PA Game Commission announces a revised antlerless license sales program

If you were one of the hunters who had to wait a long time for an antlerless deer hunting license last year, the Pennsylvania Game Commission says that shouldn’t happen this year as they have a new sales plan. In fact, they’re guaranteeing that most resident hunters will get an antlerless license in the Wildlife Management Unit of their choice, as long as they do so before sales to nonresidents begin. 

The PGC explains the new plan as such: 

Antlerless licenses again will be sold over the counter and online. But when 2024-25 general hunting licenses go on sale to residents at 8 a.m. Monday, June 24, antlerless licenses for only WMUs 1B, 2G and 3A will be sold. For three days, antlerless licenses only will be available for these WMUs which typically sell out the fastest and drive much of the customer demand seen at the start of sales. However, there is no guarantee in getting a license in these WMUs as they’ll be sold on a first come basis until the allocated number of licenses is exhausted. 

On Thursday, June 27, antlerless licenses for the remaining 19 WMUs will go on sale to residents. Residents seeking licenses in any of these WMUs won’t need to wait in line for them; they’ll be guaranteed to get one, as long as they buy before 7 a.m. on Monday, July 8, when the resident-only portion of the first round of sales ends. 

Once the nonresident portion of the first round begins at 8 a.m. on Monday, July 8, all remaining licenses will be sold on a first come, first serve basis until the allocated number of licenses is exhausted. 

The PGC says these changes to the sales schedule and process should work in tandem to reduce wait times for hunters buying licenses throughout the first round. They contend that by opening antlerless license sales initially in the three WMUs that are likely to sell out the fastest, and taking the others out of the mix, demand can be better met for those license buyers who need it most. And by guaranteeing an antlerless license to a resident hunter in any other WMU from June 27 to July 8, it largely eliminates the need to stand in line, allows demand to be spread out over more than a week and gives hunters greater flexibility to buy at a time that’s convenient for them. 

The agency goes on to says that even then, there are sure to be plenty of licenses left in most WMUs. Last year, when antlerless sales were sold over the counter and online for the first time, only WMU 2G sold out before sales to nonresidents began. WMUs 1B and 3A sold out on the final days of the first round. Licenses for every other WMU were available into the second round. Some WMUs sold out quickly thereafter while others made it to a third or fourth round of sales. 
Aside from high-demand WMUs first, the sales schedule and process is similar to last year where a hunter is limited to buying one antlerless license per round in the first three rounds. Sales begin at 8 a.m. on the first day of any round, and there will be no sales between 7 a.m. and 7:59 a.m. on the first day a round opens. This allows for online customers to join the buying queue. 
​
The second round of sales begins on Monday, July 22 at 8 a.m. and the third round begins Monday, Aug. 12, at 8 a.m. 

---