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Southeast region · WMU 5B
Blue Marsh Lake Hunting Guide
Blue Marsh Lake, 5,755 acres in Berks County: pheasants, WMU 5B seasons, antlerless numbers, nearby land and towns.
Photo: Nicholas A. Tonelli (CC BY 2.0)
Sizing up Blue Marsh Lake
Type of ground: Army Corps of Engineers lake project. Location: Berks County, WMU 5B. Day-to-day management sits with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. With 5,755 acres, it ranks 3rd by area among 14 Corps lakes. Of the towns with a guide here, Womelsdorf is closest; the map point is about 7 miles east of it.
The 1 county around Blue Marsh Lake
| County | Seat of county | Population 2024 | Land area | WMUs in county | Special Regulations | Feeding ban | CWD bin | Bears taken 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berks County | Reading | 439,117 | 856 | 5C, 5B, 4C | No | — | No | 18 |
From the source record (PGC Cooperative Wildlife Management Areas GIS (CWMA 425: PGC-managed hunting lands)), 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.
Blue Marsh Lake: who may hunt, and how
Each card cites its source.
Getting in
Public hunting on PGC-managed project lands under PGC seasons; developed recreation areas and posted areas are closed.
State Game Lands rules
From October 1 to January 31 and April 20 to May 31, anyone on State Game Lands who is not hunting must wear 250 square inches of orange or an orange hat, Sundays included.
Licenses for this game
Start with the general hunting license, which includes the buck and turkey tags.
Statewide rules that apply
Small game hunters and firearm deer, bear and elk hunters wear orange. Archers in archery season, turkey hunters and waterfowlers are exempt.
All Sundays inside season dates are legal for 2026-27, with migratory birds the exception.
Species at Blue Marsh Lake, with limits
Game on the list: pheasants.
Ring-necked pheasant
PGC survey estimate for 2025: 214,577 pheasants. Stocking plan here: 4,110 birds, 9 releases.
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.
What Blue Marsh Lake holds
Counts and acreages come from PGC and DCNR layers; the quoted text is the agency description.
| Feature | Figures |
|---|---|
| Pheasant allocation | 9 releases, 4,110 birds |
| Cooperative unit | CWMA 425 · 5,755 ac |
The the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers write-up
Corps Lakes Gateway: the surrounding lands offer hunting opportunities.
Facts from the source record, PGC AGOL layer, PGC AGOL layer, pa.gov; retrieved 2026-10-12, checked October 12, 2026.
Open and upcoming seasons, Blue Marsh Lake
From the first junior squirrel weekend to late flintlock, 47 segments apply somewhere in Blue Marsh Lake this license year.
| Species | Hunt | Unit | Opening day | Closing day | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 3, 2026 | Nov 20, 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 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | This area | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 3, 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 | |
| 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.
Around Blue Marsh Lake: more public land
Orange is Blue Marsh Lake; the other pins are public land within 25 miles. State Game Lands 110 leads the list by size, 10,335 acres.
| Nearby area | Kind | Size (ac) | Miles | Heading | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Game Lands 280 | State Game Lands | 2,552 | 2 mi | north | 5B |
| State Game Lands 274 | State Game Lands | 457 | 8 mi | south | 5B |
| State Game Lands 220 | State Game Lands | 96 | 8 mi | south | 5B |
| State Game Lands 225 | State Game Lands | 297 | 9 mi | southwest | 5B |
| Ontelaunee-Reading Watershed (CWMA 422) | Cooperative WMA | 3,299 | 9 mi | northeast | 5B, 5C |
| State Game Lands 324 | State Game Lands | 6 | 9 mi | southeast | 5C |
| State Game Lands 110 | State Game Lands | 10,335 | 12 mi | north | 4C |
| State Game Lands 46 | State Game Lands | 6,053 | 13 mi | southwest | 5B |
| State Game Lands 52 | State Game Lands | 2,432 | 15 mi | southeast | 5B, 5C |
| State Game Lands 106 | State Game Lands | 9,857 | 16 mi | north | 4C |
| State Game Lands 182 | State Game Lands | 273 | 16 mi | northeast | 5C |
| State Game Lands 286 | State Game Lands | 488 | 17 mi | north | 4C |
Points from PGC, DCNR, USFS, USFWS and NPS GIS layers (PGC Cooperative Wildlife Management Areas GIS (polygon centroid)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Antlerless licenses and harvest around Blue Marsh Lake
These numbers describe the whole WMU, not this property alone.
| WMU | Sq mi | SGL sq mi | Antler rule | Antlerless 2026-27 | Change | 2025 sellout | CWD found | Deer 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 5B | 2,640 | 62 | 3 points, one side | 86,000 | +/- 0 | 9/1 | Yes | 30,100 |
Since 2015, the WMU 5B harvest has ranged from 19,500 (2015) to 30,100 (2025). The 2025-26 harvest broke down to 10,300 antlered, 19,800 antlerless. By season: 15,190 archery, 13,600 firearms, 1,310 muzzleloader. 86,000 antlerless licenses go to WMU 5B for 2026-27, a change of +/- 0.
WMU 5B: CWD detected. The statewide high-risk parts rule applies. CWD details
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.
Blue Marsh Lake: nearest towns and businesses
Each town links to its own hunting guide.
| Base town | County | Away | Area is | Residents | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Womelsdorf | Berks | 7 mi | east | 2,952 | 15,313 |
| Centerport | Berks | 7 mi | southwest | 318 | 28,814 |
| Reading | Berks | 8 mi | northwest | 96,000 | 11,770 |
| Deer Lake | Schuylkill | 16 mi | south | 679 | 27,575 |
After the shot: local businesses
Agency 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.
Where to sight in near Blue Marsh Lake
About 2 miles separates Blue Marsh Lake from State Game Lands 280 Archery Range, the nearest PGC range. Club ranges nearby round out the list.
From the PGC Shooting Ranges layer and the Game Commission range rules, checked October 12, 2026.
Packing for Blue Marsh Lake
Matched to the species on this page, with live listings.
Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Shooting hours at Blue Marsh Lake this week
Morning shooting time begins a half hour before sunup. Big game and small game run to a half hour after sundown; ducks, geese and doves stop at sundown.
Times worked out for Blue Marsh Lake 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.
Answers for Blue Marsh Lake hunters
Are Sundays open at Blue Marsh Lake?
Yes, in every 2026-27 season except migratory birds.
When is deer season on Blue Marsh Lake?
Bowhunting from Oct 3, 2026, rifle Nov 28 to Dec 13, 2026. Every segment is in the table above.
Which license covers hunting on Blue Marsh Lake?
Residents need the $20.97 adult license; juniors pay $6.97. For pheasants: $26.97 permit, free for juniors.
Do I need orange on Blue Marsh Lake?
In small game and firearms big game seasons, 250 square inches combined on head, chest and back.
Are there pheasants on Blue Marsh Lake?
4,110 birds over 9 releases.
Which species can hunters pursue on Blue Marsh Lake?
Listed game: pheasants.
Is the Blue Marsh Lake area good for deer?
The unit gave 30,100 deer in 2025-26 (PGC estimate).
Where can I go if Blue Marsh Lake has too many hunters?
Closest on the list: State Game Lands 280 (2 miles), State Game Lands 274 (8 miles) and State Game Lands 220 (8 miles), all within a short drive.
Are bears taken near Blue Marsh Lake?
18 bears were taken in Berks County in 2024.
Is there an official map of Blue Marsh Lake?
Open the official link in the summary band.
How large a tract is Blue Marsh Lake?
Roughly 5,755 acres.
Closing notes on Blue Marsh Lake
Seasons, closures and road access on Blue Marsh Lake can change during the license year. Check the official page before you load the truck.
Sources for this page: corpslakes.erdc.dren.mil: projects.cfm · PGC AGOL layer: FeatureServer 300 · PGC AGOL layer: FeatureServer 100 · pa.gov: pheasant allocation; regulations from the 2026-27 PGC digest. Checked October 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain-Prairie (CC BY 2.0); seabamirum (CC BY 2.0).