State confirms approved dates for Sunday hunting
With a ban lifted, hunting will be permitted in state forests beginning Sept. 14.
After Gov. Josh Shapiro signed historic legislation earlier this year repealing Pennsylvania’s longstanding ban on Sunday hunting, state officials are beginning to roll out the changes for hunters across the commonwealth.
For the 2025-26 hunting season, southwestern Pennsylvania hunters will see new opportunities in state forests but more limited access in state parks as officials take a phased approach designed to balance tradition with visitor safety.
Limited Sundays in state parks
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Sunday hunting will be allowed on just three dates in state parks that currently permit hunting: Nov. 16, 23 and 30.
Officials said this approach allows staff to adjust park operations and communication while protecting the experience of non-hunting visitors.
“Hunting has always been a cornerstone of Pennsylvania’s outdoor heritage, and it remains one of our most important tools for managing healthy forests and wildlife,” DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said in a statement. “As we expand Sunday hunting, we have a responsibility to roll out these opportunities in a way that reflects the many ways Pennsylvanians use our public lands.”
Beginning in July 2026, most state parks that allow hunting are expected to expand Sunday access on a park-by-park basis.
Hunters will have greater flexibility in Pennsylvania’s 2.2 million acres of state forests, where Sunday hunting will be permitted on all dates approved by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
The approved Sundays for 2025 are Sept. 14, 21, 28; Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26; Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and Dec. 7.
The larger and less crowded landscapes of state forests make them a major hub for hunting, and DCNR officials said the activity is a vital management tool for sustaining forest health.
By the 2026-27 license year, DCNR expects broader Sunday access in state parks where hunting is already permitted, with decisions based on park layout, visitor patterns and community input.
All 20 of Pennsylvania’s state forests and 100 of the 124 state parks are open to hunting during established seasons.
Roughly 240,000 acres across 99 of those parks are designated for hunting, often with restrictions such as archery- only zones near homes and popular trails.
Shapiro called the law ending the Sunday ban a “bipartisan victory” for Pennsylvania’s 850,000 licensed hunters and rural communities.
Supporters say it will strengthen conservation efforts and provide an economic boost to businesses in hunting regions across the state.
Legislative outlook
The ban on Sunday hunting was one of the last remnants of “blue laws” in Pennsylvania.
Act 36 of 2025, signed July 9 after being introduced by Rep. Mandy Steele, D–Allegheny, fully repealed the ban and authorizes the Game Commission to expand Sunday opportunities. On July 28, the Board of Game Commissioners approved 13 Sunday hunting dates for the 2025-26 seasons.
Meanwhile, lawmakers are also weighing further changes.
State Rep. Eric Davanzo, R–Westmoreland, has introduced two bills. House Bill 1659 would restore the traditional Monday after Thanksgiving rifle opener in northern counties while allowing a Saturday opener in southern counties, defined roughly by I-80.
His second piece of legislation, House Bill 1614 — the so-called “Clean Repeal” — would remove the Sunday hunting ban entirely from statute, giving the Game Commission authority to designate Sundays without requiring written landowner permission.
The measure, introduced June 16, is still in committee.
The 2025-26 season represents only the first step in expanding Sunday hunting.
Broader park access is expected beginning in 2026, but the future could also be shaped by legislative proposals like Davanzo’s, which aim to balance heritage, safety and accessibility across Pennsylvania’s diverse hunting communities.
By the numbers These changes arrive as deer hunting continues to play a central role in southwestern Pennsylvania’s outdoor traditions.
Hunters statewide harvested an estimated 476,880 deer during the 2024–25 season, an 11% increase from the year before.
Of that total, roughly 175,280 were antlered and 301,600 were antlerless.
In Wildlife Management Unit 2D — which spans portions of Westmoreland, Armstrong and nearby counties — hunters took nearly 42,000 deer, including about 13,400 antlered and 28,800 antlerless.
Pennsylvania hunting license sales have dipped over the past decade, dropping by more than 112,000 adult resident licenses between 2010 and 2022, though officials note that youth participation has stabilized and the rate of decline has slowed in recent years.
State data highlight the importance of deer season for local hunters and rural economies and underscores why Sunday access remains a contentious and closely watched issue.
Hunting safety
DCNR emphasized that safety remains a top priority as hunters and non-hunting visitors share public lands.
Hunters are reminded to wear fluorescent orange, follow all regulations and use caution. Meanwhile, hikers, cyclists and other visitors are encouraged to stick to trails, wear bright orange, avoid dawn and dusk outings, and increase the visibility of pets during hunting season.
Deer hunting is the most popular activity on state land, helping maintain healthy forests by managing the population.
Other commonly hunted species include rabbit, pheasant, ruffed grouse, bear, squirrel and waterfowl.
All hunters must have a current Pennsylvania hunting license from the Game Commission and are required to comply with the rules and regulations of state forests and parks when hunting on public land.
For additional guidance and detailed information on hunting in state parks and forests, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/ what-to-do/hunting.
