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Season October 24 to February 28

Pennsylvania Pheasant Season 2026

Pennsylvania's pheasant season runs October 24 to December 24, 2026 and again December 26, 2026 to February 28, 2027. The youth season comes first, Oct 10 to 18.

Oct 24
Opening day
Saturday
Feb 28
Last day
Sunday, 2027
2 birds a day
Daily limit
6 in possession
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Dates and limits

Pennsylvania pheasant season dates and bag limit

Pennsylvania's pheasant season runs October 24 to December 24, 2026 and again December 26, 2026 to February 28, 2027. The youth season comes first, Oct 10 to 18. The daily limit is 2 pheasants and 6 in possession.

  1. PennsylvaniaOct 24
    Season, Oct 24 to Dec 24; Season, Dec 26 to Feb 28; Youth, Oct 10 to 18
General season Youth huntsPennsylvania, Oct 24 to Feb 28
General season
Oct 24 to Dec 24Dec 26 to Feb 28
Youth season
Oct 10 to 18
Daily limit
2 birds a day
Possession
6 in possession
Which birds
Either sex
  • Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license, and all mentored hunters, regardless of ageOct 10 to 18junior and mentored hunters of any age
  • Ring-necked PheasantOct 24 to Dec 24statewide except the Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas
  • Ring-necked PheasantDec 26 to Feb 28second segment of the same season, after Christmas

Pennsylvania Game Commission regulations, read October 8, 2026.

Wild and released birds

Pennsylvania pheasant stocking

The Pennsylvania Game Commission releases 231,980 pheasants in 2026. Release timing: a two- to four-day window in which stockings will take place within the counties.

Although protecting hens is an important aspect of wild pheasant management, survival of propagated pheasants is too low to support sustainable populations, even without hunting mortality.
Pennsylvania Game Commission, read October 8, 2026. Read it at the source
License

What it takes to hunt pheasants in Pennsylvania

Residents
Resident Adult Hunting License $20.97, plus the Adult Pheasant Permit $26.97
Nonresidents
Nonresident Adult Hunting License $101.97, plus the Adult Pheasant Permit $26.97
Stamp or permit
Adult Pheasant Permit $26.97 (Junior Pheasant Permit, no charge)

Every Pennsylvania license, resident and nonresident, with what each costs, is on the Pennsylvania hunting license page.

Pennsylvania pheasant questions

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Pheasant season in other states

Pheasant openers in every stateThe whole season on one calendar, with each agency's outlook.Pennsylvania small game seasonsQuail, grouse, rabbit and squirrel dates in Pennsylvania.Pennsylvania hunting licenseWhat a Pennsylvania license costs and who needs one.Pennsylvania waterfowl seasonsDuck and goose dates in Pennsylvania, by zone.Pennsylvania duck migrationWhere the ducks are in Pennsylvania this week.Pennsylvania CWD testingDeer sampling rules in Pennsylvania.
A rooster ring-necked pheasant with a red face, green head and white neck ring standing on disced soil and broken straw
A rooster feeding in a disced crop field beside LaCreek National Wildlife Refuge in South Dakota. Birds feed in the open early and late and sit in grass and cattails through the middle of the day. “Ring-necked pheasant at LaCreek National Wildlife Refuge (51154749494)”, Tom Koerner, USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain

Pennsylvania read October 8, 2026 from Pennsylvania Game Commission, every source linked above. An agency can move a date or close an area between the printed regulations and opening day, so its page is the one that governs. Every state is on the pheasant season calendar.