Home › Pennsylvania › Public land › Bradford Ranger District
PGC Northwest region
Allegheny National Forest, Bradford Ranger District Hunting Notes
Access rules, 2026-27 WMU 1B, WMU 2F and WMU 3A dates for whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys and ruffed grouse, deer harvest and the nearest towns.
Photo: Nicholas A. Tonelli (CC BY 2.0)
Where Bradford Ranger District sits and how big it is
Allegheny National Forest, Bradford Ranger District is a ranger district of the Allegheny National Forest in Warren, McKean and Forest counties, inside WMU 1B, WMU 2F and WMU 3A. It is managed by the USDA Forest Service. Published size: 262,965 acres. Nearest town guide: Sheffield, 12 miles off; the area sits northeast of there. Allegheny National Forest is the area that contains it.
Bradford Ranger District: county context
| County | Seat | People (2024) | Land sq mi | WMUs | Special Regs Area | CWD feeding ban | CWD head bin | Bears 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warren County | Warren | 37,373 | 884 | 2F, 1B | No | — | Yes | 67 |
| McKean County | Smethport | 39,478 | 980 | 3A, 2F, 2G | No | — | Yes | 78 |
| Forest County | Tionesta | 6,601 | 427 | 2F | No | — | No | 48 |
From the source record (USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics (USDA Forest Service ownership by district)), counties and WMUs from the PGC county and WMU layers; county facts from the Census and the 2026-27 digest; bear counts from the PGC 2024 bear release. Checked October 12, 2026.
How hunting works on Bradford Ranger District
The first card is specific to this ground; the rest are the statewide rules that matter most here.
Access rules here
Open to hunting under PGC seasons and licenses (Allegheny National Forest rules).
Licenses and add-ons
The adult hunting license includes antlered deer, fall turkey and spring turkey tags and covers small game.
Two statewide rules
Wear it for small game and for all firearm deer, bear and elk hunting. Bowhunters in archery seasons and turkey, duck and furbearer hunters are exempt.
Sundays are open in every 2026-27 season except migratory birds, and there are no Sundays in the 2026 spring gobbler season.
The land itself at Bradford Ranger District
Mapped features first, then what the agency writes about the place.
From the the USDA Forest Service description
District office phone 814-362-4613 (USFS offices page / 2026 roads release).
Facts from the source record, USFS, USFS, USFS; retrieved 2026-10-12, checked October 12, 2026.
The game on Bradford Ranger District
Per the source, hunters come here for whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, squirrels and woodcock.
White-tailed deer
PGC estimates 28,700 deer taken in WMU 1B last season.
Black bear
In 2025, hunters checked 68 bears from WMU 1B.
Wild turkey
The spring 2024 estimate for WMU 1B is 2,112 birds.
Ruffed grouse
The 2025 Game Take Survey puts the grouse harvest at 3,175.
Squirrels
PGC survey estimate for 2025: 344,414 squirrels.
Woodcock
The 2025 Game Take Survey puts the woodcock harvest at 5,105.
Species from the area record; bag limits and seasons from the PGC seasons and bag limits; harvest from PGC deer report, PGC harvest data and PGC turkey report. Checked October 12, 2026.
Every 2026-27 hunting season in Bradford Ranger District
Archery, rifle, flintlock and small game segments for WMU 1B, WMU 2F and WMU 3A. Where only part of Bradford Ranger District is covered, the unit is named.
| Species | Season | Where | Opens | Closes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Agricultural Deer Control (Ag Tag, antlerless only) | This area | Aug 1, 2026 | Apr 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery (antlered and antlerless) | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | October muzzleloader (antlerless only) | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Special firearms (antlerless only) | Statewide | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Rifle (antlered and antlerless) | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery (antlered and antlerless) | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Extended regular firearms (antlerless only) | This area | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Flintlock (antlered or antlerless) | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Archery | This area | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Special firearms | Statewide | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Rifle | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Extended firearms | WMU 3A | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | WMU 3A | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | WMU 1B | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | WMU 2F | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | WMU 2F | Nov 25, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler youth hunt | Statewide | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler season (morning only) | Statewide | May 1, 2027 | May 15, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler season (all day) | Statewide | May 16, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Regular | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Junior hunt | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (male or female) | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (male or female) | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Cottontail | Junior hunt | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Regular | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Junior hunt | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Regular | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodchuck | Regular | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Woodchuck | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Crow | Regular (Thursday-Sunday only) | Statewide | Aug 20, 2026 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Fox | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Porcupine | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| Porcupine | Hunting | Statewide | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Porcupine | Hunting | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Mourning dove | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| Mourning dove | Regular | Statewide | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 2, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Regular | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 8, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | WMU 2F, 3A | Jan 9, 2027 | Feb 3, 2027 | |
| Opossum, striped skunk and weasel | Hunting | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Starling and English sparrow | No closed season | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Gallinules | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Virginia and sora rails | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Regular | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 8, 2026 |
From the Pennsylvania Game Commission seasons and bag limits and the 2026-27 digest, checked October 12, 2026.
Bradford Ranger District: unit allocation and harvest trend
There is no harvest figure for a single game land; WMU numbers are the closest published level.
| Unit | Sq mi | SGL | Points rule | Allocation | Up/down | Sold out on | CWD | 2025-26 deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 1B | 2,118 | 82 | Three up | 44,000 | +/- 0 | 7/28 | No | 28,700 |
| WMU 2F | 2,411 | 221 | 3 points, one side | 67,000 | +16,000 | 7/31 | Yes | 26,500 |
| WMU 3A | 1,508 | 87 | 3 points, one side | 21,000 | +/- 0 | 7/28 | No | 14,500 |
Range on the chart: 14,600 (2015) up to 29,500 (2020). In 2025-26 the split was 11,100 antlered and 17,600 antlerless. Season split: archery 9,020, firearms 18,500, muzzleloader 1,180. PGC set 44,000 antlerless licenses for WMU 1B in 2026-27 (+/- 0 from last year).
WMU 2F is on the list of units with CWD; follow the statewide disposal rule for high-risk parts. CWD guide
WMU areas from the PGC WMU pages; antlerless allocations from the PGC allocation; deer harvest from the 2025-26 PGC report and the PGC historic harvest dashboard; bears from PGC releases; turkeys from PGC job report. Checked October 12, 2026.
How Bradford Ranger District fits with nearby ground
Rows link to each area’s page; miles are straight-line.
The larger area
| Unit | Type | Counties | Acres | From here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny National Forest | National forest | Warren, Elk, Forest | 512,932 | 15 mi |
| Allegheny National Forest, Marienville Ranger District | Ranger district | Elk, Forest, McKean | 249,968 | 23 mi |
Public land in Warren, McKean and Forest counties
| Unit | Type | Counties | Acres | From here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Susquehannock State Forest | State forest | Potter, Clinton, McKean | 265,000 | 55 mi |
| Elk State Forest | State forest | Cameron, Elk, McKean | 217,000 | 45 mi |
| Clear Creek State Forest | State forest | Jefferson, Venango, Clarion | 16,716 | 37 mi |
| State Game Lands 86 | State Game Lands | Warren | 14,320 | 24 mi |
| State Game Lands 30 | State Game Lands | McKean | 11,658 | 31 mi |
| State Game Lands 28 | State Game Lands | Elk, Forest | 11,268 | 27 mi |
| Cook Forest State Park | State park | Clarion, Forest, Jefferson | 11,000 | 39 mi |
| State Game Lands 61 | State Game Lands | McKean | 9,972 | 30 mi |
| State Game Lands 29 | State Game Lands | Warren | 9,830 | 18 mi |
| State Game Lands 62 | State Game Lands | McKean | 9,258 | 17 mi |
| State Game Lands 24 | State Game Lands | Forest, Clarion | 8,585 | 34 mi |
| State Game Lands 143 | State Game Lands | Warren | 8,476 | 29 mi |
| State Game Lands 59 | State Game Lands | Potter, McKean | 7,023 | 37 mi |
| Elk State Park | State park | Elk, McKean | 3,150 | 24 mi |
| Tionesta Lake | Corps lake | Forest | 2,619 | 34 mi |
| State Game Lands 301 | State Game Lands | McKean | 2,332 | 26 mi |
| State Game Lands 337 | State Game Lands | Warren | 2,231 | 33 mi |
| State Game Lands 197 | State Game Lands | Warren | 1,656 | 36 mi |
Bradford Ranger District on the map, with its neighbors
Map of Bradford Ranger District (orange) and the public ground within 25 miles. State Game Lands 86 (14,320 acres) is the largest nearby.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Straight line | Direction | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hatch Run | Pheasant release site | — | 13 mi | west | 2F |
| Chapman State Park | State park | 700 | 16 mi | west | 2F |
| State Game Lands 282 | State Game Lands | 496 | 17 mi | northwest | 2F |
| Kinzua Bridge State Park | State park | 275 | 17 mi | east | 3A |
| State Game Lands 62 | State Game Lands | 9,258 | 17 mi | east | 3A |
| State Game Lands 29 | State Game Lands | 9,830 | 18 mi | southwest | 2F |
| Elk State Park | State park | 3,150 | 24 mi | southeast | 2G |
| State Game Lands 86 | State Game Lands | 14,320 | 24 mi | west | 2F |
Points from PGC, DCNR, USFS, USFWS and NPS GIS layers (USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics polygons (point inside largest parcel)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Practice before hunting Allegheny National Forest, Bradford Ranger District
State Game Lands 44 Public Shooting Range in Elk County is the nearest State Game Lands range, 33 miles out. Two nearby club or private ranges follow.
Trap / skeet / 5-stand / sporting clays / shotgun
From the PGC Shooting Ranges layer and the Game Commission range rules, checked October 12, 2026.
Towns, processors and offices near Bradford Ranger District
Towns with a guide on this site, then local businesses.
| Town | County | Miles off | Area direction | People | Public acres (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheffield | Warren | 12 mi | northeast | — | 206,323 |
| Lewis Run | McKean | 12 mi | west | 557 | 73,319 |
| Kane | McKean | 13 mi | north | 3,489 | 155,505 |
| Warren | Warren | 13 mi | east | 9,125 | 104,857 |
Local help
Offices for this ground
Towns and populations from the Census 2024 estimates and Gazetteer; public acres within 10 miles from PGC, DCNR and federal layers; businesses from Hunters Sharing the Harvest, PDA, store locators and listings; offices from PGC and DCNR pages. Checked October 12, 2026. Call ahead.
Seven days of shooting time for Bradford Ranger District
The Game Commission window is sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset plus 30 for deer, bear, turkey and small game; migratory birds end at sunset.
Times worked out for Bradford Ranger District in Eastern time from the rule in the Pennsylvania Game Commission digest (shooting hours). Some furbearers may be taken at night; check the digest. Shooting hours for every county.
Kit for hunting Bradford Ranger District
Each button opens a live Amazon search, so the prices are today’s.
Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Hang-on tree stand
Most Pennsylvania deer hunters sit in hardwood ridges, on benches and along laurel edges.
Bradford Ranger District, asked and answered
Which antlerless license works on Bradford Ranger District?
44,000 WMU 1B licenses; the 2025-26 supply ran out 7/28.
When can I bowhunt Bradford Ranger District?
Archery Oct 3 to Nov 20, 2026; rifle Nov 28 to Dec 13, 2026. Flintlock and late archery are in the table.
Can I hunt Bradford Ranger District on a Sunday this season?
Sunday hunting is legal in all seasons except migratory birds this license year.
Is fluorescent orange required on Bradford Ranger District?
250 square inches on head, chest and back in small game and firearms big game seasons.
How much do licenses cost for Bradford Ranger District?
The general license ($20.97 resident) plus any add-ons for your game.
What game does the agency list for Bradford Ranger District?
The area lists whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, squirrels and woodcock.
Is there more public ground near Bradford Ranger District?
Try Hatch Run (13 miles), Chapman State Park (16 miles) and State Game Lands 282 (17 miles); each has its own page here.
How many deer come out of the unit around Bradford Ranger District?
PGC estimates 28,700 deer for WMU 1B in 2025-26; no figure exists for Bradford Ranger District alone.
Does the agency publish a map of Bradford Ranger District?
The official map or page is linked at the top of this page.
What was the bear harvest around Bradford Ranger District?
Warren, McKean and Forest counties: 193 bears in 2024.
What sort of ground is Bradford Ranger District?
It is a ranger district of the Allegheny National Forest, managed by the USDA Forest Service.
Bradford Ranger District: confirm before you go
Rules on public ground change more often than the digest. Recheck Bradford Ranger District with the agency before you go.
Sources for this page: USFS EDW: MapServer 0 · USFS: offices · USFS: forest roads open 2026 27 hunting seasons · USFS: hunting shooting; regulations from the 2026-27 PGC digest. Checked October 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Shenandoah National Park (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Acorns Resort (CC BY 2.0).