Pennsylvania to phase in Sunday hunting in state parks with three dates this fall

With Pennsylvania’s expansion of Sunday hunting taking effect next month, state park and forestry officials announced a “phased approach” to opening public land this fall on days previously off limits to hunters.

Sunday hunting in state parks will be limited to three Sundays in 2025: Nov. 16, 23, and 30. Hunting in state forests will be permitted all 13 Sundays from Sept. 14 to Dec. 7 previously approved by the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC).

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources said in a statement that state forests, which cover 2.2 million acres, have “larger, less crowded hunting areas” than state parks, where visitors hike, bike and sightsee year round.

“With the expansion of Sunday hunting, we have a responsibility to roll out these opportunities in a way that reflects the many ways Pennsylvanians use our public lands,” DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said. “As we plan for broader access in state parks starting in 2026-27 season, our team is looking closely at recreational patterns, park layouts, and community needs to ensure hunting can be expanded safely, responsibly, and in a way that maintains high-quality experiences for hunters and non-hunters alike.”

In July, Shapiro signed bipartisan legislation into law that repealed the longstanding limitation and gave power to the PGC to decide which Sundays should be open to hunting. Supporters argued the prohibition on Sunday hunting limited opportunities for younger people and those who work on weekdays. Opponents expressed concern that additional hunting days could keep non-hunters out of the woods in Pennsylvania.

Since 2019, hunting has been allowed throughout the state on three Sundays each year: one during archery season, one during rifle season, and one Sunday selected by the Game Commission as a result of a law Gov. Tom Wolf signed. There has been a longstanding exception prior to 2019 that hunting crows, foxes and coyotes had been legal on Sundays.

Pennsylvania joins 39 other states with no limitations on hunting on Sundays by allowing hunters to take deer, bear, turkey or other game, as long as it’s on an in-season Sunday.

DCNR said the phased approach for the upcoming season is intended to protect “the experience of non-hunting visitors, balancing competing uses in high traffic areas, and giving staff the necessary time to adjust park operations and communications to ensure visitor safety.”

In the 2026-2027 hunting license year, DCNR plans to expand Sunday hunting opportunities to most state parks that currently allow hunting. Decisions will be made on a park-by-park basis.

DCNR’s website has additional information on hunting in state parks and forests.