Pennsylvania Waterfowl Hunting Seasons

Duck hunting from a blind.

Pennsylvania is blessed with an abundance of natural habitats for a variety of game to satisfy the needs of hunters. Waterfowl hunting in Pennsylvania is a common activity for thousands of hunters who patiently wait on the edges of swaps or dormant fields for the arrival of autumn's migratory hoards. From geese to numerous duck species, there's a season for every hunter.

In General

Pennsylvania hunters must have a valid hunting license and additional tag allowing them to hunt for waterfowl. Hunting without the necessary licenses and tag is a serious offense and carries stiff penalties. Before carrying out any hunting activity, make sure you contact to the Pennsylvania Game Commission to make sure you have the appropriate credentials. There might be slight changes each year to waterfowl regulations so check for up-to-date information prior to the hunting season.

Hunting Zones -- Ducks, Sea Ducks, Coots and Mergansers

There are four zones in Pennsylvania indicating where and when hunting can occur for ducks and similar species. These are the large North Zone, the equally large South Zone, the Northwest Zone and the Lake Erie Zone. Each zone may have slight variations on seasons and bag limits so be sure you consult current regulations related to the area where you intend to hunt.

Seasons for Ducks, Sea Ducks, Coots and Mergansers

The Lake Erie hunting zone typically lasts from around the end of October to the beginning of January. The other three zones have two separate seasons; a short period from October to November and another that generally extends from mid-November into mid-January.

Goose Hunting

Hunting for geese is separate from other species of waterfowl, and has an entirely separate zoning regimen to regulate seasons and bag limits based on the migratory patterns of the geese.
For Canada Geese, these zones are the Southern James Bay Population Zone in the northwest, the Resident Canada Goose Zone, which covers most of the state, and the Atlantic Population Zone in the Southeast. Seasons and bag limits in these zones vary from year to year so check current regulations but typically one can expect to hunt for geese from as early as mid-September into mid-January.
The seasons for Atlantic Brant generally are mid-October to mid-November and the final weeks of December. The season for snow geese starts in early November and lasts as late as February.

Non-Webbed Waterfowl

The season for the Common Snipe, Doves, Woodcock, Rails, Moorhens and Gallinules generally lasts from September into January. Though most upland game bird hunters consider these birds in the same categories as Ruffed Grouse or Quail, they are considered waterfowl and you must have the appropriate license to hunt them.

References

• Pennsylvania Game Commission: Pennsylvania Waterfowl