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Northwest region · WMU 1B and WMU 2F
Cornplanter State Forest Hunting Guide
Cornplanter State Forest, 1,585 acres in Forest, Crawford and Warren counties: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys and ruffed grouse, WMU 1B and WMU 2F seasons, antlerless numbers, nearby land and towns.
Photo: TheTurducken (CC BY 2.0)
Sizing up Cornplanter State Forest
Type of ground: DCNR state forest district open to hunting and trapping. Location: Forest, Crawford and Warren counties, WMU 1B and WMU 2F. Day-to-day management sits with the DCNR Bureau of Forestry. With 1,585 acres, it ranks 20th by area among 20 state forests. GIS acreage from DCNR: 1,491. Of the towns with a guide here, Tionesta is closest; the map point is about 3 miles northwest of it.
The 3 counties around Cornplanter State Forest
| County | Seat of county | Population 2024 | Land area | WMUs in county | Special Regulations | Feeding ban | CWD bin | Bears taken 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest County | Tionesta | 6,601 | 427 | 2F | No | — | No | 48 |
| Crawford County | Meadville | 82,089 | 1,012 | 1B, 1A | No | — | No | 20 |
| Warren County | Warren | 37,373 | 884 | 2F, 1B | No | — | Yes | 67 |
From the source record (DCNR Cornplanter State Forest page: "Today, Cornplanter State Forest covers 1,585 acres in:"), 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.
Cornplanter State Forest: who may hunt, and how
Each card cites its source.
Getting in
Open to hunting and trapping under PGC seasons and regulations throughout the forest except safety zones around buildings and picnic areas; Sunday hunting follows PGC dates.
Rules from DCNR
DCNR allows Sunday hunting on forest land within PGC dates. Only safety zones around buildings and picnic grounds are closed.
Licenses for this game
Start with the general hunting license, which includes the buck and turkey tags.
Statewide rules that apply
Small game hunters and firearm deer, bear and elk hunters wear orange. Archers in archery season, turkey hunters and waterfowlers are exempt.
All Sundays inside season dates are legal for 2026-27, with migratory birds the exception.
Species at Cornplanter State Forest, with limits
Game on the list: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, squirrels, woodcock and furbearers.
White-tailed deer
WMU 1B hunters took an estimated 28,700 deer in 2025-26.
Black bear
68 bears were taken in WMU 1B in 2025.
Wild turkey
Spring turkeys, WMU 1B, 2024: 2,112.
Ruffed grouse
About 3,175 grouse were taken across the state in 2025.
Squirrels
Statewide squirrel harvest, 2025: 344,414.
Woodcock
About 5,105 woodcocks were taken across the state in 2025.
Furbearers (trapping)
2025 survey: 136,839 raccoons, 33,682 coyotes.
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.
What Cornplanter State Forest holds
Counts and acreages come from PGC and DCNR layers; the quoted text is the agency description.
| Feature | Figures |
|---|---|
| Natural areas | 1 |
The the DCNR Bureau of Forestry write-up
Cornplanter State Forest Hunting The Cornplanter State Forest, the Allegheny National Forest, and nearby State Game Lands offer excellent white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, woodcock, and squirrel hunting opportunities. Red and gray fox, mink, raccoon, and muskrat are also plentiful for trapping enthusiasts. Pennsylvania Game Commission hunting seasons and regulations apply.
Facts from the source record, pa.gov, PGC AGOL layer, pa.gov; retrieved 2026-10-12, checked October 12, 2026.
Open and upcoming seasons, Cornplanter State Forest
From the first junior squirrel weekend to late flintlock, 49 segments apply somewhere in Cornplanter State Forest this license year.
| Species | Hunt | Unit | Opening day | Closing day | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 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 | 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.
Around Cornplanter State Forest: more public land
Orange is Cornplanter State Forest; the other pins are public land within 25 miles. State Game Lands 86 leads the list by size, 14,320 acres.
| Nearby area | Kind | Size (ac) | Miles | Heading | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tionesta Lake | Corps lake | 2,619 | 6 mi | southeast | 2F |
| State Game Lands 253 | State Game Lands | 661 | 9 mi | southwest | 2F |
| Oil Creek State Park | State park | 6,800 | 10 mi | west | 2F |
| State Game Lands 309 | State Game Lands | 996 | 10 mi | north | 2F |
| State Game Lands 47 | State Game Lands | 2,215 | 10 mi | southwest | 2F |
| State Game Lands 24 | State Game Lands | 8,585 | 12 mi | southeast | 2F |
| State Game Lands 272 | State Game Lands | 184 | 15 mi | northwest | 1B |
| Two Mile Run Cty Park | Pheasant release site | 2,551 | 16 mi | west | 1B |
| State Game Lands 86 | State Game Lands | 14,320 | 17 mi | northeast | 2F |
| State Game Lands 45 | State Game Lands | 6,138 | 17 mi | southwest | 2D, 2F |
| State Game Lands 96 | State Game Lands | 5,031 | 18 mi | west | 1B |
| State Game Lands 29 | State Game Lands | 9,830 | 19 mi | northeast | 2F |
Points from PGC, DCNR, USFS, USFWS and NPS GIS layers (DCNR Bureau of Forestry boundary GIS (point inside largest parcel)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Antlerless licenses and harvest around Cornplanter State Forest
These numbers describe the whole WMU, not this property alone.
| WMU | Sq mi | SGL sq mi | Antler rule | Antlerless 2026-27 | Change | 2025 sellout | CWD found | Deer 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Since 2015, the WMU 1B harvest has ranged from 14,600 (2015) to 29,500 (2020). The 2025-26 harvest broke down to 11,100 antlered, 17,600 antlerless. By season: 9,020 archery, 18,500 firearms, 1,180 muzzleloader. 44,000 antlerless licenses go to WMU 1B for 2026-27, a change of +/- 0.
WMU 2F: CWD detected. The statewide high-risk parts rule applies. CWD details
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.
Cornplanter State Forest: nearest towns and businesses
Each town links to its own hunting guide.
| Base town | County | Away | Area is | Residents | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tionesta | Forest | 3 mi | northwest | 405 | 75,936 |
| Pleasantville | Venango | 7 mi | southeast | 826 | 23,630 |
| Tidioute | Warren | 11 mi | south | 608 | 111,519 |
| Marienville | Forest | 19 mi | west | — | 167,129 |
After the shot: local businesses
Agency offices
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.
Linked public ground for Cornplanter State Forest
Links go to full pages for each area.
Other areas in these counties
| Area | Type | Counties | Acres | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny National Forest | National forest | Warren, Elk, Forest | 512,932 | 25 mi |
| Allegheny National Forest, Bradford Ranger District | Ranger district | Warren, McKean, Forest | 262,965 | 37 mi |
| Allegheny National Forest, Marienville Ranger District | Ranger district | Elk, Forest, McKean | 249,968 | 26 mi |
| Clear Creek State Forest | State forest | Jefferson, Venango, Clarion | 16,716 | 31 mi |
| State Game Lands 86 | State Game Lands | Warren | 14,320 | 17 mi |
| State Game Lands 28 | State Game Lands | Elk, Forest | 11,268 | 28 mi |
| Cook Forest State Park | State park | Clarion, Forest, Jefferson | 11,000 | 19 mi |
| Pymatuning State Park | State park | Crawford | 10,300 | 54 mi |
| State Game Lands 29 | State Game Lands | Warren | 9,830 | 19 mi |
| State Game Lands 214 | State Game Lands | Crawford | 9,661 | 48 mi |
| Erie National Wildlife Refuge | Wildlife refuge | Crawford | 8,959 | 26 mi |
| State Game Lands 24 | State Game Lands | Forest, Clarion | 8,585 | 12 mi |
| State Game Lands 143 | State Game Lands | Warren | 8,476 | 22 mi |
| State Game Lands 213 | State Game Lands | Crawford | 5,646 | 40 mi |
| Erie National Wildlife Refuge, Sugar Lake Division | Refuge division | Crawford | 5,206 | 26 mi |
| State Game Lands 101 | State Game Lands | Erie, Crawford | 5,058 | 56 mi |
| State Game Lands 69 | State Game Lands | Crawford | 4,476 | 23 mi |
| Erie National Wildlife Refuge, Seneca Division | Refuge division | Crawford | 3,753 | 31 mi |
Cornplanter State Forest, county by county
| County | Acreage |
|---|---|
| Forest County | 1,263 |
| Crawford County | 129 |
| Warren County | 99 |
State forest land by county from the DCNR forest boundary layer intersected with Census county outlines.
Where to sight in near Cornplanter State Forest
About 10 miles separates Cornplanter State Forest from State Game Lands 24 Public Shooting Range, the nearest PGC range. Club ranges nearby round out the list.
Sporting clays / shotgun / 5-stand
Trap / archery / action pistol / handgun / silhouette
From the PGC Shooting Ranges layer and the Game Commission range rules, checked October 12, 2026.
Packing for Cornplanter State Forest
Matched to the species on this page, with live listings.
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Shooting hours at Cornplanter State Forest this week
Morning shooting time begins a half hour before sunup. Big game and small game run to a half hour after sundown; ducks, geese and doves stop at sundown.
Times worked out for Cornplanter State Forest 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.
Answers for Cornplanter State Forest hunters
Are Sundays open at Cornplanter State Forest?
Yes, in every 2026-27 season except migratory birds.
When is deer season on Cornplanter State Forest?
Bowhunting from Oct 3, 2026, rifle Nov 28 to Dec 13, 2026. Every segment is in the table above.
Which license covers hunting on Cornplanter State Forest?
Residents need the $20.97 adult license; juniors pay $6.97.
Do I need orange on Cornplanter State Forest?
In small game and firearms big game seasons, 250 square inches combined on head, chest and back.
Where can I go if Cornplanter State Forest has too many hunters?
Closest on the list: Tionesta Lake (6 miles), State Game Lands 253 (9 miles) and Oil Creek State Park (10 miles), all within a short drive.
Which species can hunters pursue on Cornplanter State Forest?
Listed game: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, squirrels, woodcock and furbearers.
Is there an official map of Cornplanter State Forest?
Open the official link in the summary band.
Is the Cornplanter State Forest area good for deer?
The unit gave 28,700 deer in 2025-26 (PGC estimate).
Which office is in charge of Cornplanter State Forest?
the DCNR Bureau of Forestry runs it as a DCNR state forest district open to hunting and trapping.
Are bears taken near Cornplanter State Forest?
135 bears were taken in Forest, Crawford and Warren counties in 2024.
Where do hunters stay when they hunt Cornplanter State Forest?
Start from Tionesta; the area lies 3 miles to the northwest, in Forest, Crawford and Warren counties.
Closing notes on Cornplanter State Forest
Seasons, closures and road access on Cornplanter State Forest can change during the license year. Check the official page before you load the truck.
Sources for this page: pa.gov: hunting · pa.gov: cornplanter · PGC AGOL layer: FeatureServer 1 · pa.gov: hunting · PASDA: MapServer 9; regulations from the 2026-27 PGC digest. Checked October 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Shenandoah National Park (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).