Hunting licenses for 2025-26 season go on sale next week

It’s that time of year again — hunting licenses will go on sale starting next week, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced.

On Monday, hunting and furtaker licenses for the 2025-26 season will be available for purchase.

Antlerless deer licenses can be purchased when general license sales open per usual, but this year, all Pennsylvania residents are guaranteed to get an antlerless license, as long as they buy it by 7 a.m. on Monday, July 14, which is the day license sales open to nonresidents.

Though the guarantee went into effect last year, some Wildlife Management Units were excluded. This year, that’s not the case.

“Guaranteeing resident hunters an antlerless license for the (Wildlife Management Unit) of their choice provides them flexibility in deciding when to purchase, and ensures every resident hunter can get a license without waiting, if so inclined,” said Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith.

After 8 a.m. that day, antlerless deer licenses will no longer be guaranteed, the game commission said.

“All remaining sales will be on a first come, first serve basis until the allocated number of licenses is exhausted,” according to the release.

However, there will be a second round of antlerless license sales starting at 8 a.m. on Monday, July 28 for both resident and nonresident hunters. The third round will begin at 8 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 11, which is when Deer Management Assistance Program permits also go on sale.

And the fourth round will begin at 8 a.m. Monday Aug. 25, which is when hunters can purchase additional antlerless licenses for any Wildlife Management Unit where licenses are available.

Across most of Pennsylvania, hunters can hold up to six unfilled licenses at a time, according to the game commission.

“Once reaching that limit, they are not able to buy additional licenses until they use tags by harvesting deer and reporting them,” the release said.

Hunters can check the status of remaining antlerless licenses in real time at HuntFish.PA.gov by clicking on the Antlerless Deer tab, then Antlerless Deer Quota.

“As antlerless license sales progress, tracking sales gives a clear sense of how fast licenses for a given WMU are selling, and how urgent it might be to buy one soon,” the release said.

General hunting licenses cost $20.97 for resident adults and $101.97 for nonresident adults. Antlerless deer licenses cost $6.97 for residents and $26.97 for nonresidents.

They can be purchased online at HuntFish.PA, or in person from any license-issuing agent, locations for which are mapped on HuntFish.PA. After purchase, paper licenses and harvest tags are mailed, according to the game commission.