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PGC migratory birds
Canada Goose Hunting in Pennsylvania
Goose seasons follow two zones: the Atlantic Population Zone, drawn on state routes, and the Resident Population Zone, which is the rest of the state. Season rows, limits, legal arms and mapped public land for Canada geese.
Photo: USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Both zones open with a September season, Sept. 1 to 25, at eight a day. The Atlantic Population regular season limit rises to three a day this year; the Resident zone allows five. Two exception areas, in western Crawford and northwestern Mercer and in Lancaster and Lebanon, set lower limits.
The PGC goose summary
- September season Sept. 1-25 both zones (8 daily).
- RP regular Oct. 24-Nov. 27, Dec. 15-Jan. 18, Jan. 29-Feb. 20 (5 daily); AP Nov. 21-27 and Dec. 4-Jan. 18 (3 daily, raised from 2).
Canada Goose opening and closing days
Goose hunters get 16 segments in 2026-27. Day counts include the first and last day.
| Season | Zone or WMU | Begins | Ends | Days | Sundays | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior (youth) day (waterfowl) | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 19, 2026 | 1 | No Sundays | |
| Junior, veteran and active-duty military day (waterfowl) | Lake Erie Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | 1 | No Sundays | |
| Junior, veteran and active-duty military day (waterfowl) | Northwest Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 26, 2026 | 1 | No Sundays | |
| Junior, veteran and active-duty military day (waterfowl) | North Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | 1 | No Sundays | |
| Junior, veteran and active-duty military day (waterfowl) | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 7, 2026 | 1 | No Sundays | |
| Veteran and active-duty military day (waterfowl) | Lake Erie Zone | Jan 16, 2027 | Jan 16, 2027 | 1 | No Sundays | |
| Veteran and active-duty military day (waterfowl) | Northwest Zone | Jan 16, 2027 | Jan 16, 2027 | 1 | No Sundays | |
| Veteran and active-duty military day (waterfowl) | North Zone | Jan 16, 2027 | Jan 16, 2027 | 1 | No Sundays | |
| Veteran and active-duty military day (waterfowl) | South Zone | Jan 23, 2027 | Jan 23, 2027 | 1 | No Sundays | |
| September season | Resident Population Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | 25 | No Sundays | |
| Regular season | Resident Population Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | 35 | No Sundays | |
| Regular season | Resident Population Zone | Dec 15, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | 35 | No Sundays | |
| Regular season | Resident Population Zone | Jan 29, 2027 | Feb 20, 2027 | 23 | No Sundays | |
| September season | Atlantic Population Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | 25 | No Sundays | |
| Regular season | Atlantic Population Zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | 7 | No Sundays | |
| Regular season | Atlantic Population Zone | Dec 4, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | 46 | No Sundays |
What the season notes say
- Junior and mentored youth hunters, properly accompanied. Ducks, mergansers, coots, gallinules, brant and Canada geese; regular-season bag limits. Hours close at sunset.
- Junior and mentored youth hunters, veterans (38 U.S.C. 101) and active-duty Armed Forces incl. National Guard/Reserves on active duty. Ducks, mergansers, coots, gallinules, brant and Canada geese; regular-season bag limits.
- Veterans and active-duty military only. Ducks, mergansers, coots, gallinules, brant and Canada geese; regular-season bag limits.
- 8 daily, 24 possession. Exceptions: in western Crawford/northwestern Mercer exception area Sept. 1-12, 1 daily/3 possession (SGL 214 closed); in the Lancaster/Lebanon exception area 1 daily/3 possession (SGL 46 Middle Creek closed). Hours 1/2 hr before sunrise to 1/2 hr after sunset. Sunday hunting prohibited for migratory game birds.
- 5 daily, 15 possession (3 daily/9 possession in the western Crawford/northwestern Mercer area; 1 daily in public areas of SGL 46 Middle Creek, season limit 1 in its controlled areas). Sunday hunting prohibited for migratory game birds.
- 8 daily, 24 possession. Sunday hunting prohibited for migratory game birds.
- 3 daily, 9 possession (daily limit increased to 3 for 2026-27). Sunday hunting prohibited for migratory game birds.
From the Pennsylvania Game Commission seasons and bag limits and the 2026-27 digest, checked October 12, 2026.
How many Canada geese you may take
What a game warden will check: the goose limits.
Limit for Canada geese
RP Zone: 8 daily (Sept.), 5 daily (regular); AP Zone: 8 daily (Sept.), 3 daily (regular); exception areas 1 or 3 daily.
Best public tracts for Canada geese
131 public tracts list waterfowl, led by 86 State Parks; the biggest is Delaware State Forest at 83,519 acres.
| Public land | Type | County | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware State Forest | State Forest | Pike, Monroe | 3D | 83,519 |
| Pinchot State Forest | State Forest | Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe | 3B/3C/3D/4E | 54,000 |
| State Game Lands 108 | State Game Lands | Cambria, Blair | 2E/4D | 22,739 |
| Ohiopyle State Park | State Park | Fayette | 2C | 20,000 |
| State Game Lands 141 | State Game Lands | Carbon | 4C | 17,227 |
| Moraine State Park | State Park | Butler | 1A | 14,000 |
| Hickory Run State Park | State Park | Carbon | 3D/4C | 13,000 |
| Laurel Ridge State Park | State Park | Somerset, Westmoreland, Cambria | 2C | 13,000 |
| State Game Lands 180 | State Game Lands | Pike | 3D | 12,506 |
| Cook Forest State Park | State Park | Clarion, Forest, Jefferson | 2F | 11,000 |
| State Game Lands 95 | State Game Lands | Butler | 2D | 10,626 |
| Pymatuning State Park | State Park | Crawford | 1A | 10,300 |
| Ricketts Glen State Park | State Park | Luzerne, Sullivan | 3B/4E | 10,287 |
| State Game Lands 214 | State Game Lands | Crawford | 1A | 9,661 |
| State Game Lands 34 | State Game Lands | Clearfield, Elk | 2G | 9,558 |
More public land naming Canada geese
State Game Lands 159 (9,448 ac) · Erie National Wildlife Refuge (8,959 ac) · Raccoon Creek State Park (7,000 ac) · Oil Creek State Park (6,800 ac) · State Game Lands 40 (6,200 ac) · State Game Lands 46 (6,053 ac) · French Creek State Park (6,000 ac) · Lehigh Gorge State Park (6,000 ac) · State Game Lands 38 (5,818 ac) · State Game Lands 213 (5,646 ac) · Prince Gallitzin State Park (5,600 ac) · Tobyhanna State Park (5,200 ac) · Blue Knob State Park (5,000 ac) · Bald Eagle State Park (4,910 ac) · State Game Lands 69 (4,476 ac) · State Game Lands 312 (4,459 ac) · Hillman State Park (3,650 ac) · Nescopeck State Park (3,500 ac) · Nockamixon State Park (3,500 ac) · Swatara State Park (3,500 ac) · Shenango River Lake (3,449 ac) · Elk State Park (3,150 ac) · Black Moshannon State Park (3,000 ac) · Shawnee State Park (3,000 ac) · State Game Lands 145 (2,987 ac) · State Game Lands 302 (2,976 ac) · Codorus State Park (2,800 ac) · Gouldsboro State Park (2,700 ac) · State Game Lands 43 (2,571 ac) · State Game Lands 280 (2,552 ac) · Kings Gap Environmental Education Center (2,500 ac) · State Game Lands 301 (2,332 ac) · Yellow Creek State Park (2,300 ac) · Laurel Hill State Park (2,200 ac) · McConnells Mill State Park (2,200 ac) · Gifford Pinchot State Park (1,945 ac) · State Game Lands 56 (1,791 ac) · Beltzville State Park (1,700 ac) · Little Pine State Park (1,700 ac) · Locust Lake State Park (1,700 ac) · William Penn State Forest (1,683 ac) · Kettle Creek State Park (1,640 ac) · State Game Lands 284 (1,590 ac) · State Game Lands 151 (1,584 ac) · Prompton State Park (1,400 ac) · Sinnemahoning State Park (1,400 ac) · State Game Lands 140 (1,346 ac) · State Game Lands 218 (1,339 ac) · Promised Land State Park (1,300 ac) · State Game Lands 191 (1,223 ac) · State Game Lands 310 (1,197 ac) · State Game Lands 277 (1,192 ac) · State Game Lands 243 (1,167 ac) · State Game Lands 254 (1,163 ac) · State Game Lands 199 (1,129 ac) · State Game Lands 317 (1,103 ac) · Mount Pisgah State Park (1,100 ac) · Tuscarora State Park (1,100 ac) · Maurice K. Goddard State Park (1,075 ac) · Clear Creek State Park (1,000 ac) · and another 56
Canada Goose counties
- Crawford County8 tracts
- Wayne County8 tracts
- Monroe County7 tracts
- Dauphin County6 tracts
- Erie County6 tracts
- Carbon County5 tracts
- Luzerne County5 tracts
- Potter County5 tracts
- Berks County4 tracts
- Bucks County4 tracts
- Chester County4 tracts
- Lackawanna County4 tracts
- Lawrence County4 tracts
- Mercer County4 tracts
- York County4 tracts
PGC State Game Lands GIS, DCNR forest and park hunting pages and federal managers (PGC layers), retrieved 2026-10-12. Species lists are what each manager names; area rules still apply.
PGC harvest figures for Canada geese
These are Game Commission survey estimates, statewide only.
| Year | Harvest | Hunters | Hunter days | Per 100 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 88,775 | 16,606 | 94,989 | 93.46 |
| 2024 | 104,593 | 16,918 | 112,952 | 92.6 |
| 2023 | 66,682 | 17,357 | 101,791 | 65.51 |
| 2022 | 96,533 | 17,198 | 90,461 | 106.71 |
| 2021 | 70,179 | 12,088 | 76,408 | 91.85 |
| 2020 | 90,791 | 17,653 | 117,722 | 77.12 |
| 2009 | 195,105 | 31,732 | 247,165 | 78.94 |
| 2008 | 212,158 | 33,814 | 238,906 | 88.8 |
Harvest data: harvest, hunters, hunter days. Estimates as published by the PGC.
Rules for Canada geese: licenses, hours, orange
These cards cover the paperwork and field rules for Canada geese.
What to buy
Fees that apply to Canada geese.
Legal light
Like all migratory game, Canada geese may be taken only until sunset. The September Canada goose season is the exception and runs to a half hour after sunset.
Blaze orange
Goose hunters are exempt from the orange requirement. Non-hunters on State Game Lands wear orange from Oct. 1 to Jan. 31 and April 20 to May 31.
Sundays
Sunday is still a closed day for goose hunters. All Sunday rules
Goose zones
Atlantic Population Zone: The area east of SR 97 from Maryland State Line to the intersection of SR 194, east of SR 194 to intersection of US Route 30, south of US Route 30 to SR 441, east of SR 441 to SR 743, east of SR 743 to intersection of I-81, east of I-81 to intersection of I-80, south of I-80 to New Jersey state line. Resident Population Zone: All of Pennsylvania except for the Atlantic Population Zone. The former Southern James Bay Population Zone has been dissolved into this zone; different limits still apply in parts of Crawford and Mercer counties. Exception area 1 (western Crawford / northwestern Mercer): South of SR 198 from the Ohio state line to I-79, west of I-79 to SR 358, north of SR 358 to the Ohio state line. September season Sept. 1-12, 1 daily/3 possession (SGL 214 closed); regular season 3 daily/9 possession. Exception area 2 (Lancaster/Lebanon): Lancaster and Lebanon counties north of the PA Turnpike I-76, east of SR 501 to SR 419, south of SR 419 to Lebanon-Berks line, west of the Lebanon-Berks and Lancaster-Berks lines to SR 1053, west of SR 1053 to I-76. September daily limit 1, possession 3 (SGL 46 Middle Creek closed).
Middle Creek controlled hunts
Middle Creek WMA (SGL 46, Lancaster/Lebanon): pre-season goose blind drawing (apply by Aug. 26, drawing Sept. 2; hunt dates Nov. 24, 26; Dec. 15, 17, 19, 22, 29; Jan. 2, 5, 9, 12, 14, 16; youth hunt Nov. 7), no-show goose and duck blinds by weekly online application, disabled access blind, archery deer hunt (45 hunters in three weeks Oct. 3-Nov. 6), Jan. 6, 2027 one-day flintlock/archery deer hunt (apply by Oct. 23, 2026), veterans/military waterfowl day Jan. 23, 2027. Season limit 1 Canada goose in controlled areas; 10 shells per hunter.
Pymatuning controlled hunts
Pymatuning WMA (SGL 214, Crawford County): goose blind drawing (apply by Sept. 7, drawing Sept. 16, 2026), hunts Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat Oct. 26-Nov. 27 and Dec. 14-Jan. 16, 2027; youth-only goose hunt Oct. 24 and disabled veterans hunt Nov. 11, 2026; controlled duck hunting; deer and youth turkey hunts. 1 Canada goose daily in blinds; 10 rounds per hunter; shooting ends 12:30 p.m.
From the Pennsylvania Game Commission 2026-27 digest, license types and harvest reporting, checked October 12, 2026. Pennsylvania hunting laws · License guide.
Canada Goose: legal arms
From the digest’s sporting arms pages and the general rules, the rows that apply to Canada geese.
| Season | Permitted | Not permitted |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfowl and migratory birds | Manual and semiautomatic shotguns no larger than 10 gauge plugged to 3 shells; bows and crossbows; nontoxic shot up to size T for waterfowl. | Lead shot for waterfowl; unplugged guns; sink boxes; shooting from moving motorboats. |
How Canada geese may be hunted
Migratory bird restrictions
No migratory bird hunting on Sundays; no sink boxes, motor vehicles, aircraft, moving motorboats, live decoys, recorded calls (except snow goose conservation season), baited areas (baited for 30 days after removal) or driving birds.
Decoys
Food-simulating decoys are bait; live decoys prohibited for all hunting; electronic decoys allowed for crows, waterfowl and doves.
2026-27 digest, sporting arms and unlawful acts pages, checked October 12, 2026.
Canada Goose: what hunters ask
How do I hunt the Middle Creek goose blinds?
Middle Creek WMA (SGL 46, Lancaster/Lebanon): pre-season goose blind drawing (apply by Aug. 26, drawing Sept. 2; hunt dates Nov. 24, 26; Dec. 15, 17, 19, 22, 29; Jan. 2, 5, 9, 12, 14, 16; youth hunt Nov. 7).
What are shooting hours in the September goose season?
A half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset, later than the regular sunset close for other waterfowl.
Is there a bag limit on Canada geese?
RP Zone: 8 daily (Sept.), 5 daily (regular); AP Zone: 8 daily (Sept.), 3 daily (regular); exception areas 1 or 3 daily.
When is goose season in Pennsylvania for 2026-27?
Canada geese run junior (youth) day Sep 19, 2026; junior, veteran and active-duty military day Oct 24, 2026 (Lake Erie Zone); junior, veteran and active-duty military day Sep 26, 2026 (Northwest Zone); junior, veteran and active-duty military day Oct 31, 2026 (North Zone); junior, veteran and active-duty military day Nov 7, 2026 (South Zone). The season table lists the rest.
Which public lands list Canada geese?
Start with Delaware State Forest, Pinchot State Forest and State Game Lands 108, the biggest of 131 tracts.
Which licenses cover Canada geese?
The goose list: Resident Adult Hunting License ($20.97); Resident Migratory Game Bird License ($3.97); Federal Duck Stamp (E-Stamp) via HuntFishPA ($30.97); Nonresident Migratory Game Bird License ($6.97).
What orange rules apply to Canada geese?
Goose hunters are exempt from the orange requirement. Non-hunters on State Game Lands wear orange from Oct. 1 to Jan. 31 and April 20 to May 31.
What are legal shooting hours for Canada geese?
Like all migratory game, Canada geese may be taken only until sunset. The September Canada goose season is the exception and runs to a half hour after sunset.
What arms does the PGC allow for Canada geese?
Waterfowl and migratory birds: Manual and semiautomatic shotguns no larger than 10 gauge plugged to 3 shells; bows and crossbows; nontoxic shot up to size T for waterfowl.
Can I hunt Canada geese on Sunday?
Sunday is still a closed day for goose hunters.
Packing for Canada Goose country
Four items chosen for this ground and its seasons.
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Canada Goose checklist
For Canada geese on public ground, read the tract’s own notes as well as the statewide rules.
Other photos on this page: TheTurducken (CC BY 2.0); James Case (CC BY 2.0); bgautrea (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); USFWS Mountain-Prairie (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Cindy Sue Causey (CC BY 2.0).