Hunting And Outdoor Sports
Sunday hunting begins in Pennsylvania this weekend
New law opens 13 Sundays in 2025, with first opportunities tied to small game and select species
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✍️By ZRIntel Editorial Team📍Harrisburg, PA
HARRISBURG, Pa. Pennsylvania hunters will have an extra day afield as Sunday hunting begins this weekend, marking a significant shift for a state long known for limited Sunday access. State officials describe the rollout as a historic change that gives families, youth, and working hunters more flexibility to plan full two-day weekends in the field. The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) says the initial Sunday opportunities align with the small-game calendar and a limited set of additional species, with more options coming online as fall seasons open. The first Sunday follows the second day of squirrel season and brings several species within reach for hunters looking to extend their weekend. As listed by the Commission, eligible targets at the outset include woodchucks, coyotes, crows, bobwhite quail, and antlerless deer on agricultural tag (Ag Tag) properties. Officials emphasize that this starting slate will expand as additional seasons open across the calendar, so hunters should check species-by-species status before heading out. The aim is to phase Sunday access in a way that tracks the regular season structure and avoids confusion about what is lawful on particular dates. There are clear carve-outs. Migratory game bird seasons are excluded from the Sunday expansion, meaning hunting for Canada geese, doves, rails, and gallinules is not permitted on Sundays. Hunters targeting those species should stick to the traditional weekday and Saturday windows and reserve Sundays for eligible non-migratory pursuits. The Commission says the exclusion preserves long-standing federal and state considerations for migratory birds while still opening meaningful Sunday opportunities for small game and other species. Access in state parks is also narrowed to three specific Sundays this fall: Nov. 16, Nov. 23, and Nov. 30. Hunters who rely on park access should add those dates to their calendars now and verify posted rules at trailheads and kiosks. Outside of parks, the broader Sunday allowances apply as listed by the Commission, mirroring the regular seasons and any local restrictions that may be in force. The PGC has updated the 202526 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest to reflect the changes, including the full list of 13 approved Sundays and species guidance tied to each phase-in. Support for the policy came through a coalition of lawmakers, sportsmens groups, and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, culminating in a statutory change that authorized the expansion. The Commission frames the benefits in practical terms: more time for mentoring new hunters, less pressure to compress scouting and hunting into a single day, and improved participation for those with school or work obligations on Saturdays. For hunters on the ground, success will hinge on planning: confirm that your target species is Sunday-eligible, verify whether youre on an Ag Tag property if pursuing antlerless deer, and keep the migratory bird exclusion squarely in mind. The Commission also urges hunters to use the current Digest as their primary reference before each outing. Because Sunday eligibility expands as seasons open, the most accurate picture of whats permitted on any given Sunday will be in the updated tables and notes. That includes details on lawful hunting hours, required licenses and tags, and any area-specific limitations. A quick pre-hunt check can prevent mistakes, particularly for mixed-party hunts where members may be pursuing different species under different rules.