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Elk County, state game lands
State Game Lands 44 Hunting
Who runs it, which seasons apply for whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys and elk, what PGC has mapped on it and the public ground around it in Elk County.
Photo: Andy Arthur (CC BY 2.0)
Quick facts on SGL 44
State Game Lands 44 sits in the PGC Northcentral region as a State Game Lands tract owned and managed by the Game Commission for hunting and trapping (Elk County, WMU 2F and WMU 2G). Manager on record: the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Its 39,335 acres rank 4th of 312 State Game Lands with a published figure. Ridgway is the nearest town we cover, roughly 6 miles away (the area lies southwest of it).
County facts for SGL 44
| County | Seat | Residents | Sq mi | WMU | SRA | CWD feeding | Head bin | Bears (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk County | Ridgway | 30,124 | 827 | 2G, 2F | No | — | Yes | 44 |
From the source record (PGC SGL Boundaries GIS (sum of ACRES for SGL 44)), 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 44
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.
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 44: features, plots and stocking
Features mapped by the managing agency, then its own description.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mapped food plots | 1 · 1 ac |
| Pheasant stocking | 9 releases, 5,370 birds |
| Post-Christmas birds | Yes |
| PGC range | rifle 100, 4 firing points (open) |
SGL 44 and the 2026 elk zones
| Elk zone | Description | Bull | Cow | All |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 301 | 448 sq mi, 38% public land; low elk population, high human/elk conflicts around Weedville. | 9 | 6 | 15 |
Elk may be hunted only with a license drawn in the July lottery; zone counts are the 2026 PGC allocation.
Description on file
State Game Lands No. 44, is located in Elk County, contains 39,400 acres. Its terrain consists of long narrow valleys and flat mountain tops. It is entirely wooded. Bear, deer and turkey hunting is excellant. Small tributary streams provide good native trout fishing.
Facts from the source record, pa.gov, PGC GIS, PGC AGOL layer; retrieved 2026-10-12, checked October 12, 2026.
SGL 44: game and bag limits
Whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, elk and pheasants, per the agency record.
White-tailed deer
The 2025-26 estimate for WMU 2F is 26,500 deer.
Black bear
WMU 2F bear harvest, 2025: 228.
Wild turkey
Spring 2024 gobbler harvest in WMU 2F: about 1,842.
Elk
PGC counted 108 elk on 140 tags in 2025.
Ring-necked pheasant
About 214,577 pheasants were taken across the state in 2025. PGC plans 9 releases totaling 5,370 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 44 game seasons, unit by unit
The Game Commission sets dates by WMU, not by county. SGL 44 sits in WMU 2F and WMU 2G, and the 53 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 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 | |
| Elk | Archery (antlered or antlerless) | Elk Hunt Zones | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Elk | First regular firearms (new) | Elk Hunt Zones | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Elk | Second regular firearms | Elk Hunt Zones | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Elk | Third regular firearms | Elk Hunt Zones | Jan 9, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | WMU 2G | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 15, 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 | 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.
State Game Lands 44: dinners, courses and trials
Mentored pheasant hunt: 1 upcoming event. Retrieved October 12, 2026.
Next dates
| Day | Listing | Venue | Tickets or entry | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 2026 | NCPA Pheasants Forever Mentored Pheasant Hunt · Mentored pheasant hunt | State Game Lands 44 · Brockport · Elk Co. | Sign up | Source |
The WMU 2F and WMU 2G picture for SGL 44
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 2F | 2,411 | 221 | 3 points, one side | 67,000 | +16,000 | 7/31 | Yes | 26,500 |
| WMU 2G | 4,112 | 294 | 3 points, one side | 57,000 | +/- 0 | 8/3 | No | 19,900 |
2024 was the high mark at 28,800; 2015 the low at 12,400. 2025-26: 10,800 antlered deer and 15,700 antlerless. Archers took 6,770, rifle and shotgun hunters 18,400, muzzleloaders 1,330. WMU 2F gets 67,000 antlerless tags in 2026-27 (+16,000).
Bears taken nearby
| County | Bears 2024 | Bears 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Elk | 44 | — |
CWD is confirmed in WMU 2F; high-risk parts have disposal rules. CWD rules
Elk drawing details: Single $11.97 application (PA hunting license required), up to five options (season, Elk Hunt Zone, antlered/antlerless); deadline 11:59 p.m. July 12, 2026; drawing July 25, 2026 at the Elk Country Visitor Center. Bonus point per unsuccessful application (max 37 for 2026-27). Antlered elk licenses are once in a lifetime. Nonresidents max 10% of licenses. 155 licenses allocated: 80 bull, 75 cow. The herd was estimated at 1,563 in the 2026 survey.
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 44
Sorted by size where it helps.
More public ground in the same counties
| Name | Kind | County | Acres | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny National Forest | National forest | Warren, Elk, Forest | 512,932 | 24 mi |
| Allegheny National Forest, Marienville Ranger District | Ranger district | Elk, Forest, McKean | 249,968 | 15 mi |
| Elk State Forest | State forest | Cameron, Elk, McKean | 217,000 | 31 mi |
| Moshannon State Forest | State forest | Clearfield, Centre, Elk | 190,031 | 25 mi |
| State Game Lands 25 | State Game Lands | Elk | 24,379 | 15 mi |
| State Game Lands 54 | State Game Lands | Jefferson, Elk | 19,408 | 7 mi |
| State Game Lands 14 | State Game Lands | Cameron, Elk | 17,360 | 22 mi |
| State Game Lands 28 | State Game Lands | Elk, Forest | 11,268 | 11 mi |
| State Game Lands 34 | State Game Lands | Clearfield, Elk | 9,558 | 27 mi |
| State Game Lands 293 | State Game Lands | Elk, Cameron | 5,470 | 20 mi |
| State Game Lands 338 | State Game Lands | Elk | 4,738 | 16 mi |
| State Game Lands 311 | State Game Lands | Elk | 3,589 | 22 mi |
| Elk State Park | State park | Elk, McKean | 3,150 | 20 mi |
| Clear Creek State Park | State park | Jefferson, Elk | 1,000 | 16 mi |
Pins around SGL 44
The orange pin is SGL 44; 12 other public areas lie within 25 miles. The largest of them is Allegheny National Forest, Marienville Ranger District at 249,968 acres.
| Name | Type | Acres | Away | Bearing | WMU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Game Lands 54 | State Game Lands | 19,408 | 7 mi | southwest | 2F |
| Clear Creek State Forest | State forest | 16,716 | 10 mi | west | 2D, 2F |
| State Game Lands 28 | State Game Lands | 11,268 | 11 mi | northwest | 2F |
| State Game Lands 77 | State Game Lands | 3,038 | 12 mi | south | 2E, 2G |
| State Game Lands 25 | State Game Lands | 24,379 | 15 mi | northeast | 2G |
| Allegheny National Forest, Marienville Ranger District | Ranger district | 249,968 | 15 mi | northwest | 2F |
| State Game Lands 331 | State Game Lands | 6,438 | 16 mi | southeast | 2G |
| Clear Creek State Park | State park | 1,000 | 16 mi | west | 2F |
| State Game Lands 338 | State Game Lands | 4,738 | 16 mi | east | 2G |
| Parker Dam State Park | State park | 800 | 18 mi | southeast | 2G |
| State Game Lands 293 | State Game Lands | 5,470 | 20 mi | northeast | 2G |
| State Game Lands 244 | State Game Lands | 4,872 | 20 mi | southwest | 2D |
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 44: rifle, handgun and bow range
The Game Commission keeps 1 shooting range on State Game Lands 44.
- 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 44
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighboring counties.
| Town | County | Straight line | Heading | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgway | Elk | 6 mi | southwest | 3,930 | 113,577 |
| Brockway | Jefferson | 7 mi | north | 2,226 | 58,329 |
| St. Marys | Elk | 15 mi | southwest | 12,361 | 74,369 |
| Weedville | Elk | 16 mi | west | — | 101,206 |
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 44: 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 44 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 44 gear checklist
Click through for current models and prices.
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Common SGL 44 questions from hunters
Does SGL 44 allow Sunday deer hunting?
Yes. Sundays inside season dates are open for all but migratory game birds.
How many square inches of orange does SGL 44 require?
Small game and firearm big game hunters wear 250 sq in; archery, turkey and waterfowl are exempt. On State Game Lands, non-hunters must wear orange from Oct. 1 to Jan. 31 and April 20 to May 31.
Is any special permit required on SGL 44?
A general license, $20.97 for residents and $101.97 for nonresidents. Stocked pheasants require the $26.97 permit.
Which animals are hunted on SGL 44?
Per the agency, whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, elk and pheasants.
What is the pheasant allocation for SGL 44?
PGC plans 9 releases totaling 5,370 pheasants. Late-season releases are scheduled.
Can I hunt elk on SGL 44?
By drawing only, in zone 301.
Is there habitat work on SGL 44?
1 openings covering 1 acres.
What do I need to use the SGL 44 range?
Range facilities: rifle 100, 4 firing points. License holders or $31.97 permit holders only.
What public land is near SGL 44?
Within reach are State Game Lands 54 (7 miles), Clear Creek State Forest (10 miles) and State Game Lands 28 (11 miles), nearest first.
How did WMU 2F do last season?
26,500 in WMU 2F for 2025-26; PGC does not report by property.
Where are the boundaries of SGL 44?
Follow the official page button above.
Before you head to SGL 44
The managing agency has the last word on SGL 44. Read its page and the PGC digest the week of your hunt.
Sources for this page: PGC GIS: MapServer 17 · pa.gov: sgl 044 · PGC GIS: MapServer 9 · PGC AGOL layer: FeatureServer 100 · pa.gov: pheasant allocation · PGC GIS: MapServer 15 · PGC AGOL layer: FeatureServer 301 · pa.gov: state game lands; 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/Southeast (Public domain).