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The 2025-26 deer harvest numbers are in and the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) reports they reflect a harvest of about six percent more deer over the 2024-25 seasons. 

According to the PGC, the statewide deer harvest was estimated at 505,600 deer (185,310 antlered and 320,290 antlerless).  In comparison, the statewide 2024-25 harvest was estimated at 475,880 deer. And notably, the 2025-26 antlered deer harvest was up about nine percent over the most three-year average, and the antlerless harvest was about 17 percent higher. 

The objective in most of the state’s 22 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs), was to reduce deer numbers, either because deer were negatively impacting forest health, Chronic Wasting Disease and increasing the harvest might slow the spread, or both, explains the PGC. 

To help meet those harvest numbers and expand hunter opportunity, the PGC offered additional antlerless licenses last season. 

These harvest numbers, says the PGC, are calculated using antlered and antlerless harvest reports submitted by hunters in combination with data from deer checked at processors across the state. Last season, hunters reported more than 150,000 deer – the most often using the online reporting form while the Game Commission personnel checked more than 25,000 deer at processors.

Statewide, about 29 percent of deer hunters harvested an antlered deer. That’s the highest success rate since at least 2007. 

Interestingly, most of the bucks harvested were older ones. Two of every three were at least 2.5 years old. And hunters turned about 25 percent of antlered tags into harvested deer. That’s consistent with past seasons as is the fact about 70 percent of those deer were adult females. 

Archers took an estimated 182,190 deer of which 94,290 were antlered and 87,900 were antlerless. Muzzleloader hunters got 24,180 deer of which 1,040 were antlered and 23,140 antlerless. Understandably, the firearms seasons account for the majority of the harvest in most WMUs. Archery harvests make up the majority in more-developed WMUs such as WMUs, 2B, 5C and 5D where the use of firearms might be more restricted. 

For the most local WMUs in our area of the Lehigh Valley where many hunters hunt, the following are estimated harvest numbers with 2024-25 seasons in parentheses for comparison, with antlered represented by “A” and antlerless by “AL” abbreviations.  

*WMU 3D: 6,000 (5,600) A; 9,600 (7,700) AL
*WMU 4C: 9,400 (8,000) A; 13,900 (12,000) AL
*WMU 5C: 8,100 (7,700) A; 18,000 (17,000) AL

For the archery and muzzleloader seasons, they are as follows:
*WMU 3D: archery, 2,780 (2,570) A; 2,680 (2,260) AL; muzzleloader, 20 (30) A; 620 (340) AL
*WMU 4C: archery, 4,850 (3,960) A; 3,690 (3,770) AL; muzzleloader, 50 (40) A; 910 (530) AL
*WMU 5C: archery, 5,850 (5,520) A; 8,690 (8,330) AL; muzzleloader, 50 (90) A; 610 (370) AL
There were also unknown WMU harvests of archery, 130 (150) A; 30 (50) AL; muzzleloader, 0 (0) A; 10 (20) AL.

The increase is harvest numbers could be because of smarter hunting, or our deer population is exploding in more residential communities. 

March 28 marks the special day for youths under 16 years of age to fish for trout before the statewide trout opener April 4 when the  streams will be crowded. All that is needed is a Mentored Youth Permit or a Voluntary Youth Fishing License that can be obtained from most any tackle shops or the fish commission’s website. The Mentored Youth Permit is free but the Voluntary Youth License is $2.97.
Youths must be accompanied by a licensed adult with trout permit and youths may catch two trout seven inches or longer. 

HOUSE BILL PROTECTS HUNTERS/ANGLERS
Our U.S. Government has finally done something good for anglers and  hunters. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the firearm industry trade association, they applaud the U.S. House of Representatives for the bipartisan approval of the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act, H.R. 556. This crucial legislation would ensure our nation's number one resource of conservation funding remains in place and that hunters, recreational shooters and anglers throughout the nation can continue to enjoy America's hunting and shooting sporting heritage.

"This important bipartisan legislation will protect the primary funding for wildlife conservation in America," said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. "Firearm and ammunition manufacturers and importers are responsible for over $31 billion of conservation funding apportioned to the states - when adjusted for inflation - since 1937, and that has been the leading funding source of wildlife and habitat conservation in America. 

Efforts by bureaucrats to limit or eliminate the use of traditional lead ammunition and fishing tackle puts those conservation funds at serious risk by increasing costs and creating barriers to participation in outdoor recreation. The bipartisan passage of the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act by the House of Representatives is a significant step to protecting wildlife conservation and preserving access to our public lands."

This NSSF-supported legislation would require the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to provide site-specific peer-reviewed scientific data that demonstrates traditional lead ammunition or fishing tackle is causing detrimental wildlife population impacts before prohibiting their use by hunters and anglers.
NSSF denounced the previous administration's  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service final rule published in 2023 that offered sportsmen and women a  “bait-and-switch”  deal to open hunting and fishing opportunities on National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs), but banned the use of traditional lead ammunition and fishing tackle. The rule offered no scientific evidence of detrimental population impacts to justify banning the use of traditional ammunition, despite promises by the Biden administration to "follow the science."
Requiring the use of alternative ammunition would put a significant cost barrier to participation in hunting and fishing on public lands. Alternative ammunition (i.e. steel) is, on average, 25 percent more expensive than traditional lead ammunition and less available in the market. That barrier would “price out” many hunters and anglers and decrease the excise tax funding paid by firearm and ammunition manufacturers and importers they support.  
Firearm and ammunition manufacturers and importers pay an excise tax of 11 percent on long guns and ammunition and 10 percent on handguns into the Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund, commonly referred to as the "Pittman-Robertson excise tax." The firearm and ammunition industry was directly responsible for over $804 million Pittman-Robertson taxes of the nearly $1.3 billion apportioned to the states through the USFWS for state conservation and education programs in 2026 alone.

Spring is coming and so are the babies. Wildlife babies that is. And you may be seeing newborn in your yard or in your travels. 

And the list of newborns or soon to be born is extensive. For example, in two weeks the first skunks will be born. And in four weeks before that happens, the smell in your neighborhood may be prevalent, especially if you’ve been smelling skunk every night. Male skunks can travel up to five miles looking for females. When females are not impressed with their suitors, they spray them. Once mating occurs, females seek dens which could be under decks, sheds, foundations and other places from Feb. 15-28. Then from March 15-30, the first litters are born (they average 5-6 kits). In April, the babies venture outside for the first time. 

Other species during these pre-spring times are squirrels that are typically born in late winter through early spring (Jan.-Mar.) 

Cottontail rabbit babies are being born now and shortly raccoons will be born from early spring from March through May. The latter are often caught up in early grass mowing season when high grass hides their presence and are unseen by a homeowner cutting grass and they accidently hit. 

Tiny baby opossums are born early in the year and crawl into mon’s pouch. They later ride on her back as they grow.

Red fox kits typically arrive in late winter to early spring. Some folks are already posting photos on social media of fox babies in their yards. A fox nemesis, the coyote, will have pups usually arriving in spring following winter breeding. 

As for our avian species, bald eagles have eggs in their nests while red-tailed hawks have early nesting underway. 
Coming soon, barred and screech owls hatching ramps up in early spring. And American robins begin nest building and egg-laying that usually begins in mid-spring. I had my first sighting of four robins last week on a lawn in Bethlehem adjacent to Route 22. And the pretty Eastern bluebirds will also arrive and being nesting as temperatures stabilize. 

According to wildlife rehab centers, timing shifts with climate and local weather, but in many places, baby season isn’t approaching, it’s already underway. Keep your eyes peeled for these newborns. 

PRE-SEASON TROUT STOCKING
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Scheduled pre-season trout stocking was delayed somewhat by heavy snows and frozen creeks. But last week the fish commission and volunteers managed to stock Maiden Creek, Pine Creek, Ontelaunee Creek, Kercher Creek, Switzer Creek, the Little Lehigh from Bogarts Bridge to the Martin Luther King Drive section. Forthcoming this week are the Jordan and Coplay creeks.