Home › Pennsylvania › Seasons › WMUs › WMU 4E
Northeast Pennsylvania
WMU 4E Hunting Guide
Unit 4E is the 15th largest of the 22 WMUs at 1,736 square miles; about 4% of it is public land.
Photo: Nicholas A. Tonelli (CC BY 2.0)
The lay of WMU 4E
10 Counties fall partly or wholly inside 4E: Montour, Northumberland, Columbia, Snyder, Luzerne, Dauphin, Schuylkill and Union and more. For public access the figures are 60 square miles of game lands plus 17 of forests, parks and federal ground. Bucks need three points on one side here.
WMU 4E boundary
From Muncy, PA Route 405 east to PA Route 118 at Hughesville; PA Route 118 east to PA Route 29 near Pikes Creek; PA Route 29 south to I-81 near Nanticoke; I-81 south to I-80; I-80 west to PA Route 42 near Bloomsburg; PA Route 42 south to PA Route 61 at Centralia; PA Route 61 south to I-81 near Frackville; I-81 south to US Route 209 near Joliett; US Route 209 west to Millersburg Ferry; from the Millersburg Ferry on the Susquehanna River north to a point directly east of the intersection of US Route 11/15 and PA Route 104; from this point directly west to PA Route 104; PA Route 104 north to PA Route 45 at Mifflinburg; PA Route 45 east to Susquehanna River; Susquehanna River north to PA Route 405 at Muncy.
PGC WMU boundary maps. Checked October 12, 2026.
When each season runs in 4E
Dates for unit 4E: 55 rows, sorted by species.
| Game | Segment | First day | Last day | Days | Sundays | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Ag Tag, antlerless | Aug 1, 2026 | Apr 15, 2027 | 258 | 37 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | 49 | 7 | |
| White-tailed deer | October muzzleloader antlerless | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 9 | 2 | |
| White-tailed deer | Special firearms antlerless | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 4 | 1 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular firearms | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | 16 | 3 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | 30 | 5 | |
| White-tailed deer | Extended firearms antlerless | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | 30 | 5 | |
| White-tailed deer | Flintlock | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | 30 | 5 | |
| Black bear | Archery | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 9 | 2 | |
| Black bear | Muzzleloader | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 4 | 1 | |
| Black bear | Special firearms | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 4 | 1 | |
| Black bear | Regular firearms | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | 4 | 1 | |
| Black bear | Extended firearms | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | 9 | 2 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 9 | 2 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler youth hunt | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | 2 | 1 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler, mornings | May 1, 2027 | May 15, 2027 | 15 | 2 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler, all day | May 16, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | 16 | 3 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Regular season | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | 69 | 10 | |
| Pheasant | Junior hunt | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 9 | 2 | |
| Pheasant | Regular season | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | 62 | 9 | |
| Pheasant | Regular season | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 65 | 10 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Regular season | Sep 1, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | 115 | 16 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Regular season | Dec 26, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | 96 | 14 | |
| Cottontail | Junior hunt | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 16 | 3 | |
| Cottontail | Regular season | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | 69 | 10 | |
| Cottontail | Regular season | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 65 | 10 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Regular season | Dec 26, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | 6 | 1 | |
| Squirrels | Junior hunt | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 16 | 3 | |
| Squirrels | Regular season | Sep 12, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | 104 | 15 | |
| Squirrels | Regular season | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 65 | 10 | |
| Woodchuck | Regular season | Jul 1, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | 177 | 25 | |
| Woodchuck | Regular season | Dec 26, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | 187 | 27 | |
| Crow | Regular, Thu to Sun | Aug 20, 2026 | Mar 21, 2027 | 214 | 31 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | 365 | 52 | |
| Fox | Hunting | Oct 24, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | 121 | 18 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Oct 24, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | 121 | 18 | |
| Porcupine | Hunting | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | 49 | 7 | |
| Porcupine | Hunting | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | 11 | 1 | |
| Porcupine | Hunting | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 37 | 6 | |
| Mourning dove | Regular season | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | 88 | 12 | |
| Mourning dove | Regular season | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 2, 2027 | 16 | 2 | |
| Woodcock | Regular season | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 8, 2026 | 53 | 8 | |
| Bobcat | Trapping | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | 23 | 4 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | Jan 9, 2027 | Feb 3, 2027 | 26 | 4 | |
| Opossum, skunk | Hunting | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | 365 | 52 | |
| Starling, sparrow | No closed season | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | 365 | 52 | |
| Gallinules | Regular season | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | 81 | 11 | |
| Rails | Regular season | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | 81 | 11 | |
| Snipe | Regular season | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 8, 2026 | 53 | 8 | |
| Furbearers | Trapping | Oct 24, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | 121 | 18 | |
| Mink and muskrat | Trapping | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | 51 | 8 | |
| Beaver | Trapping | Dec 19, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | 103 | 15 | |
| Fisher | Trapping | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | 23 | 4 | |
| Coyote, fox | Cable restraints | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | 58 | 9 | |
| River otter | Trapping | Feb 13, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | 9 | 2 |
seasons and bag limits, 2026-27 digest. Checked October 12, 2026.
Deer hunting in WMU 4E
61,000 antlerless licenses were set for 4E, +/- 0 against 2025-26. Sales closed out on 9/6 last year. Hunters took about 25,000 deer here in 2025-26: 7,500 antlered and 17,500 antlerless. Archery dates: Oct 3 to Nov 20, 2026; Dec 26, 2026 to Jan 24, 2027.
| Season | Bucks | Does and button bucks | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 3,550 | 4,180 | 7,730 |
| Firearms | 3,900 | 11,900 | 15,800 |
| Muzzleloader | 50 | 1,420 | 1,470 |
allocations, 2025-26 deer report, PGC harvest dashboard. Checked October 12, 2026.
Mapped public land, WMU 4E
21 tracts, sorted by acres; a tract that crosses a unit line appears in both units.
| Public land | Type | County | Acres | Game listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinchot State Forest | State Forest | Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe | 54,000 | deer, bear, turkey +6 |
| Weiser State Forest | State Forest | Dauphin, Schuylkill, Columbia | 30,000 | deer, bear, turkey +2 |
| Ricketts Glen State Park | State Park | Luzerne, Sullivan | 10,287 | deer, bear, turkey +4 |
| State Game Lands 264 | State Game Lands | Dauphin, Schuylkill | 9,018 | pheasant |
| State Game Lands 84 | State Game Lands | Northumberland, Schuylkill | 9,010 | deer, grouse, squirrel +1 |
| State Game Lands 226 | State Game Lands | Columbia | 4,322 | pheasant |
| State Game Lands 260 | State Game Lands | Luzerne | 3,100 | – |
| State Game Lands 326 | State Game Lands | Schuylkill | 2,699 | – |
| State Game Lands 55 | State Game Lands | Columbia | 2,651 | deer, bear, turkey +5 |
| State Game Lands 207 | State Game Lands | Luzerne | 2,573 | deer, bear, turkey +3 |
| State Game Lands 132 | State Game Lands | Schuylkill | 1,830 | deer, turkey, grouse +1 |
| State Game Lands 115 | State Game Lands | Northumberland, Montour | 1,686 | deer, turkey, grouse +4 |
| State Game Lands 206 | State Game Lands | Luzerne | 1,513 | – |
| State Game Lands 165 | State Game Lands | Northumberland | 1,267 | deer, grouse, squirrel +2 |
| State Game Lands 233 | State Game Lands | Northumberland | 915 | – |
| State Game Lands 224 | State Game Lands | Luzerne | 878 | – |
| State Game Lands 258 | State Game Lands | Perry, Dauphin, Northumberland | 852 | deer, grouse, rabbit +2 |
| State Game Lands 325 | State Game Lands | Northumberland, Lycoming | 637 | – |
| State Game Lands 212 | State Game Lands | Snyder | 504 | deer, bear, turkey +5 |
| State Game Lands 193 | State Game Lands | Union | 325 | deer, turkey, pheasant +2 |
| State Game Lands 201 | State Game Lands | Union | 271 | deer, squirrel, rabbit +1 |
PGC State Game Lands GIS and DCNR and federal land data, overlaid on the PGC WMU layer; a tract counts when at least 1% of it, or 100 acres, falls in the unit. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
Other big game and fur in 4E
90 bears came from 4E in 2025. Archery for bear runs Oct 17 to Oct 25, 2026 in this unit. After the four-day season, bears stay legal Nov 28 to Dec 6, 2026. Fall birds are open Oct 31 to Nov 8, 2026. The spring 2024 survey put the 4E gobbler harvest at 1,655. 4E is open for bobcat, fisher and river otter with a permit. 4E beaver limit: 5 daily / 5 season.
bear report, bear 2024, spring turkey, PGC harvest dashboard, furbearer WMUs. Checked October 12, 2026.
Which counties 4E covers
Each county guide shows every unit it touches, with the same shares.
- Montour County100% of its area
- Northumberland County100% of its area
- Columbia County70% of its area
- Snyder County42% of its area
- Luzerne County32% of its area
- Dauphin County18% of its area
- Schuylkill County18% of its area
- Union County15% of its area
- Lycoming County5% of its area
- Juniata County0% of its area
CWD has been found in wild deer in 4E, so the unit’s hunters can use free PGC head bins. Feeding deer is prohibited in parts of Snyder, Dauphin and Juniata. The 2026 head-bin list includes Northumberland, Columbia, Snyder, Luzerne, Dauphin, Schuylkill, Union, Lycoming and Juniata. CWD in Pennsylvania
County shares from the PGC WMU layer intersected with Census county outlines (counties.json); CWD lists from the digest and feeding order. Checked October 12, 2026.



WMU 4E FAQ
How many points does a buck need in 4E?
Bucks in 4E need 3 points on one side. The junior and mentored youth exemption allows two points on one side.
Is chronic wasting disease in 4E?
CWD has been found in wild deer in 4E, so the unit’s hunters can use free PGC head bins. Feeding deer is prohibited in parts of Snyder, Dauphin and Juniata. The 2026 head-bin list includes Northumberland, Columbia, Snyder, Luzerne, Dauphin, Schuylkill, Union, Lycoming and Juniata. The carcass rule is the same statewide.
What are archery dates in 4E?
Archery dates: Oct 3 to Nov 20, 2026; Dec 26, 2026 to Jan 24, 2027. Sundays inside those dates are open.
Can I hunt turkeys in the fall in 4E?
Fall birds are open Oct 31 to Nov 8, 2026.
How many bears come from 4E?
Archery for bear runs Oct 17 to Oct 25, 2026 in this unit. After the four-day season, bears stay legal Nov 28 to Dec 6, 2026. 90 bears came from 4E in 2025.
What is the biggest public tract in 4E?
For public access the figures are 60 square miles of game lands plus 17 of forests, parks and federal ground. By acreage, Pinchot State Forest, Weiser State Forest and Ricketts Glen State Park lead.
How does the 4E deer harvest compare?
Hunters took about 25,000 deer here in 2025-26: 7,500 antlered and 17,500 antlerless. Only 7 units gave up more.
What are the trapping rules in 4E?
4E is open for bobcat, fisher and river otter with a permit. 4E beaver limit: 5 daily / 5 season.
Where are the WMU 4E boundaries?
The boundary text above lists the roads; the unit spans 1,736 square miles across Montour, Northumberland, Columbia, Snyder and Luzerne.
Can I still buy an antlerless license for 4E?
61,000 antlerless licenses were set for 4E, +/- 0 against 2025-26. Sales closed out on 9/6 last year. They are sold by unit at $6.97 for residents.