Pennsylvania · Bear · 2026 Edition
Pennsylvania Bear Season 2026: Dates, Zones & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | WMUs 2B, 5C, 5D | Sep 19 – Nov 27 |
| Archery | WMUs 3C, 3D, 5B | Oct 3 – Nov 20 |
| Archery | WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A | Oct 17 – Oct 25 |
| Muzzleloader | Statewide | Oct 22 – Oct 25 |
| Special firearms (junior, senior, mentored, disabled, active military) | Statewide | Oct 22 – Oct 25 |
| Regular firearms | Statewide | Nov 21 – Nov 24 |
| Extended firearms | WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C, 5D | Nov 28 – Dec 13 |
| Extended firearms | WMUs 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4E, 5A | Nov 28 – Dec 6 |
02 — Bag limits & check-in
| Statewide | 1 bear per license year, no sex restriction |
|---|---|
| Check-in | PGC requires harvested bear to be checked — confirm the current check-station process and deadline directly with the Game Commission before you hunt |
| License | A separate bear license, sold apart from combination licenses such as the Outdoorsman, is required in addition to the general hunting license or mentored permit, for hunters age 7 and up |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 19, 2026) 06:25 — 19:42
Rule: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset (58 Pa. Code § 141.4) — Pennsylvania's general rule; no bear-specific exception found. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Pennsylvania sun times for any other date.
04 — License
Bear hunters in Pennsylvania need a Pennsylvania hunting license — a separate bear license, sold apart from combination licenses such as the Outdoorsman, for hunters age 7 and up Check-in or reporting a harvest is typically mandatory; see the row above for Pennsylvania's specific rule.
Pennsylvania hunting license cost →
Where to hunt public land in Pennsylvania — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — Scouting gear
Patterning bear activity before Pennsylvania's opener usually means glassing feeding areas and running a trail camera through summer — check the state's own rules on baiting before you set one over bait.
- Hunting binoculars on Amazon →
- Trail cameras on Amazon →
- Trail camera SD cards — class, capacity & format explained →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. These are category links, not a single named pick — we run no product tests of our own.
06 — FAQ
When does bear season open in Pennsylvania?
The earliest 2026 opener is September 19, 2026. See the table above for each method and zone.
When does bear season end in Pennsylvania?
The latest 2026 closing date is December 13, 2026. Individual segments and zones can close earlier — see the table above.
Do I need a separate bear license or tag in Pennsylvania?
a separate bear license, sold apart from combination licenses such as the Outdoorsman, for hunters age 7 and up
How many bears can you shoot in Pennsylvania?
2026 bag limits: Statewide — 1 bear per license year, no sex restriction. Check-in — PGC requires harvested bear to be checked — confirm the current check-station process and deadline directly with the Game Commission before you hunt. License — A separate bear license, sold apart from combination licenses such as the Outdoorsman, is required in addition to the general hunting license or mentored permit, for hunters age 7 and up. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting bear in Pennsylvania?
On opening day (September 19, 2026) legal light runs 06:25 to 19:42. The rule is: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset (58 Pa. Code § 141.4) — Pennsylvania's general rule; no bear-specific exception found. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Pennsylvania sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt bear on my own land in Pennsylvania without a license?
Pennsylvania's exemption only covers someone whose primary livelihood is farming that specific land — owner, tenant, family member, or farmhand — who may then hunt and take furbearers on it without a license. Owning rural land you don't farm for a living doesn't qualify; discounted Landowner Hunting Licenses exist separately for owners of 50 or more acres.
Verified · Pennsylvania Game Commission · Last verified 2026-08-13
Publisher's note. Cross-verified against the PGC newsroom's final 2026-27 season announcement (pa.gov/agencies/pgc/newsroom/final-2026-27-hunting-seasons-approved, published April 11, 2026), which agrees verbatim with the regs page on every WMU grouping and date. All bear segments fall within calendar 2026 — unlike deer and turkey, bear season does not run into 2027. Not independently confirmed on an official page this round: the exact check-station/tagging deadline (secondary sources describe a PGC check-station requirement, commonly cited as within 24 hours, but this wording was not found verbatim on pa.gov) and the exact bear-license fee (secondary sources cite roughly $17 resident / $37 non-resident, sold separately from combination licenses like the Outdoorsman). Confirm both directly with PGC before relying on them.