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State Game Lands · Northwest region
State Game Lands 54 for Hunters
A hunter’s summary of State Game Lands 54 in Jefferson and Elk counties: rules, seasons, harvest and local services.
Photo: Andy Arthur (CC BY 2.0)
SGL 54: the essentials
WMU 2F covers State Game Lands 54, a State Game Lands tract owned and managed by the Game Commission for hunting and trapping in Jefferson and Elk counties. The Pennsylvania Game Commission sets the rules on the ground. By size (19,408 acres) it comes in at 13th of 312 State Game Lands. Look northwest of Brockway (the nearest town we cover), around 6 miles out.
County details near SGL 54
| County | Seat | 2024 residents | Square miles | WMUs | SRA county | CWD feeding ban | Head bin site | Bear harvest 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | Brookville | 43,367 | 652 | 2D, 2F, 2E, 2G | No | 7 municipalities | Yes | 60 |
| Elk County | Ridgway | 30,124 | 827 | 2G, 2F | No | — | Yes | 44 |
From the source record (PGC SGL Boundaries GIS (sum of ACRES for SGL 54)), 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.
What SGL 54 is hunted for
The record lists whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, squirrels and pheasants.
White-tailed deer
Deer harvest, WMU 2F, 2025-26: 26,500.
Black bear
PGC recorded 228 bears in WMU 2F for 2025.
Wild turkey
PGC estimates 1,842 spring birds for WMU 2F (2024).
Squirrels
Pennsylvania hunters took about 344,414 squirrels statewide in 2025 (Game Take Survey).
Ring-necked pheasant
214,577 pheasants statewide in 2025, by PGC survey. 9 stockings and 884 pheasants are scheduled here.
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 54: rules before the first sit
Prices are the PGC 2026-27 license figures.
Rules on this ground
Statewide seasons and rules apply across the game land, for hunters and trappers alike. Vehicles are barred from gated roads and trails; posted refuges and propagation areas cannot be entered.
Game land rules
Visitors who are not hunting on State Game Lands must show orange (a hat or 250 sq in) in the two seasonal windows, Oct. 1 to Jan. 31 and April 20 to May 31.
License costs
One general license covers small game and comes with tags for an antlered deer and two turkeys (fall and spring).
Sunday and orange rules
Firearm big game and all small game seasons call for orange; archery-only, turkey and migratory bird hunts do not.
Sunday hunting now covers every season other than ducks, geese, doves and woodcock; the 2026 spring gobbler season skipped Sundays.
On the ground at SGL 54
From the agency map layers and description.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Stocked pheasants | 9 releases, 884 birds |
| Late-season stocking | Yes |
What PGC says about it
State Game Lands No. 54, comprising 19,160 acres, is located in Jefferson County. The terrain is mountainous and wooded and shares its northeastern boundary with State Game Lands 44. The primary game species are deer, turkey, squirrels and bear.
Facts from the source record, pa.gov, PGC AGOL layer, pa.gov; retrieved 2026-10-12, checked October 12, 2026.
SGL 54 deer numbers by WMU
Unit-level figures from PGC, the finest level published for deer.
| Unit | Area sq mi | Game lands | Antlers | Licenses | Change | Sellout 2025 | CWD | Deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 2F | 2,411 | 221 | 3 points, one side | 67,000 | +16,000 | 7/31 | Yes | 26,500 |
Peak: 28,800 deer in 2024. Low: 12,400 in 2015. Bucks: 10,800; antlerless: 15,700 (2025-26). Archery 6,770; firearms 18,400; muzzleloader 1,330. Antlerless licenses for WMU 2F: 67,000 this year (+16,000).
Turkeys and bears by WMU
| Unit | Turkeys (spring 2024) | Bears (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| WMU 2F | 1,842 | 228 |
PGC has found CWD in WMU 2F. Dispose of high-risk parts as the statewide rule requires. CWD page
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.
2026-27 season calendar for SGL 54
Rows come straight from the 2026-27 digest and the seasons and bag limits page; the status column turns green while a season is open.
| Animal | Season | Covers | Starts | Ends | 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 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | This area | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 15, 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.
SGL 54 plotted with its neighbors
SGL 54 sits at the orange pin, with 12 public neighbors inside 25 miles. Largest within reach: Allegheny National Forest, Marienville Ranger District, 249,968 acres.
| Area | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction | WMU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Creek State Forest | State forest | 16,716 | 4 mi | west | 2D, 2F |
| State Game Lands 44 | State Game Lands | 39,335 | 7 mi | northeast | 2F, 2G |
| State Game Lands 28 | State Game Lands | 11,268 | 11 mi | north | 2F |
| Clear Creek State Park | State park | 1,000 | 11 mi | west | 2F |
| State Game Lands 77 | State Game Lands | 3,038 | 11 mi | southeast | 2E, 2G |
| State Game Lands 244 | State Game Lands | 4,872 | 15 mi | south | 2D |
| Allegheny National Forest, Marienville Ranger District | Ranger district | 249,968 | 15 mi | north | 2F |
| State Game Lands 283 | State Game Lands | 3,061 | 16 mi | west | 2F |
| Cook Forest State Park | State park | 11,000 | 17 mi | west | 2F |
| State Game Lands 331 | State Game Lands | 6,438 | 18 mi | southeast | 2G |
| State Game Lands 31 | State Game Lands | 5,157 | 19 mi | south | 2D |
| Parker Dam State Park | State park | 800 | 21 mi | east | 2G |
Points from PGC, DCNR, USFS, USFWS and NPS GIS layers (PGC SGL Boundaries GIS (polygon centroid)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
SGL 54 hunting hours by day
Deer, bear and grouse hunters get a half hour of light at both ends of the day. Duck, goose and dove hunters stop right at sunset.
Times worked out for SGL 54 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.
Shooting ranges near State Game Lands 54
The Game Commission range closest to State Game Lands 54 is State Game Lands 44 Public Shooting Range (6 miles). Local clubs within 30 miles are included.
Rifle / long-range rifle
From the PGC Shooting Ranges layer and the Game Commission range rules, checked October 12, 2026.
Where to stay and shop near SGL 54
Pick a base town, then find a processor.
| Town | County | Miles | Direction to area | Population | Public land nearby (ac) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brockway | Jefferson | 6 mi | northwest | 2,226 | 58,329 |
| Ridgway | Elk | 12 mi | southwest | 3,930 | 113,577 |
| Brookville | Jefferson | 14 mi | northeast | 3,899 | 14,070 |
| Marienville | Forest | 16 mi | southeast | — | 167,129 |
Services close by
Nearest 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.
SGL 54: what to bring along
Four items chosen for this ground and its seasons.
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SGL 54: what hunters keep asking
Is SGL 54 big enough for a full day of hunting?
19,408 acres on the record.
Which town works well as a base for SGL 54?
Jefferson and Elk counties; Brockway is the nearest town we cover, 6 miles away.
What Wildlife Management Unit covers SGL 54?
It lies in WMU 2F. The antler rule in WMU 2F is three points on a side.
What is the antlerless allocation near SGL 54?
67,000 for WMU 2F this year. Last year’s sellout date: 7/31.
Which 2026-27 deer segments cover SGL 54?
Rifle season: Nov 28 to Dec 13, 2026. Archery starts Oct 3, 2026. The full list is in the season table above.
Is Sunday hunting allowed on SGL 54?
All seasons include Sundays now, migratory birds excepted.
When is orange mandatory at SGL 54?
250 sq in of fluorescent orange, visible all around, whenever the season requires it. Visitors need orange on game lands in those windows too.
What paperwork do I carry on SGL 54?
Start with the $20.97 resident license; bear, archery, muzzleloader and antlerless are extra. The pheasant permit is $26.97 for adults.
What species does SGL 54 hold?
Whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, squirrels and pheasants.
How often is SGL 54 stocked?
Yes: 9 releases and 884 birds in 2026-27. It gets late-season birds as well.
What is the closest public land to SGL 54?
In order of distance: Clear Creek State Forest (4 miles), State Game Lands 44 (7 miles) and State Game Lands 28 (11 miles).
SGL 54, the last word
Double-check SGL 54 with its manager: open areas, gates and any drawn hunts.
Sources for this page: PGC GIS: MapServer 17 · pa.gov: sgl 054 · PGC AGOL layer: FeatureServer 100 · pa.gov: pheasant allocation · pa.gov: state game lands; regulations from the 2026-27 PGC digest. Checked October 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0); GA-Kayaker (CC BY 2.0).