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Dauphin County, state game lands
State Game Lands 211 Hunting
Who runs it, which seasons apply for whitetails, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse and squirrels, what PGC has mapped on it and the public ground around it in Dauphin, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties.
Photo: Nicholas A. Tonelli (CC BY 2.0)
Quick facts on SGL 211
State Game Lands 211 sits in the PGC Southeast region as a State Game Lands tract owned and managed by the Game Commission for hunting and trapping (Dauphin, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties, WMU 4C). Manager on record: the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Its 44,479 acres rank 3rd of 312 State Game Lands with a published figure. Printed map acreage: 43,945, revised January 2021. Williamstown is the nearest town we cover, roughly 8 miles away (the area lies southwest of it).
County facts for SGL 211
| County | Seat | Residents | Sq mi | WMU | SRA | CWD feeding | Head bin | Bears (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dauphin County | Harrisburg | 293,029 | 525 | 4C, 5B, 4E | No | Whole county | Yes | 45 |
| Lebanon County | Lebanon | 145,319 | 362 | 5B, 4C | No | — | Yes | 9 |
| Schuylkill County | Pottsville | 144,523 | 779 | 4C, 4E | No | — | Yes | 64 |
From the source record (PGC SGL Boundaries GIS (sum of ACRES for SGL 211)), 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.
Rules that apply on SGL 211
Area rules, then the statewide basics.
Access and limits
No special permit is needed beyond the right license: the ground is open in every PGC season. Gated roads are closed to vehicles, and propagation areas and refuges are closed to everyone.
On a game land
Non-hunters on game lands need orange too: 250 sq in or an orange hat from Oct. 1 to Jan. 31 and from April 20 to May 31. Using the range needs a hunting or furtaker license or the $31.97 range permit. PGC publishes 4 designated route maps for this game land; those routes are open to holders of a Disabled Persons Access Permit.
What to buy
A general license is the base; antlered deer, fall turkey and spring gobbler tags come with it.
Orange and Sundays
You need orange in small game seasons and during any firearms deer, bear or elk season; it is not required for archery, turkey, waterfowl or doves.
PGC opened Sundays across all seasons for 2026-27 except migratory game birds.
SGL 211: features, plots and stocking
Features mapped by the managing agency, then its own description.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mapped food plots | 1 · 2 ac |
| Pheasant stocking | 6 releases, 1,589 birds |
| Post-Christmas birds | No |
| Designated route maps | 4 |
| PGC range | rifle 100 Yds, 8 firing points (open) |
Description on file
State Game Lands No. 211, consists of 43,970.98 acres, located in Dauphin, Lebanon and Schuylkill Counties. The terrain runs along the ridge lines and is wooded, covering portions of Fishing, Stony, and Clark Creek Drainages. The tract has an abandoned railroad bed that traverses the entire Game Lands from east to west in the Stony valley. The railroad bed as well as the Appalachian and Horse-Shoe Trails provide excellent opportunities for hiking and other outdoor activities.
Primary game species are deer, squirrel, grouse, and turkey.
Facts from the source record, pa.gov, PGC GIS, PGC AGOL layer; retrieved 2026-10-12, checked October 12, 2026.
SGL 211: game and bag limits
Whitetails, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, squirrels and pheasants, per the agency record.
White-tailed deer
The 2025-26 estimate for WMU 4C is 23,300 deer.
Wild turkey
Spring 2024 gobbler harvest in WMU 4C: about 1,225.
Ruffed grouse
Pennsylvania hunters took about 3,175 grouse statewide in 2025 (Game Take Survey).
Squirrels
The 2025 Game Take Survey puts the squirrel harvest at 344,414.
Ring-necked pheasant
About 214,577 pheasants were taken across the state in 2025. PGC plans 6 releases totaling 1,589 birds here in 2026-27.
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.
SGL 211 game seasons, unit by unit
The Game Commission sets dates by WMU, not by county. SGL 211 sits in WMU 4C, and the 49 rows below are the ones that reach it.
| Game | Season | Applies in | Begins | Ends | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 18, 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 | This area | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | This area | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 8, 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.
The WMU 4C picture for SGL 211
PGC publishes deer data by unit; nothing finer exists.
| Unit | Area | Game land | Buck rule | Antlerless licenses | vs 2025-26 | Sold out | CWD | Harvest 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 4C | 1,716 | 261 | 3 points, one side | 51,000 | +/- 0 | 8/13 | Yes | 23,300 |
2025 was the high mark at 23,300; 2015 the low at 10,400. 2025-26: 9,400 antlered deer and 13,900 antlerless. Archers took 8,540, rifle and shotgun hunters 13,800, muzzleloaders 960. WMU 4C gets 51,000 antlerless tags in 2026-27 (+/- 0).
Bears taken nearby
| County | Bears 2024 | Bears 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Dauphin | 45 | — |
| Lebanon | 9 | — |
| Schuylkill | 64 | — |
Spring turkey and bear
| Unit | Spring birds 2024 | Bear harvest 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| WMU 4C | 1,225 | 189 |
CWD is confirmed in WMU 4C; high-risk parts have disposal rules. CWD rules
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.
Areas tied to SGL 211
Sorted by size where it helps.
More public ground in the same counties
| Name | Kind | County | Acres | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weiser State Forest | State forest | Dauphin, Schuylkill, Columbia | 30,000 | 29 mi |
| State Game Lands 210 | State Game Lands | Dauphin | 11,131 | 4 mi |
| State Game Lands 80 | State Game Lands | Lebanon, Schuylkill, Berks | 10,818 | 15 mi |
| State Game Lands 110 | State Game Lands | Berks, Schuylkill | 10,335 | 30 mi |
| State Game Lands 106 | State Game Lands | Berks, Schuylkill, Lehigh | 9,857 | 38 mi |
| State Game Lands 264 | State Game Lands | Dauphin, Schuylkill | 9,018 | 8 mi |
| State Game Lands 84 | State Game Lands | Northumberland, Schuylkill | 9,010 | 19 mi |
| State Game Lands 217 | State Game Lands | Lehigh, Carbon, Schuylkill | 8,622 | 53 mi |
| State Game Lands 46 | State Game Lands | Lancaster, Lebanon | 6,053 | 27 mi |
| State Game Lands 156 | State Game Lands | Lancaster, Lebanon | 5,894 | 23 mi |
| Swatara State Park | State park | Lebanon, Schuylkill | 3,500 | 10 mi |
| State Game Lands 257 | State Game Lands | Schuylkill | 3,441 | 43 mi |
| State Game Lands 229 | State Game Lands | Schuylkill | 3,041 | 18 mi |
| State Game Lands 145 | State Game Lands | Lebanon, Lancaster | 2,987 | 19 mi |
| State Game Lands 326 | State Game Lands | Schuylkill | 2,699 | 27 mi |
| State Game Lands 222 | State Game Lands | Schuylkill | 2,377 | 39 mi |
| State Game Lands 132 | State Game Lands | Schuylkill | 1,830 | 18 mi |
| State Game Lands 329 | State Game Lands | Columbia, Schuylkill | 1,744 | 32 mi |
Pins around SGL 211
The orange pin is SGL 211; 12 other public areas lie within 25 miles. The largest of them is State Game Lands 210 at 11,131 acres.
| Name | Type | Acres | Away | Bearing | WMU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Game Lands 210 | State Game Lands | 11,131 | 4 mi | north | 4C |
| Fort Indiantown Gap | Military post | — | 4 mi | east | 4C |
| State Game Lands 264 | State Game Lands | 9,018 | 8 mi | north | 4E |
| Swatara State Park | State park | 3,500 | 10 mi | east | 4C |
| Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area | State park | 975 | 12 mi | southwest | 4C |
| Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area | State park | 780 | 13 mi | west | 4C |
| State Game Lands 80 | State Game Lands | 10,818 | 15 mi | east | 4C |
| State Game Lands 254 | State Game Lands | 1,163 | 15 mi | west | 4B, 4C |
| State Game Lands 319 | State Game Lands | 53 | 17 mi | southwest | 4C |
| State Game Lands 290 | State Game Lands | 1,042 | 17 mi | west | 4B, 4C |
| State Game Lands 258 | State Game Lands | 852 | 17 mi | northwest | 4B, 4E |
| State Game Lands 246 | State Game Lands | 424 | 18 mi | south | 5B |
Points from PGC, DCNR, USFS, USFWS and NPS GIS layers (PGC SGL Boundaries GIS (polygon centroid)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
State Game Lands 211: rifle, handgun and bow range
The Game Commission keeps 1 shooting range on State Game Lands 211.
- Firearm ranges: an annual State Game Lands range permit ($31.97, good for 365 days) or a current Pennsylvania general hunting or furtaker license.
- Each permit or license holder may bring one guest.
- Archery ranges need no permit and are open dawn to dusk.
From the PGC Shooting Ranges layer and the Game Commission range rules, checked October 12, 2026.
Base towns for SGL 211
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighboring counties.
| Town | County | Straight line | Heading | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williamstown | Dauphin | 8 mi | southwest | 1,301 | 57,893 |
| Elizabethville | Dauphin | 9 mi | southeast | 1,352 | 42,887 |
| Halifax | Dauphin | 13 mi | east | 813 | 24,874 |
| Lebanon | Lebanon | 16 mi | northwest | 26,456 | 11,461 |
Nearby services
Who to call
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.
SGL 211: sunrise, sunset and legal light
Shooting hours for whitetails, turkeys and rabbits run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes past sunset. Migratory game birds end at sunset.
Times worked out for SGL 211 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.
SGL 211 gear checklist
Click through for current models and prices.
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Common SGL 211 questions from hunters
Which animals are hunted on SGL 211?
Per the agency, whitetails, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, squirrels and pheasants.
What is the pheasant allocation for SGL 211?
PGC plans 6 releases totaling 1,589 pheasants. Late-season stocking: none.
Is there habitat work on SGL 211?
1 openings covering 2 acres.
What do I need to use the SGL 211 range?
Range facilities: rifle 100 Yds, 8 firing points. License holders or $31.97 permit holders only.
What public land is near SGL 211?
Within reach are State Game Lands 210 (4 miles), Fort Indiantown Gap (4 miles) and State Game Lands 264 (8 miles), nearest first.
How did WMU 4C do last season?
23,300 in WMU 4C for 2025-26; PGC does not report by property.
Where are the boundaries of SGL 211?
Follow the official page button above.
How many bears came from the SGL 211 counties?
In 2024, Dauphin, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties gave up 118 bears.
What kind of property is SGL 211, exactly?
State Game Lands tract owned and managed by the Game Commission for hunting and trapping, under the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
What is the published acreage for SGL 211?
It covers 44,479 acres by the published figure.
Where exactly is SGL 211?
It is in Dauphin, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties. Williamstown sits 8 miles away.
Before you head to SGL 211
The managing agency has the last word on SGL 211. Read its page and the PGC digest the week of your hunt.
Sources for this page: PGC GIS: MapServer 17 · pa.gov: sgl 211 · PGC GIS: MapServer 9 · PGC AGOL layer: FeatureServer 100 · pa.gov: pheasant allocation · PGC GIS: MapServer 15 · pa.gov: state game lands; regulations from the 2026-27 PGC digest. Checked October 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Acorns Resort (CC BY 2.0); Ty Nigh (CC BY 2.0).