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Somerset County · WMU 2C
Laurel Ridge State Park Hunting
Everything we could verify about Laurel Ridge State Park: acreage, rules, game, stocking and the ground nearby.
Photo: Roy Luck (CC BY 2.0)
Laurel Ridge State Park in brief
In Somerset, Westmoreland, Cambria and Fayette counties, Laurel Ridge State Park is a DCNR state park with areas opened to hunters; it falls in WMU 2C. The DCNR Bureau of State Parks sets the rules on the ground. The 13,000 acres open to hunting figure places it 4th of 92 state parks by size. The DCNR park boundary covers 14,983 acres in all. Seward is the closest town on this site, about 4 miles in a straight line.
Counties that hold Laurel Ridge State Park
| County | County seat | Population | Sq mi | Units | SRA | Feeding ban | Head bins | 2024 bears |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset County | Somerset | 72,134 | 1,075 | 2C | No | 5 municipalities | Yes | 34 |
| Westmoreland County | Greensburg | 350,935 | 1,028 | 2C, 2B, 2D, 2A | No | — | Yes | 18 |
| Cambria County | Ebensburg | 130,108 | 688 | 2E, 2C, 4D | No | 12 municipalities | Yes | 18 |
| Fayette County | Uniontown | 123,941 | 791 | 2C, 2A | No | — | No | 30 |
From the source record (DCNR park hunting page (acres open to hunting): "During established seasons, hunting is permitted daily on approximately 13,000 acres, with the exception of migratory game bird hunting which remains "), 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.
Laurel Ridge State Park up close
PGC and DCNR map data, followed by the agency text.
| Feature | From PGC and DCNR |
|---|---|
| DMAP | Enrolled |
Facts from the source record, pa.gov, PASDA; retrieved 2026-10-12, checked October 12, 2026.
Access, licenses and rules for Laurel Ridge State Park
Ground-specific rules first, then licenses, orange and Sundays.
How access works
Designated areas only, PGC seasons only, DCNR and PGC rules together; woodchucks are protected in state parks.
Sundays remain closed to migratory game birds. There are no park-specific firearm restrictions.
Paperwork for the game here
Every hunter starts with a general license; it already carries the antlered deer and both turkey tags.
Orange, plus Sunday hunting
The rule covers small game and the firearms seasons for big game. It does not apply in archery seasons or to turkey, waterfowl, dove or furbearer hunting.
This is the first license year with Sunday hunting in all seasons but migratory birds; spring gobbler 2026 had no Sundays.
DMAP unit
DMAP covers this ground: one antlerless deer per permit, $10.97 resident or $35.97 nonresident.
Laurel Ridge State Park: which seasons are running
PGC unit lines follow roads and rivers, so a county can straddle two units. This list keeps every segment that touches Laurel Ridge State Park.
| Game | Segment | WMU | First day | Last day | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | This area | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | This area | 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 | This area | 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.
Game listed for Laurel Ridge State Park
Species named by the agency for this ground: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, furbearers and small game.
White-tailed deer
Last season WMU 2C gave up about 34,400 deer.
Black bear
Bears from WMU 2C in 2025: 106.
Wild turkey
About 3,415 gobblers came from WMU 2C in spring 2024.
Ducks and geese
Duck and goose zones follow highways, so dates are on the species pages. Canada goose
Furbearers (trapping)
33,682 coyotes were taken statewide in 2025.
Small game
66,555 rabbits statewide in 2025, by PGC survey.
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.
Public ground a short drive from Laurel Ridge State Park
Inside a 25-mile ring sit 12 more areas; orange marks Laurel Ridge State Park. Of these, Gallitzin State Forest is largest (24,370 acres).
| Neighbor | Type | Acres | Miles off | Direction | WMU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Game Lands 42 | State Game Lands | 18,041 | 6 mi | southwest | 2C |
| State Game Lands 79 | State Game Lands | 11,689 | 9 mi | northeast | 2C, 2E |
| State Game Lands 153 | State Game Lands | 3,059 | 11 mi | west | 2C |
| State Game Lands 276 | State Game Lands | 4,775 | 12 mi | northwest | 2C, 2E |
| Yellow Creek State Park | State park | 2,300 | 15 mi | north | 2E |
| State Game Lands 273 | State Game Lands | 1,146 | 15 mi | northwest | 2E |
| Gallitzin State Forest | State forest | 24,370 | 17 mi | southeast | 2C, 4D |
| Conemaugh River Lake | Corps lake | 8,367 | 18 mi | west | 2C, 2D |
| Hanson Aggregates | Pheasant release site | — | 18 mi | west | 2C |
| State Game Lands 248 | State Game Lands | 825 | 18 mi | north | 2E |
| State Game Lands 26 | State Game Lands | 12,347 | 19 mi | east | 2C |
| Linn Run State Park | State park | 300 | 20 mi | southwest | 2C |
Points from PGC, DCNR, USFS, USFWS and NPS GIS layers (DCNR State Parks boundary GIS via PASDA (point inside largest parcel)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
How many deer come off the Laurel Ridge State Park unit
Antlerless licenses are sold by WMU, and harvest is estimated the same way.
| WMU | Size | SGL sq mi | Buck rule | Antlerless tags | Change | Last sellout | CWD | Deer harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 2C | 2,934 | 246 | 3 points, one side | 117,000 | +24,000 | 10/18 | Yes | 34,400 |
The best year on the chart was 2025 with 34,400 deer; the low was 15,200 in 2016. Of the 2025-26 total, 11,400 were bucks and 23,000 antlerless. 11,320 by bow, 21,200 by firearm, 1,880 by muzzleloader. The 2026-27 allocation for WMU 2C is 117,000 antlerless licenses, +24,000 versus 2025-26.
Bears per county
| County | 2024 bears | 2025 bears |
|---|---|---|
| Somerset | 34 | — |
| Westmoreland | 18 | — |
| Cambria | 18 | — |
| Fayette | 30 | — |
Turkey and bear harvest
| WMU | Spring 2024 | Bear 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| WMU 2C | 3,415 | 106 |
Chronic wasting disease is present in WMU 2C, so mind the high-risk parts rule. More on CWD
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.
Towns and services near Laurel Ridge State Park
Closest towns first; businesses sorted by county and distance.
| Town | County | Distance | Area lies | People | Public acres within 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seward | Westmoreland | 4 mi | southeast | 399 | 34,896 |
| Geistown | Cambria | 7 mi | northwest | 2,296 | 28,622 |
| Jennerstown | Somerset | 15 mi | north | 664 | 17,972 |
| Ebensburg | Cambria | 15 mi | southwest | 3,278 | 12,373 |
Processors, taxidermists and shops
PGC and DCNR contacts
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.
Laurel Ridge State Park: nearest ranges
For a permit range, drive about 4 miles to State Game Lands 42 Public Shooting Range (St. Clair Township). Closer private options are listed beside it.
Rifle range 100 yd, 6 points; Handgun range 25 yd, 3 points
Rifle / smallbore / handgun
Trap / skeet
From the PGC Shooting Ranges layer and the Game Commission range rules, checked October 12, 2026.
Kit for hunting Laurel Ridge State Park
Picked for the game hunted here; prices load when you click.
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When the day starts and ends at Laurel Ridge State Park
Legal light opens 30 minutes before sunrise for every game species. In the evening, migratory birds close at sunset and the rest 30 minutes later.
Times worked out for Laurel Ridge State Park 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.
Hunter questions about Laurel Ridge State Park
Can out-of-state hunters use Laurel Ridge State Park?
Nonresidents pay $101.97 for the adult license; residents $20.97.
Do non-hunters wear orange on Laurel Ridge State Park?
Yes in firearms deer, bear and elk seasons and all small game seasons: 250 sq in.
What areas neighbor Laurel Ridge State Park?
Close by are State Game Lands 42 (6 miles), State Game Lands 79 (9 miles) and State Game Lands 153 (11 miles), measured in a straight line.
Which game is listed for Laurel Ridge State Park?
The record lists whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, furbearers and small game.
Where is the official page for Laurel Ridge State Park?
Use the agency link in the at-a-glance band.
How many deer are taken around Laurel Ridge State Park?
WMU 2C: 34,400 deer in 2025-26.
Who looks after Laurel Ridge State Park?
the DCNR Bureau of State Parks is the manager; the ground is a DCNR state park with areas opened to hunters.
Are black bears common near Laurel Ridge State Park?
The 2024 count for Somerset, Westmoreland, Cambria and Fayette counties was 100.
How many miles is Laurel Ridge State Park from Seward?
In Somerset, Westmoreland, Cambria and Fayette counties, about 4 miles southeast of Seward.
How much huntable ground is on Laurel Ridge State Park?
Agency acreage: 13,000.
How many antlerless licenses are there for the Laurel Ridge State Park area?
WMU 2C has 117,000 antlerless licenses for 2026-27 (+24,000); in 2025-26 they sold out on 10/18.
Heading to Laurel Ridge State Park soon?
Every property has its own fine print. Read the Laurel Ridge State Park page at the agency and carry your licenses.
Sources for this page: pa.gov: hunting · pa.gov: hunting · PASDA: MapServer 8; regulations from the 2026-27 PGC digest. Checked October 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Michele Dorsey Walfred (CC BY 2.0).