Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulation - Pennsylvania Envirothon

2011-2012 HUNTING HOURS TABLE
Hunting hours are set up by the Commission by the week for the hunting license year. However, in the interest of safety, hunters must
consider the effects weather and field conditions may have on positive target identification and a clear shot path. Obviously, taking a risky
shot under poor visibility conditions during legal hunting hours is a safety concern.
Legal hunting hours for all small and big game in Pennsylvania are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after
sunset. Note the following exceptions:
1) During the regular antlered or antlered/antlerless deer seasons, it is unlawful to take or attempt to take other wild birds or mammals,
except game birds on regulated hunting grounds, migratory waterfowl and coyotes*.
* Note: Outside of any big game season (deer, bear, elk or turkey), coyotes
may be taken with a hunting or furtakers license, and without wearing orange.
During any big game season, coyotes may be taken while lawfully
hunting big game or with a furtakers license.
2) Raccoon, fox, coyote* and bobcat may be hunted any hour, day or night,
except during restricted periods in paragraph 1.
3) Skunk, opossum and weasel may be hunted any hour, day or night.
4) Spring Gobbler Season: One-half hour before sunrise until noon from
the opening day of the regular season through the third Saturday, and then
from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset for the remainder
of the season.
5) Migratory birds (waterfowl, doves, woodcock, snipe, rails, moorhens
and gallinules) may be hunted from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset,
except during the September resident Canada goose season, when
Canada geese may be hunted from one-half hour before sunrise until onehalf
hour after sunset.
6) The September segment of dove season hunting hours are 12 noon to
sunset (tentative depending on the USFWS).
Following are the hunting hours for small and big game, except for migratory game birds, which are set by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and that
hunting hours table can be found in the “Waterfowl/Migratory Game Birds” section in this Digest. Don’t forget to add the minutes from the Meridian
Map to your starting and ending times.
DATES BEGIN A.M. END P.M.
June 26 - July 2 5:06 9:03
July 3 - 9 5:10 9:01
July 10 - 16 5:15 8:58
July 17 - 23 5:21 8:53
July 24 - 30 5:27 8:47
July 31- Aug. 6 5:33 8:39
Aug. 7 - 13 5:40 8:30
Aug. 14 - 20 5:47 8:21
Aug. 21 - 27 5:53 8:10
Aug. 28 - Sept. 3 6:00 7:59
Sept. 4 - 10 6:07 7:48
Sept. 11 - 17 6:13 7:36
Sept. 18 - 24 6:20 7:25
Sept. 25 - Oct. 1 6:27 7:13
Oct. 2 -8 6:34 7:02
Oct. 9 - 15 6:41 6:51
Oct. 16 - 22 6:48 6:41
Oct. 23- 29 6:56 6:32
Oct. 30 - Nov. 5 7:04 6:24
Nov. 6 - Nov. 12 * Ends 6:12 5:13
Nov. 13 - 19 6:20 5:08
Nov. 20 - 26 6:28 5:08
Nov. 27 - Dec. 3 6:35 5:04
Dec. 4 - 10 6:41 5:05
Dec. 11 - 17 6:46 5:06
Dec. 18 - 24 6:50 5:07
Dec. 25 - 31 6:52 5:11
DATES BEGIN A.M. END P.M.
Jan. 1 - 7 6:48 5:14
Jan. 8 - 14 6:51 5:22
Jan. 15 - 21 6:47 5:30
Jan. 22 - 28 6:47 5:37
Jan. 29 - Feb. 4 6:42 5:46
Feb. 5 - 11 6:34 5:54
Feb. 12 - 18 6:28 6:02
Feb. 19 - 25 6:19 6:09
Feb. 26 - Mar. 3 6:09 6:19
Mar. 4 - Mar. 10 5:59 6:26
Mar. 11 - 17 * Begins 6:48 7:34
Mar. 18 - 24 6:36 7:41
Mar. 25 - 31 6:25 7:48
Apr. 1 - 7 6:14 7:55
Apr. 8 - 14 6:03 8:02
Apr. 15 - 21 5:52 8:10
Apr. 22 - 28 5:42 8:17
Apr. 29 - May 5 5:33 8:24
May 6 - 12 5:24 8:31
May 13 - 19 5:17 8:38
May 20 - 26 5:11 8:44
May 27 - June 2 5:06 8:50
June 3 - 9 5:02 8:59
June 10 - 16 5:02 8:59
June 17 - 23 5:03 9:02
June 24 - 30
* Daylight Saving Time
5:05 9:03