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Indiana County, corps lake
Conemaugh River Lake Hunting
Who runs it, which seasons apply for pheasants, what PGC has mapped on it and the public ground around it in Indiana and Westmoreland counties.
Photo: John Brighenti (CC BY 2.0)
Quick facts on Conemaugh River Lake
Conemaugh River Lake sits in the PGC Southwest region as an Army Corps of Engineers lake project (Indiana and Westmoreland counties, WMU 2C and WMU 2D). Manager on record: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its 8,367 acres rank 1st of 14 Corps lakes with a published figure. Blairsville is the nearest town we cover, roughly 2 miles away (the area lies northwest of it).
County facts for Conemaugh River Lake
| County | Seat | Residents | Sq mi | WMU | SRA | CWD feeding | Head bin | Bears (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana County | Indiana | 82,953 | 827 | 2E, 2D, 2C | No | 6 municipalities | Yes | 32 |
| Westmoreland County | Greensburg | 350,935 | 1,028 | 2C, 2B, 2D, 2A | No | — | Yes | 18 |
From the source record (PGC Cooperative Wildlife Management Areas GIS (CWMA 411: 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.
Rules that apply on Conemaugh River Lake
Area rules, then the statewide basics.
Access and limits
Public hunting on PGC-managed project lands under PGC seasons; developed recreation areas and posted areas are closed.
On a game land
Non-hunters on game lands need orange too: 250 sq in or an orange hat from Oct. 1 to Jan. 31 and from April 20 to May 31.
What to buy
A general license is the base; antlered deer, fall turkey and spring gobbler tags come with it.
Orange and Sundays
You need orange in small game seasons and during any firearms deer, bear or elk season; it is not required for archery, turkey, waterfowl or doves.
PGC opened Sundays across all seasons for 2026-27 except migratory game birds.
Conemaugh River Lake: features, plots and stocking
Features mapped by the managing agency, then its own description.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Pheasant stocking | 9 releases, 1,365 birds |
| PGC cooperative area | CWMA 411 · 8,367 ac |
Facts from the source record, PGC AGOL layer, pa.gov; retrieved 2026-10-12, checked October 12, 2026.
Conemaugh River Lake: game and bag limits
Pheasants, per the agency record.
Ring-necked pheasant
About 214,577 pheasants were taken across the state in 2025. PGC plans 9 releases totaling 1,365 birds here in 2026-27.
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.
Conemaugh River Lake game seasons, unit by unit
The Game Commission sets dates by WMU, not by county. Conemaugh River Lake sits in WMU 2C and WMU 2D, and the 48 rows below are the ones that reach it.
| Game | Season | Applies in | Begins | Ends | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | This area | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | This area | Nov 25, 2026 | Nov 27, 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.
The WMU 2C and WMU 2D picture for Conemaugh River Lake
PGC publishes deer data by unit; nothing finer exists.
| Unit | Area | Game land | Buck rule | Antlerless licenses | vs 2025-26 | Sold out | CWD | Harvest 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 2C | 2,934 | 246 | 3 points, one side | 117,000 | +24,000 | 10/18 | Yes | 34,400 |
| WMU 2D | 2,487 | 84 | Three up | 112,000 | +16,000 | 8/29 | Yes | 42,300 |
2025 was the high mark at 34,400; 2016 the low at 15,200. 2025-26: 11,400 antlered deer and 23,000 antlerless. Archers took 11,320, rifle and shotgun hunters 21,200, muzzleloaders 1,880. WMU 2C gets 117,000 antlerless tags in 2026-27 (+24,000).
Bears taken nearby
| County | Bears 2024 | Bears 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 32 | — |
| Westmoreland | 18 | — |
CWD is confirmed in WMU 2C and WMU 2D; high-risk parts have disposal rules. CWD rules
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.
Pins around Conemaugh River Lake
The orange pin is Conemaugh River Lake; 12 other public areas lie within 25 miles. The largest of them is State Game Lands 42 at 18,041 acres.
| Name | Type | Acres | Away | Bearing | WMU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Game Lands 332 | State Game Lands | 2,314 | 5 mi | north | 2D |
| State Game Lands 328 | State Game Lands | 528 | 5 mi | west | 2D |
| State Game Lands 153 | State Game Lands | 3,059 | 7 mi | southeast | 2C |
| State Game Lands 276 | State Game Lands | 4,775 | 8 mi | east | 2C, 2E |
| Keystone State Park | State park | 800 | 8 mi | southwest | 2C |
| Loyalhanna Lake | Corps lake | 3,395 | 9 mi | southwest | 2C, 2D |
| Hanson Aggregates | Pheasant release site | — | 12 mi | south | 2C |
| State Game Lands 273 | State Game Lands | 1,146 | 13 mi | northeast | 2E |
| State Game Lands 248 | State Game Lands | 825 | 16 mi | northeast | 2E |
| Yellow Creek State Park | State park | 2,300 | 16 mi | northeast | 2E |
| State Game Lands 42 | State Game Lands | 18,041 | 16 mi | southeast | 2C |
| Crooked Creek Lake | Corps lake | 1,626 | 17 mi | northwest | 2D |
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.
Closest public range to Conemaugh River Lake
No range sits on Conemaugh River Lake; the nearest Game Commission range is State Game Lands 42 Public Shooting Range (St. Clair Township), about 14 miles away. The other cards are clubs within 30 miles.
Rifle range 100 yd, 6 points; Handgun range 25 yd, 3 points
From the PGC Shooting Ranges layer and the Game Commission range rules, checked October 12, 2026.
Base towns for Conemaugh River Lake
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighboring counties.
| Town | County | Straight line | Heading | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blairsville | Indiana | 2 mi | northwest | 3,211 | 23,511 |
| Indiana | Indiana | 13 mi | southwest | 14,294 | 5,419 |
| Seward | Westmoreland | 14 mi | west | 399 | 34,896 |
| Ligonier | Westmoreland | 15 mi | north | 1,478 | 20,615 |
Nearby services
Who to call
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.
Conemaugh River Lake: sunrise, sunset and legal light
Shooting hours for whitetails, turkeys and rabbits run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes past sunset. Migratory game birds end at sunset.
Times worked out for Conemaugh River 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.
Conemaugh River Lake gear checklist
Click through for current models and prices.
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Common Conemaugh River Lake questions from hunters
Does Conemaugh River Lake allow Sunday deer hunting?
Yes. Sundays inside season dates are open for all but migratory game birds.
How many square inches of orange does Conemaugh River Lake require?
Small game and firearm big game hunters wear 250 sq in; archery, turkey and waterfowl are exempt.
Is any special permit required on Conemaugh River Lake?
A general license, $20.97 for residents and $101.97 for nonresidents. Stocked pheasants require the $26.97 permit.
Which animals are hunted on Conemaugh River Lake?
Per the agency, pheasants.
What is the pheasant allocation for Conemaugh River Lake?
PGC plans 9 releases totaling 1,365 pheasants.
What public land is near Conemaugh River Lake?
Within reach are State Game Lands 332 (5 miles), State Game Lands 328 (5 miles) and State Game Lands 153 (7 miles), nearest first.
How did WMU 2C do last season?
34,400 in WMU 2C for 2025-26; PGC does not report by property.
Where are the boundaries of Conemaugh River Lake?
Follow the official page button above.
How many bears came from the Conemaugh River Lake counties?
In 2024, Indiana and Westmoreland counties gave up 50 bears.
What kind of property is Conemaugh River Lake, exactly?
Army Corps of Engineers lake project, under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
What is the published acreage for Conemaugh River Lake?
It covers 8,367 acres by the published figure.
One more check on Conemaugh River Lake
The managing agency has the last word on Conemaugh River Lake. Read its page and the PGC digest the week of your hunt.
Sources for this page: 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: James Mann (CC BY 2.0); Peter Sheik (CC BY 2.0).