It could be called the holiday after the Thanksgiving holiday when Pennsylvania’s firearms deer hunting season opens statewide Saturday, Nov. 29 and runs through Dec. 13 that includes two Sundays, Nov. 30 and Dec. 7. 

The Saturday firearms opener didn’t come without criticism as in the past it would always take place the Monday after Thanksgiving. A lot of hunters weren’t happy with the change for a variety of reasons. But the Saturday opener stands. 

At that time more than a half million orange-clad hunters take to the woodlands of Penn’s Woods in hope of bagging a buck, and in the least, at doe. Or maybe both for every WMU-specific antlerless license. No other single day on the state’s hunting calendar is as anticipated or busy, says the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC). And it puts more hunters in the woods more often than any other species. 

Last year, across the 2024-25 deer seasons, hunters took an estimated 476,880 deer of which 175,280 were bucks and 301,600 were does. As always, the two-week firearms season accounted for the largest chunk of those 283,760 deer harvested as 86,530 were bucks and 197,230 were doe. 

Deer season is also a conservation method as hunters keep deer in balance with their habitat while feeding themselves and hungry neighbors. 

Last year’s harvest alone led to a record 283,789 pounds of healthy venison being donated to the Hunters Sharing the Harvest program. Hunters donate their venison at no cost to any one of more than 100 licensed butcher shops across 56 counties. The hunter pays for the cost of butchering and packaging and donates the meat through regional food banks with Feeding Pennsylvania and Hunger-free Pennsylvania program. 

According Hunters Sharing the Harvest Executive Director Randy Ferguson, last year’s donations equated to about 1.1 million servings of lean, nutritious venison for individuals and families. 

The National Deer Association (NDA), an advocacy group working to ensure the future of wild deer, released some interesting numbers. Their Deer Report has Pennsylvania ranked No. 1 in buck harvest per square mile and antlerless harvest per square mile, and No.2 in overall antlerless harvest and No. 3 in overall buck harvest and antlerless deer taken. And that’s no fluke says the NDA, as Pennsylvania has consistently ranked in the top five if not top three, in every category for more than a decade now. 

NDA goes on to report that once upon a time most of the antlered deer harvested in Pennsylvania were 18 months old or younger and carrying their first set of antlers. Now, with the antler-point restriction that limit hunters to harvest bucks with a minimum of points, about two of every three bucks now taken are 2.5 years or older. They’re not only bigger, but heavier sporting impressive headgear as well. 

EXTENDED BEAR SEASON
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While the firearms deer season is going on properly licensed hunters can take a bear in some WMUs. The extended bear season opens Nov.29 and continues on Sunday, Nov. 30, then Dec. 1-6 in WMUs 3A, 3B, 3C, 4C, 4E and 5A. The season also is held in WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D when it opens Nov. 29 and continues on Sunday, Nov. 30, then again Dec. 1-13, including Sunday, Dec.7. 

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With the Pocono’s, down to Palmerton, getting a smattering of light snow last week, it’s the first sign of winter. And for snow lovers, local Blue Mountain Resort in Palmerton and Camelback in the Pocono’s needed this  incentive to crank up their snow guns and began snowmaking for the upcoming snow sports season. 

Blue Mountain made a host of enhancements for this season that includes new TechnoAlpin tower-mounted snow guns at the base area and two mobile, fully automated fan guns, all to deliver faster, more efficient snow coverage. Snow making was also upgraded with underground piping on Shuttle, Frontier Alley, Lower Sidewinder, Lower Lazy trails and Tubing Hill 3 that will boost water flow for greater snowmaking capacity. 

For those who can only ski during night-time hours, 380 trail lights have been upgraded with energy-efficient LED’s to brighten the most popular Challenge, Razors’ Edge, Main Street, Chute, Midway, Nightmare, Dreamweaver and Switchback runs. 

For your dining pleasure, Blue Mountain has introduced a Spud Truck, a new mobile eatery featuring loaded fries and stuffed baked potatoes with tantalizing toppings. 

Up at Camelback, snow making got a serious boost with high-pressure feed and summit supply lines that now power Margie’s Delight and Sullivan trails for added snow coverage. Also added were 32 auto hydrants and Impulse stick guns for consistent snow quality across the entire mountain. 

To whisk skiers/boarders up the mountain, the high-speed Stevenson lift was enhanced for a smoother, more reliable ride.  

Season passes are offered online for both resorts at www.skibluemt.com and www.camelbackresort.com.

According to Marguarite Clark, media relations for both resorts, Blue Mountain is set to open November 28 followed by Camelback’s winter debut on December 12. 

Bear Creek Resort, in upper Berks County, also made enhancements for the upcoming season. According to Gary Kline, Marketing Director at Bear, more than 4,500 feet of snowmaking pipe, which increases Bear Creek’s to cover the mountain more quickly and efficiently, was added. In addition, 10 new fully automated snowguns were installed that adjust automatically to weather conditions to maximize snow production when temperatures drop. This covers more terrain earlier in the season and longer-lasting snowpack for late winter turns. 

Bear Creek now offers some new food and beverage options this season. The Snack Shack at Kodiak and Black Bear trails, located where the two slopes meet, is a mid-mountain location for a quick bite between runs. 

The Coffee and Hot Chocolate Stand, former home of the Polar Bar space, is being reimagined as a cozy coffee and hot chocolate stand. Guests can start their day with a steaming cup of coffee or warm-up with a decadent hot chocolate topped with whipped cream.

Back by popular demand, the Waffle Cabin returns featuring Belgian waffles drizzled with chocolate or maple syrup. 

There’s also entertainment at Bear Creek both on the outdoor deck and inside the lodge. 
Season passes are available at bcmr.com. 
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With deer becoming increasingly active due to their current rut season, a time when bucks are chasing does to breed and daylight-saving time puts more vehicles on the road during times and when deer move most, it’s the period when most deer-vehicle accidents occur. As such, the Pennsylvania Game Commission advises motorists to stay alert and slow down, especially when driving past wooded tracts on either side of the roadways, especially at dusk and dawn – the peak hours for deer activity. 

Data from around the country indicate Pennsylvania drivers face some of the highest risks of a vehicle collision with deer or other large animals like coyotes, even a bear. A recent report shows Pennsylvania leads the nation in animal-collision insurance claims in fiscal year 2024-25. According to the PGC, the national average for animal collisions is 1-in-139, while Pennsylvania drivers have a 1-in-62 chance. Drivers in only West Virginia (1-in-40), Montana (1-in-54), and Michigan (1-in-59), Wisconsin (1-in-63), strike big game animals with greater frequency. 

Another serious fact is that deer-vehicle collisions cause 59,000 injuries annually and 440 human deaths across the country. 

Keep in mind that if you encounter one deer crossing the road in front of you, there could be others behind it as deer often travel in groups and walk single file. So it doesn’t mean the threat is over as other ones could be right behind the lead deer. 

A few weeks ago, I was driving down Columbia Street in Stiles when a large doe popped out from a wooded section on my left and momentarily behind it were two fawns that followed her to a soybean field on the other side of the road. Fortunately, I was able to quickly hit the brakes as I watched the trio run a car length distance past me. It’s also important to pay attention to “Deer Crossing” signs as that area has a high probability of deer encounters. 

A driver who hits a deer with their vehicle is not required to report the accident to the PGC (only to your insurance carrier). If the deer dies, Pennsylvania residents may claim the carcass. To do so, they can call the PGC (within 24 hours of taking possession of the deer) at 833-PGC-HUNT or 833-PGC-WILD and an agency dispatcher will collect the information needed to provide a free permit number, which the caller should write down. A passing resident motorist also may claim the deer and reporting it with the same procedure.

As a precaution, the PGC says that if a deer is struck but not killed, drivers should maintain their distance because some deer might recover and move on, or attack you especially if it’s a buck that could gore you with its antlers. 
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To report a dead deer for removal from state roads, motorists can all PennDOT at 800-FIX-ROAD. 

Pennsylvania hunters have an added species to pursue since the fall turkey season kicked off Nov. 1 in most WMU’s of the state with the exception of WMUs 5C and 5D.

The remaining units, the season lengths are as follows: WMUs 1A, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B, and 4D which are Nov. 1-Nov. 15; WMUs 1B, 3D, 4C, and 4E – Nov. 1-Nov. 8; WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B and 3C that run Nov. 1-Nov. 1 and Nov. 26-28; WMUs 2B, 2C, 2D and 2E Nov. 1-Nov. 21 and Nov. 26-28; and WMU 5A and 5B – Nov. 1-Nov. 4. Hunters should be aware that the three-day Thanksgiving season will again run Wednesday, Thursday and Friday only in applicable WMUs 

In addition, for this fall, Sunday hunting is open for turkey if they fall within the established season dates for an WMU. 

During the fall season, both male and female turkeys can be harvested. 

As for the prospects, Pennsylvania wild turkey biologist Reina Tyl said hunters could find more challenging conditions compared to last season. This is due to below-average turkey poult recruitment per a turkey sighting survey, likely due in part to wet spring conditions which can compromise nest success. 

The survey in July and August showed 2.7 poults per all hens observed compared to the previous five-year average of 3.0 poults per hen. At the WMU level, the numbers ranged from a low of 1.7 to a high of 4.8 poults. 

Reproductive success varies due to many factors, particularly spring and summer rainfall, temperature, habitat conditions, predators, insect abundance and hen condition. Tyl explained that this is an index of reproductive success over time. 

If taking a mentored hunter turkey hunting, the PGC says a mentored hunter with a mentored permit, allows hunters ages 7 and older receive their own tags whereas hunters under 7 must receive a tag from their mentor. 

Turkey hunters should keep in mind that you must report your turkey harvest within 10 days of harvest either by reporting it online at www.Hunt.Fish.PA.gov, or by calling the PGC toll free at 800-838-4431 or mailing with the prepaid postcard that comes with the 2025-26 Hunting and Trapping Digest when purchasing your hunting license. 

If phoning in your report, hunters need to provide their license and harvest tag information, and to write down the confirmation number you’ll get when completing the harvest report. All hunters reporting harvests are asked to identify the WMU, county and township the bird was taken. And if the turkey had been leg-banded or equipped with a transmitter for research purposes and to follow the instructions on the band or transmitter. 

Last winter the PGC leg-banded almost 950 turkeys (over 4,000 since 2020) and placed backpack-style transmitters on 142 of them (over 700 since 2022) in an effort to track turkey populations. 

As a precaution, the agency recommends not handling harvested birds that appear sick or are found dead from disease. Any sick or dead wild turkeys should be reported to the PGC at 833-PGC-WILD. 
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