
• Statewide: October 5-November 16; Sunday, November 17; November 18-22; and December 26-January 20, 2025.

While many hunters will head to Pennsylvania for the deer archery season, elk, bear, and turkey species should not be overlooked. For turkey hunting, hunters can use bows during any open season.

Licensing and Regulations 

Both local and interstate hunters in Pennsylvania will need a resident or non-resident hunting license. A resident is considered any individual who has lived in Pennsylvania for at least 30 days before purchasing the license. 

First-time hunters and trappers must complete a hunter education safety course before purchasing their hunting license. Hunters who wish to hunt during the archery season must buy an additional resident or non-resident license as an add-on. 

As the elk season works through a drawing system, hunters who want to hunt the archery elk season must also purchase drawings into the elk season allocations. Hunters can be awarded only one elk license per license year. 

Bag Limits

To comply with all Pennsylvanian hunting regulations and restrictions, you must be aware of all bag limits and specific limitations, such as antlerless deer hunting opportunities.

For example, the deer bag limit for 2024 is one antlered deer per license year and one antlerless deer per antlerless license or permit. 

Review and follow the Pennsylvania Game Commission's hunting regulations booklet to keep up to date. 

Equipment and Preparation 

Before you pack your bow and gear, ensure you meet all requirements and minimum standards the PGC sets. 

Additional regulations govern the use of bow and arrow types when hunting during the Pennsylvania archery seasons. Long, recurve, and compound bows with a minimum draw weight of 35 pounds are permitted. Crossbows can be used with broadheads of a cutting-edge design, and all arrows and crossbow bolts must be equipped with a broadhead.

Meeting these regulations is not just a question of ethical hunting but also a legal requirement. Failure to abide by these minimum requirements may result in punishment. 

Practice With Your Bow

When it comes to archery hunting, especially when hunting big game, shot placement is everything. The best way to hone your shot is to practice consistently leading up to the season. "Practice" can include participating in events and clubs to share knowledge, develop skills, and maybe even learn about a couple of secret hunting spots. 

As always, focus on physical conditioning, stamina, and weight training, as drawing those bows can get tiresome, especially after a long day of packing out to a remote location. 

Scouting and Planning 

Finding the best locations starts with understanding deer movement, patterns, and requirements.

Setting up near food sources during feeding times can be a successful strategy, whereas targeting bedding areas and travel corridors during different times of the day can be more fruitful. Additionally, setting up trail cameras (where allowed) can help you scout and provide physical confirmation that deer are in your intended hunting zone, how they behave, and their movement.

Learn the Terrain

Pennsylvania encompasses various geographical zones, including the Piedmont region in the east, the Appalachians in central and western Pennsylvania, the Allegheny Plateau in southwestern Pennsylvania, and the Great Lakes Lowland in northwestern Pennsylvania. 

Each zone requires a distinctive plan detailed enough to account for changes in the geographic and natural environment. To begin your scouting, use the HuntWise topographical features to get a feel for elevation and the challenge a potential hunt may pose. Then, you can check boundary lines and private land holdings — in the app — to ensure you are hunting legally. 

You can also utilize the GPS feature and market capabilities to avoid getting lost and ensure you stick to your pre-determined critical locations when out in the field. 

Make the Most of the PA Archery Season With HuntWise 

Pennsylvania offers plenty of opportunity for archery hunters looking to take advantage of the whitetail or other game species seasons.

To make sure you're always hunting in the correct zone and following all regulations, download the HuntWise app for up-to-date insights on regulations, licensing, weather, rutting, mapping, and a whole lot more. 

RutCast, WindCast, HuntCast, multiple map layers, and the LiDAR (Hillshade) mapping feature are your keys to success this season! Start exploring the app now by downloading HuntWise. 

Enjoy your first week free!