When does deer hunting season start in Pennsylvania? Everything you need to know.

Pennsylvania's hunting season is upon us with new dates, limits and restrictions. Here's what you need to know.

The statewide deer hunting season will begin as early as Oct. 5 for bow hunting and Nov. 30 for rifle hunting.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission has limited one antlered deer per hunting license year and an antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

Deer hunting season dates

Archery deer season, also known as bow hunting for 2024-25 will run Oct. 5 through Nov. 22 and Dec. 26 through Jan. 20.

Rifle deer season for 2024-25 will open Thanksgiving weekend, on Saturday Nov. 30, and run through Dec. 14, except for Sunday Dec. 8.

It is unlawful to hunt on Sundays in Pennsylvania, but there are exceptions according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, such as Dec. 1 during the rifle season opening weekend and Nov. 17 during the archery season.

For more details and dates for all Pennsylvania hunting and trapping, click here .

How to get a hunting license

A general hunting license is required to hunt in any season in Pennsylvania and a limited number of licenses are issued. It can be purchased online through the HuntFishPA website.

The cost of a license also varies on season or lifetime, resident or non-resident, juniors or adults or seniors. A typical resident adult hunting license for 2024-25 is priced at $20.97. For detailed price chart, click here .

What age do hunters need to be in Pennsylvania

Hunters must be at least 12 years old to get a license in Pennsylvania, however, the state's mentored youth program allows kids under that age to hunt under the direct supervision of a licensed adult.

Minors as young as 7 years old can hunt deer with a Mentored Youth Hunting Permit , that would issue their own tags. Younger kids would have to have a tag transferred to them by a licensed mentor.

This article originally appeared on USATNetwork: When does deer hunting season start in Pennsylvania? Everything you need to know.