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PGC Southeast region
Weiser State Forest Hunting Notes
Access rules, 2026-27 WMU 3D, WMU 4C and WMU 4E dates for whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys and ruffed grouse, deer harvest and the nearest towns.
Photo: Nicholas A. Tonelli (CC BY 2.0)
Where Weiser State Forest sits and how big it is
Weiser State Forest is a DCNR state forest district open to hunting and trapping in Dauphin, Schuylkill, Columbia, Northumberland, Berks and Carbon counties, inside WMU 3D, WMU 4C and WMU 4E. It is managed by the DCNR Bureau of Forestry. Size on record: 30,000 acres, 16th among 20 state forests. Measured in DCNR GIS: 28,208 acres. Nearest town guide: Gordon, 6 miles off; the area sits northwest of there.
Weiser State Forest: county context
| County | Seat | People (2024) | Land sq mi | WMUs | Special Regs Area | CWD feeding ban | CWD head bin | Bears 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dauphin County | Harrisburg | 293,029 | 525 | 4C, 5B, 4E | No | Whole county | Yes | 45 |
| Schuylkill County | Pottsville | 144,523 | 779 | 4C, 4E | No | — | Yes | 64 |
| Columbia County | Bloomsburg | 66,012 | 483 | 4E, 4C, 3B | No | — | Yes | 45 |
| Northumberland County | Sunbury | 90,027 | 458 | 4E | No | — | Yes | 13 |
| Berks County | Reading | 439,117 | 856 | 5C, 5B, 4C | No | — | No | 18 |
| Carbon County | Jim Thorpe | 65,743 | 381 | 4C, 3D | No | — | Yes | 62 |
From the source record (DCNR Weiser State Forest page: "Named for the frontier diplomat, Conrad Weiser, the forest covers almost 30,000 acres on 16 tracts throughout the region"), 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.
How hunting works on Weiser State Forest
The first card is specific to this ground; the rest are the statewide rules that matter most here.
Access rules here
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.
DCNR forest rules
Sundays follow the Game Commission calendar on state forest land. The forest is open throughout except safety zones near buildings and picnic sites.
Licenses and add-ons
The adult hunting license includes antlered deer, fall turkey and spring turkey tags and covers small game.
Two statewide rules
Wear it for small game and for all firearm deer, bear and elk hunting. Bowhunters in archery seasons and turkey, duck and furbearer hunters are exempt.
Sundays are open in every 2026-27 season except migratory birds, and there are no Sundays in the 2026 spring gobbler season.
The land itself at Weiser State Forest
Mapped features first, then what the agency writes about the place.
| What is there | Details |
|---|---|
| Natural areas | 22 |
From the the DCNR Bureau of Forestry description
Weiser State Forest Hunting Deer, turkey, grouse, squirrels, and black bear are common game species that visitors may encounter on the state forest. Hunting is permitted in accordance with Pennsylvania State Game Commission regulations. Named for the frontier diplomat, Conrad Weiser, the forest covers almost 30,000 acres on 16 tracts throughout the region.
Facts from the source record, pa.gov, PGC AGOL layer, pa.gov; retrieved 2026-10-12, checked October 12, 2026.
The game on Weiser State Forest
Per the source, hunters come here for whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse and squirrels.
White-tailed deer
PGC estimates 15,600 deer taken in WMU 3D last season.
Black bear
In 2025, hunters checked 416 bears from WMU 3D.
Wild turkey
The spring 2024 estimate for WMU 3D is 1,002 birds.
Ruffed grouse
The 2025 Game Take Survey puts the grouse harvest at 3,175.
Squirrels
PGC survey estimate for 2025: 344,414 squirrels.
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.
Every 2026-27 hunting season in Weiser State Forest
Archery, rifle, flintlock and small game segments for WMU 3D, WMU 4C and WMU 4E. Where only part of Weiser State Forest is covered, the unit is named.
| Species | Season | Where | Opens | Closes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | WMU 4C | 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 | WMU 3D | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Archery | WMU 4C, 4E | 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.
Weiser State Forest: unit allocation and harvest trend
There is no harvest figure for a single game land; WMU numbers are the closest published level.
| Unit | Sq mi | SGL | Points rule | Allocation | Up/down | Sold out on | CWD | 2025-26 deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 3D | 2,102 | 249 | 3 points, one side | 52,000 | +/- 0 | 9/2 | No | 15,600 |
| WMU 4C | 1,716 | 261 | 3 points, one side | 51,000 | +/- 0 | 8/13 | Yes | 23,300 |
| WMU 4E | 1,736 | 60 | 3 points, one side | 61,000 | +/- 0 | 9/6 | Yes | 25,000 |
Range on the chart: 7,200 (2015) up to 15,600 (2025). In 2025-26 the split was 6,000 antlered and 9,600 antlerless. Season split: archery 5,460, firearms 9,500, muzzleloader 640. PGC set 52,000 antlerless licenses for WMU 3D in 2026-27 (+/- 0 from last year).
Bear counts
| County | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Dauphin | 45 | — |
| Schuylkill | 64 | — |
| Columbia | 45 | — |
| Northumberland | 13 | — |
| Berks | 18 | — |
| Carbon | 62 | — |
WMU 4C and WMU 4E is on the list of units with CWD; follow the statewide disposal rule for high-risk parts. CWD guide
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.
How Weiser State Forest fits with nearby ground
Rows link to each area’s page; miles are straight-line.
Public land in Dauphin, Schuylkill and Columbia counties
| Unit | Type | Counties | Acres | From here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Game Lands 13 | State Game Lands | Sullivan, Columbia, Lycoming | 50,745 | 37 mi |
| State Game Lands 211 | State Game Lands | Dauphin, Lebanon, Schuylkill | 44,479 | 29 mi |
| State Game Lands 91 | State Game Lands | Luzerne, Lackawanna, Carbon | 23,915 | 45 mi |
| State Game Lands 141 | State Game Lands | Carbon | 17,227 | 34 mi |
| Hickory Run State Park | State park | Carbon | 13,000 | 40 mi |
| State Game Lands 58 | State Game Lands | Columbia | 12,630 | 8 mi |
| State Game Lands 210 | State Game Lands | Dauphin | 11,131 | 25 mi |
| State Game Lands 80 | State Game Lands | Lebanon, Schuylkill, Berks | 10,818 | 23 mi |
| State Game Lands 110 | State Game Lands | Berks, Schuylkill | 10,335 | 24 mi |
| State Game Lands 106 | State Game Lands | Berks, Schuylkill, Lehigh | 9,857 | 27 mi |
| State Game Lands 264 | State Game Lands | Dauphin, Schuylkill | 9,018 | 22 mi |
| State Game Lands 84 | State Game Lands | Northumberland, Schuylkill | 9,010 | 15 mi |
| State Game Lands 217 | State Game Lands | Lehigh, Carbon, Schuylkill | 8,622 | 35 mi |
| State Game Lands 168 | State Game Lands | Northampton, Monroe, Carbon | 7,814 | 50 mi |
| State Game Lands 40 | State Game Lands | Carbon | 6,200 | 39 mi |
| French Creek State Park | State park | Berks, Chester | 6,000 | 54 mi |
| Lehigh Gorge State Park | State park | Carbon, Luzerne | 6,000 | 35 mi |
| Blue Marsh Lake | Corps lake | Berks | 5,755 | 35 mi |
Weiser State Forest acres by county
| County | Acres in county |
|---|---|
| Dauphin County | 8,367 |
| Schuylkill County | 8,114 |
| Columbia County | 6,688 |
| Northumberland County | 2,626 |
| Berks County | 1,451 |
| Carbon County | 965 |
State forest land by county from the DCNR forest boundary layer intersected with Census county outlines.
Weiser State Forest on the map, with its neighbors
Map of Weiser State Forest (orange) and the public ground within 25 miles. State Game Lands 58 (12,630 acres) is the largest nearby.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Straight line | Direction | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Game Lands 329 | State Game Lands | 1,744 | 5 mi | east | 4C |
| State Game Lands 326 | State Game Lands | 2,699 | 7 mi | southeast | 4C, 4E |
| State Game Lands 58 | State Game Lands | 12,630 | 8 mi | north | 4C |
| State Game Lands 132 | State Game Lands | 1,830 | 11 mi | southwest | 4E |
| Reading Anthracite, Swatara | Pheasant release site | 212 | 12 mi | east | 4C |
| State Game Lands 165 | State Game Lands | 1,267 | 13 mi | west | 4E |
| Locust Lake State Park | State park | 1,700 | 14 mi | east | 4C |
| State Game Lands 84 | State Game Lands | 9,010 | 15 mi | southwest | 4E |
| State Game Lands 229 | State Game Lands | 3,041 | 16 mi | south | 4C |
| State Game Lands 115 | State Game Lands | 1,686 | 18 mi | northwest | 4E |
| State Game Lands 286 | State Game Lands | 488 | 19 mi | southeast | 4C |
| State Game Lands 55 | State Game Lands | 2,651 | 20 mi | north | 4E |
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.
Practice before hunting Weiser State Forest
State Game Lands 58 Public Shooting Range in Columbia County is the nearest State Game Lands range, 11 miles out. Two nearby club or private ranges follow.
Rifle range 50/100 yd, 7 points; Handgun range 10/15/25 yd, 7 points
Trap / skeet / rifle / smallbore / handgun / muzzleloader / cowboy action / action pistol / 3-gun / benchrest / silhouette
From the PGC Shooting Ranges layer and the Game Commission range rules, checked October 12, 2026.
Towns, processors and offices near Weiser State Forest
Towns with a guide on this site, then local businesses.
| Town | County | Miles off | Area direction | People | Public acres (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon | Schuylkill | 6 mi | northwest | 769 | 23,705 |
| Shamokin | Northumberland | 9 mi | east | 6,787 | 17,922 |
| Bloomsburg | Columbia | 12 mi | south | 13,286 | 11,669 |
| Danville | Montour | 14 mi | southeast | 4,193 | 2,519 |
Local help
Offices for this ground
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.
Seven days of shooting time for Weiser State Forest
The Game Commission window is sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset plus 30 for deer, bear, turkey and small game; migratory birds end at sunset.
Times worked out for Weiser 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.
Kit for hunting Weiser State Forest
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Hang-on tree stand
Most Pennsylvania deer hunters sit in hardwood ridges, on benches and along laurel edges.
Weiser State Forest, asked and answered
Can I hunt Weiser State Forest on a Sunday this season?
Sunday hunting is legal in all seasons except migratory birds this license year.
Is fluorescent orange required on Weiser State Forest?
250 square inches on head, chest and back in small game and firearms big game seasons.
How much do licenses cost for Weiser State Forest?
The general license ($20.97 resident) plus any add-ons for your game.
What game does the agency list for Weiser State Forest?
The area lists whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse and squirrels.
Is there more public ground near Weiser State Forest?
Try State Game Lands 329 (5 miles), State Game Lands 326 (7 miles) and State Game Lands 58 (8 miles); each has its own page here.
How many deer come out of the unit around Weiser State Forest?
PGC estimates 15,600 deer for WMU 3D in 2025-26; no figure exists for Weiser State Forest alone.
Does the agency publish a map of Weiser State Forest?
The official map or page is linked at the top of this page.
What was the bear harvest around Weiser State Forest?
Dauphin, Schuylkill, Columbia, Northumberland, Berks and Carbon counties: 247 bears in 2024.
What sort of ground is Weiser State Forest?
It is a DCNR state forest district open to hunting and trapping, managed by the DCNR Bureau of Forestry.
What does Weiser State Forest measure in acres?
About 30,000 acres.
Which town is nearest to Weiser State Forest?
Base in Gordon, 6 miles off; the area is in Dauphin, Schuylkill, Columbia, Northumberland, Berks and Carbon counties.
Weiser State Forest: confirm before you go
Rules on public ground change more often than the digest. Recheck Weiser State Forest with the agency before you go.
Sources for this page: pa.gov: hunting · pa.gov: weiser · 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: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); Calistemon (CC BY-SA 4.0).