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2026-27 · State Game Lands
State Game Lands 57, a Hunter’s Guide
46,676 acres of state game lands in WMU 3B, with access rules, licenses, harvest numbers and a map.
Photo: Nicholas A. Tonelli (CC BY 2.0)
SGL 57 by the numbers
Think of State Game Lands 57 as a State Game Lands tract owned and managed by the Game Commission for hunting and trapping, spread over Wyoming and Luzerne counties and lying in WMU 3B. The Pennsylvania Game Commission runs it. At 46,676 acres it is number 2 of the 312 State Game Lands that report a size. Its PGC map gives 46,672 acres. From Harveys Lake, the nearest town guide, the area is around 8 miles to the northwest.
Where SGL 57 sits, county by county
| County | Courthouse town | Population | Land, sq mi | Units | Special Regs | Feeding ban | Head bins 2026 | Bear count 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming County | Tunkhannock | 25,771 | 397 | 3B, 3C | No | — | No | 62 |
| Luzerne County | Wilkes-Barre | 331,379 | 890 | 4E, 3B, 3D, 4C | No | — | Yes | 95 |
From the source record (PGC SGL Boundaries GIS (sum of ACRES for SGL 57)), 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.
Hunting SGL 57 by species
Listed game runs to 6 groups: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, cottontails and pheasants.
White-tailed deer
22,000 deer came out of WMU 3B in 2025-26 (PGC estimate).
Black bear
The 2025 bear count for WMU 3B was 300.
Wild turkey
WMU 3B hunters took roughly 1,903 spring turkeys in 2024.
Ruffed grouse
Statewide grouse harvest, 2025: 3,175.
Cottontail rabbit
Statewide rabbit harvest, 2025: 66,555.
Ring-necked pheasant
Pennsylvania hunters took about 214,577 pheasants statewide in 2025 (Game Take Survey). 560 pheasants in 9 releases are allocated to this ground.
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.
Hunting SGL 57 legally
What applies on this ground, card by card.
Where and when you may hunt
Hunting and trapping run on the statewide calendar. Gates mean no motorized travel, and posted propagation areas and refuges stay closed.
SGL rules to know
Hikers, birders and other visitors must wear orange (250 square inches or a hat) on State Game Lands during the Oct. 1 to Jan. 31 and April 20 to May 31 windows.
License checklist
The general license covers small game plus the antlered deer and turkey tags; add the extras below as needed.
Sundays and blaze orange
Orange is needed in small game seasons and every firearms deer, bear and elk segment; archery seasons, turkey, waterfowl, doves and furbearers are exempt.
Except for migratory birds, every season in 2026-27 includes its Sundays.
Features mapped inside SGL 57
Everything here is read from the agency record, nothing estimated.
| On the ground | Count or size |
|---|---|
| Herbaceous openings | 25 · 23 ac |
| Birds stocked | 9 releases, 560 birds |
| Late stocking | Yes |
Agency description
State Game Lands No. 57, comprising 46,671.5 acres, is located in Wyoming and Luzerne Counties. The terrain is rolling to very steep and forested. The primary game species are deer, turkey, bear, snowshoe hare and ruffed grouse.
Facts from the source record, pa.gov, PGC AGOL layer, pa.gov; retrieved 2026-10-12, checked October 12, 2026.
Harvest and allocation near SGL 57
PGC sets deer licenses and reports deer harvest by WMU, not by property, so these are unit figures.
| WMU | Square miles | SGL area | Antler restriction | Doe licenses | Change | Sellout | CWD detected | Deer taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 3B | 2,220 | 277 | 3 points, one side | 53,000 | +/- 0 | 8/26 | No | 22,000 |
Harvest peaked at 22,000 in 2025 and bottomed at 14,200 in 2015. Antlered 7,900, antlerless 14,100 in 2025-26. Firearms seasons accounted for 14,100 deer, archery 6,650 and muzzleloader 1,250. The unit’s 2026-27 antlerless quota is 53,000 (+/- 0).
WMU harvest
| WMU | Spring turkey 2024 | Bears 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| WMU 3B | 1,903 | 300 |
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.
SGL 57 seasons by Wildlife Management Unit
23 species and 49 dated segments for WMU 3B. The last column compares each one with today’s date.
| Species | Segment | Unit | From | Through | Status today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Black bear | Extended firearms | This area | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | This area | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 15, 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 25-mile ring around SGL 57
12 public areas within 25 miles, plus SGL 57 in orange. Biggest neighbor: State Game Lands 13, 50,745 acres.
| Public ground | Type | Acres | Distance | Which way | WMU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Game Lands 66 | State Game Lands | 8,106 | 6 mi | northwest | 3B |
| Ricketts Glen State Park | State park | 10,287 | 8 mi | southwest | 3B, 4E |
| State Game Lands 206 | State Game Lands | 1,513 | 9 mi | south | 4E |
| Vosburg Neck State Park | State park | 575 | 12 mi | northeast | 3C |
| State Game Lands 13 | State Game Lands | 50,745 | 13 mi | west | 3B |
| State Game Lands 172 | State Game Lands | 730 | 15 mi | north | 3B |
| State Game Lands 142 | State Game Lands | 369 | 15 mi | northwest | 3B |
| Frances Slocum State Park | State park | 700 | 16 mi | east | 3B |
| State Game Lands 224 | State Game Lands | 878 | 17 mi | south | 3B, 4E |
| State Game Lands 250 | State Game Lands | 440 | 17 mi | northwest | 3B |
| State Game Lands 260 | State Game Lands | 3,100 | 20 mi | south | 4E |
| Worlds End State Park | State park | 265 | 21 mi | west | 3B |
Points from PGC, DCNR, USFS, USFWS and NPS GIS layers (PGC SGL Boundaries GIS (polygon centroid)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
SGL 57 and its related units
Straight-line miles from this page’s map point.
Other areas sharing its counties
| Area | Type | Where | Size (ac) | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinchot State Forest | State forest | Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe | 54,000 | 32 mi |
| State Game Lands 91 | State Game Lands | Luzerne, Lackawanna, Carbon | 23,915 | 29 mi |
| Ricketts Glen State Park | State park | Luzerne, Sullivan | 10,287 | 8 mi |
| State Game Lands 119 | State Game Lands | Luzerne | 8,375 | 28 mi |
| State Game Lands 187 | State Game Lands | Luzerne | 8,157 | 28 mi |
| State Game Lands 66 | State Game Lands | Sullivan, Wyoming | 8,106 | 6 mi |
| Lehigh Gorge State Park | State park | Carbon, Luzerne | 6,000 | 39 mi |
| Nescopeck State Park | State park | Luzerne | 3,500 | 28 mi |
| State Game Lands 260 | State Game Lands | Luzerne | 3,100 | 20 mi |
| State Game Lands 207 | State Game Lands | Luzerne | 2,573 | 22 mi |
| State Game Lands 149 | State Game Lands | Luzerne, Carbon | 1,991 | 36 mi |
| State Game Lands 206 | State Game Lands | Luzerne | 1,513 | 9 mi |
| State Game Lands 224 | State Game Lands | Luzerne | 878 | 17 mi |
| Frances Slocum State Park | State park | Luzerne | 700 | 16 mi |
| State Game Lands 292 | State Game Lands | Luzerne | 629 | 24 mi |
| Vosburg Neck State Park | State park | Wyoming | 575 | 12 mi |
Legal hunting light around SGL 57
Pennsylvania small and big game may be hunted from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset. Doves, waterfowl and woodcock stop at sunset.
Times worked out for SGL 57 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.
Ranges within reach of State Game Lands 57
Closest public range: State Game Lands 206 Public Shooting Range, roughly 9 miles from the middle of State Game Lands 57. Nearby clubs are shown too.
Rifle range 50/75/100 yd, 10 points; Handgun range 25 yd, 8 points
Trap
From the PGC Shooting Ranges layer and the Game Commission range rules, checked October 12, 2026.
Help close to SGL 57: shops and offices
Nearest towns by straight-line distance.
| Town | County | Distance | Toward | Population | Public ground within 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harveys Lake | Luzerne | 8 mi | northwest | 2,862 | 39,686 |
| Dushore | Sullivan | 13 mi | southeast | 458 | 44,446 |
| Tunkhannock | Wyoming | 14 mi | southwest | 1,727 | 2,235 |
| Laporte | Sullivan | 16 mi | east | 318 | 75,149 |
Shops and processors
Region and district 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.
Gear that fits SGL 57
Chosen around the hunting done here; listings update on every click.
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Short answers about hunting SGL 57
Whose rules govern SGL 57?
the Pennsylvania Game Commission manages this State Game Lands tract owned and managed by the Game Commission for hunting and trapping.
Is there bear hunting near SGL 57?
PGC counted 157 bears in Wyoming and Luzerne counties in 2024.
What county holds SGL 57?
Harveys Lake is closest (8 miles); the ground is in Wyoming and Luzerne counties.
How many acres is SGL 57?
46,676 acres, per PGC SGL Boundaries GIS (sum of ACRES for SGL 57).
How many doe tags does WMU 3B get?
Buy a WMU 3B license. There are 53,000 of them in 2026-27.
Is SGL 57 a three-up antler unit?
WMU 3B, by the PGC WMU layer. A legal buck in WMU 3B has three points on one side.
Are Sundays huntable on SGL 57?
Yes for deer, bear, turkey in fall and small game; no for ducks, geese and doves.
What are the archery dates for SGL 57?
The firearms opener is Nov 28, 2026 and archery begins Oct 3, 2026. More segments sit in the table above.
Will a general license do for SGL 57?
A Pennsylvania hunting license: $20.97 resident adult, $101.97 nonresident adult. Pheasants also need the $26.97 permit.
What is the orange rule on SGL 57?
Yes: 250 square inches, head, chest and back, in the seasons that call for it. Game land visitors who are not hunting also wear orange in fall and spring.
Is SGL 57 stocked with pheasants?
Yes, 560 pheasants in 9 stockings. Birds also go out late in the season.
One more check on SGL 57
Before the drive to SGL 57, confirm the WMU dates, your licenses and any posted closures.
Sources for this page: PGC GIS: MapServer 17 · pa.gov: sgl 057 · PGC AGOL layer: FeatureServer 100 · pa.gov: pheasant allocation · PGC GIS: MapServer 15 · pa.gov: state game lands; regulations from the 2026-27 PGC digest. Checked October 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: btrentler (CC BY 2.0); James Case (CC BY 2.0).