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Northeast Pennsylvania
WMU 3C Hunting Guide
Unit 3C is the 8th largest of the 22 WMUs at 2,192 square miles; about 3% of it is public land.
Photo: Nicholas A. Tonelli (CC0 1.0)
The lay of WMU 3C
5 Counties fall partly or wholly inside 3C: Susquehanna, Wayne, Bradford, Lackawanna and Wyoming. For public access the figures are 71 square miles of game lands plus 0 of forests, parks and federal ground. Bucks need three points on one side here.
WMU 3C boundary
From the New York/PA state line, PA Route 652 west to US Route 6 at Indian Orchard; US Route 6 west to Tunkhannock; the boundary between WMUs 3C and 3B between Tunkhannock and Towanda is the Susquehanna River; US Route 6 west to PA Route 14 near Troy; PA Route 14 north to the New York/PA state line.
PGC WMU boundary maps. Checked October 12, 2026.
When each season runs in 3C
Dates for unit 3C: 56 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 3, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | 49 | 7 | |
| 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 15, 2026 | 16 | 3 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season | Nov 25, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | 3 | 0 | |
| 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 3C
57,000 antlerless licenses were set for 3C, +/- 0 against 2025-26. Sales closed out on 8/28 last year. Hunters took about 22,700 deer here in 2025-26: 8,000 antlered and 14,700 antlerless. Archery dates: Oct 3 to Nov 20, 2026; Dec 26, 2026 to Jan 24, 2027.
| Season | Bucks | Does and button bucks | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 3,170 | 2,950 | 6,120 |
| Firearms | 4,800 | 10,500 | 15,300 |
| Muzzleloader | 30 | 1,250 | 1,280 |
allocations, 2025-26 deer report, PGC harvest dashboard. Checked October 12, 2026.
Mapped public land, WMU 3C
19 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 |
| State Game Lands 159 | State Game Lands | Wayne | 9,448 | deer, grouse, squirrel +3 |
| State Game Lands 35 | State Game Lands | Susquehanna | 7,772 | deer, turkey, grouse +2 |
| State Game Lands 70 | State Game Lands | Wayne, Susquehanna | 6,335 | deer, bear, turkey +2 |
| State Game Lands 219 | State Game Lands | Bradford | 5,703 | pheasant |
| State Game Lands 299 | State Game Lands | Wayne | 2,646 | deer, bear, turkey +3 |
| State Game Lands 236 | State Game Lands | Susquehanna | 2,044 | pheasant |
| State Game Lands 289 | State Game Lands | Bradford | 1,642 | pheasant, dove |
| State Game Lands 123 | State Game Lands | Bradford | 1,604 | pheasant |
| Prompton State Park | State Park | Wayne | 1,400 | deer, bear, turkey +4 |
| State Game Lands 140 | State Game Lands | Susquehanna | 1,346 | deer, turkey, grouse +7 |
| State Game Lands 307 | State Game Lands | Lackawanna | 1,221 | deer, turkey, grouse +1 |
| Mount Pisgah State Park | State Park | Bradford | 1,100 | deer, bear, turkey +4 |
| Lackawanna State Park | State Park | Lackawanna | 900 | deer, bear, turkey +4 |
| State Game Lands 239 | State Game Lands | Bradford | 840 | pheasant |
| Salt Springs State Park | State Park | Susquehanna | 800 | deer, bear, turkey +3 |
| State Game Lands 175 | State Game Lands | Susquehanna | 733 | deer, turkey, grouse +2 |
| Vosburg Neck State Park | State Park | Wyoming | 575 | deer, bear, turkey +4 |
| Archbald Pothole State Park | State Park | Lackawanna | 100 | deer, bear, turkey +3 |
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 3C
204 bears came from 3C in 2025. Archery for bear runs Oct 3 to Nov 20, 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 15, 2026; Nov 25 to Nov 27, 2026. The spring 2024 survey put the 3C gobbler harvest at 2,805. 3C is open for bobcat, fisher and river otter with a permit. 3C beaver limit: 20 daily / 40 season.
bear report, bear 2024, spring turkey, PGC harvest dashboard, furbearer WMUs. Checked October 12, 2026.
Which counties 3C covers
Each county guide shows every unit it touches, with the same shares.
- Susquehanna County100% of its area
- Wayne County64% of its area
- Bradford County53% of its area
- Lackawanna County34% of its area
- Wyoming County27% of its area
CWD has not been found in this unit. The 2026 head-bin list includes Wayne. 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 3C FAQ
How many bears come from 3C?
Archery for bear runs Oct 3 to Nov 20, 2026 in this unit. After the four-day season, bears stay legal Nov 28 to Dec 6, 2026. 204 bears came from 3C in 2025.
What is the biggest public tract in 3C?
For public access the figures are 71 square miles of game lands plus 0 of forests, parks and federal ground. By acreage, Pinchot State Forest, State Game Lands 159 and State Game Lands 35 lead.
How does the 3C deer harvest compare?
Hunters took about 22,700 deer here in 2025-26: 8,000 antlered and 14,700 antlerless. Only 11 units gave up more.
What are the trapping rules in 3C?
3C is open for bobcat, fisher and river otter with a permit. 3C beaver limit: 20 daily / 40 season.
Where are the WMU 3C boundaries?
The boundary text above lists the roads; the unit spans 2,192 square miles across Susquehanna, Wayne, Bradford, Lackawanna and Wyoming.
Can I still buy an antlerless license for 3C?
57,000 antlerless licenses were set for 3C, +/- 0 against 2025-26. Sales closed out on 8/28 last year. They are sold by unit at $6.97 for residents.
How many points does a buck need in 3C?
Bucks in 3C need 3 points on one side. The junior and mentored youth exemption allows two points on one side.
Is chronic wasting disease in 3C?
CWD has not been found in this unit. The 2026 head-bin list includes Wayne. The carcass rule is the same statewide.
What are archery dates in 3C?
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 3C?
Fall birds are open Oct 31 to Nov 15, 2026; Nov 25 to Nov 27, 2026.