Hunting Licenses for '20-21 on Sale

With expanded Sunday hunting for big game and an archery deer season that reaches deeper than ever into the whitetail rut, 2020 is sure to be a historic year for hunting in Pennsylvania.

And seizing those opportunities is only a license purchase away.

Licenses for the 2020-21 hunting and furtaking seasons went on sale Monday, June 22.

Like other hunters and trappers, seniors still need to purchase bear licenses to pursue bruins and obtain permits to harvest bobcats, fishers or river otters. Hunters who acquired their senior lifetime licenses after May 13, 2017, are required to obtain an annual pheasant permit to hunt or harvest pheasants.

A complete list of licensing requirements can be found at http://www.pgc.pa.gov.

Due to a recent change in state law, big-game hunting will be permitted on the following dates: Sunday, Nov. 15, for archery deer hunting; Sunday, Nov. 22, for bear hunting; and Sunday Nov. 29, for deer hunting during regular firearms season.

Once again this year, there are three elk seasons – a September archery season, the November general elk season and a January season for antlerless elk. The number of licenses available has been increased – 26 will be awarded for the archery season (10 antlered, 16 antlerless), 104 for the general season (26 antlered, 78 antlerless) and 34 for the antlerless-only January season.