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Migratory birds in Pennsylvania
Snow Goose Hunting in Pennsylvania
Snow and Ross’s geese are open Nov 6, 2026 to Mar 10, 2027 in both goose zones, 25 a day with no possession limit. 2026-27 snow goose dates, limits, harvest and public tracts.
Photo: Tony Fischer (CC BY 2.0)
There is no Snow Goose Conservation Season in 2026-27, after Atlantic Flyway coordination. Without the conservation season, electronic calls for snow geese are not allowed. Light geese need the same migratory license and federal duck stamp as other waterfowl.
PGC quick facts on snow and Ross’s geese
- Regular Nov. 6-March 10, 2027; 25 daily, no possession limit.
- No Conservation Order season in 2026-27.
Every snow goose segment this license year
2 Season rows cover snow and Ross’s geese this year; tap a WMU code for that unit’s full calendar.
| Segment | WMU or zone | First day | Last day | Days | Sundays | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular season | Atlantic Population Zone | Nov 6, 2026 | Mar 10, 2027 | 125 | None | |
| Regular season | Resident Population Zone | Nov 6, 2026 | Mar 10, 2027 | 125 | None | |
| Conservation Order | Statewide | No dates |
Fine print from the season table
- 25 daily, no possession limit. Sunday hunting prohibited for migratory game birds.
- Pennsylvania will not offer the Snow Goose Conservation Season for the 2026-27 license year (Atlantic Flyway coordination).
From the Pennsylvania Game Commission seasons and bag limits and the 2026-27 digest, checked October 12, 2026.
Limits on snow and Ross’s geese
Snow goose limits, from the digest and the season table.
Limit for light geese
25 daily, no possession limit.
Mapped public land for snow and Ross’s geese
The map pins up to 80 of the 131 tracts that list waterfowl; the table starts with the 15 largest.
| Area | Type | County | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware State Forest | State Forest | Pike, Monroe | 3D | 83,519 |
| Pinchot State Forest | State Forest | Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe | 3B/3C/3D/4E | 54,000 |
| State Game Lands 108 | State Game Lands | Cambria, Blair | 2E/4D | 22,739 |
| Ohiopyle State Park | State Park | Fayette | 2C | 20,000 |
| State Game Lands 141 | State Game Lands | Carbon | 4C | 17,227 |
| Moraine State Park | State Park | Butler | 1A | 14,000 |
| Hickory Run State Park | State Park | Carbon | 3D/4C | 13,000 |
| Laurel Ridge State Park | State Park | Somerset, Westmoreland, Cambria | 2C | 13,000 |
| State Game Lands 180 | State Game Lands | Pike | 3D | 12,506 |
| Cook Forest State Park | State Park | Clarion, Forest, Jefferson | 2F | 11,000 |
| State Game Lands 95 | State Game Lands | Butler | 2D | 10,626 |
| Pymatuning State Park | State Park | Crawford | 1A | 10,300 |
| Ricketts Glen State Park | State Park | Luzerne, Sullivan | 3B/4E | 10,287 |
| State Game Lands 214 | State Game Lands | Crawford | 1A | 9,661 |
| State Game Lands 34 | State Game Lands | Clearfield, Elk | 2G | 9,558 |
Further snow goose options
State Game Lands 159 (9,448 ac) · Erie National Wildlife Refuge (8,959 ac) · Raccoon Creek State Park (7,000 ac) · Oil Creek State Park (6,800 ac) · State Game Lands 40 (6,200 ac) · State Game Lands 46 (6,053 ac) · French Creek State Park (6,000 ac) · Lehigh Gorge State Park (6,000 ac) · State Game Lands 38 (5,818 ac) · State Game Lands 213 (5,646 ac) · Prince Gallitzin State Park (5,600 ac) · Tobyhanna State Park (5,200 ac) · Blue Knob State Park (5,000 ac) · Bald Eagle State Park (4,910 ac) · State Game Lands 69 (4,476 ac) · State Game Lands 312 (4,459 ac) · Hillman State Park (3,650 ac) · Nescopeck State Park (3,500 ac) · Nockamixon State Park (3,500 ac) · Swatara State Park (3,500 ac) · Shenango River Lake (3,449 ac) · Elk State Park (3,150 ac) · Black Moshannon State Park (3,000 ac) · Shawnee State Park (3,000 ac) · State Game Lands 145 (2,987 ac) · State Game Lands 302 (2,976 ac) · Codorus State Park (2,800 ac) · Gouldsboro State Park (2,700 ac) · State Game Lands 43 (2,571 ac) · State Game Lands 280 (2,552 ac) · Kings Gap Environmental Education Center (2,500 ac) · State Game Lands 301 (2,332 ac) · Yellow Creek State Park (2,300 ac) · Laurel Hill State Park (2,200 ac) · McConnells Mill State Park (2,200 ac) · Gifford Pinchot State Park (1,945 ac) · State Game Lands 56 (1,791 ac) · Beltzville State Park (1,700 ac) · Little Pine State Park (1,700 ac) · Locust Lake State Park (1,700 ac) · William Penn State Forest (1,683 ac) · Kettle Creek State Park (1,640 ac) · State Game Lands 284 (1,590 ac) · State Game Lands 151 (1,584 ac) · Prompton State Park (1,400 ac) · Sinnemahoning State Park (1,400 ac) · State Game Lands 140 (1,346 ac) · State Game Lands 218 (1,339 ac) · Promised Land State Park (1,300 ac) · State Game Lands 191 (1,223 ac) · State Game Lands 310 (1,197 ac) · State Game Lands 277 (1,192 ac) · State Game Lands 243 (1,167 ac) · State Game Lands 254 (1,163 ac) · State Game Lands 199 (1,129 ac) · State Game Lands 317 (1,103 ac) · Mount Pisgah State Park (1,100 ac) · Tuscarora State Park (1,100 ac) · Maurice K. Goddard State Park (1,075 ac) · Clear Creek State Park (1,000 ac) · plus 56 more
County guides for snow and Ross’s geese
- Crawford County8 tracts
- Wayne County8 tracts
- Monroe County7 tracts
- Dauphin County6 tracts
- Erie County6 tracts
- Carbon County5 tracts
- Luzerne County5 tracts
- Potter County5 tracts
- Berks County4 tracts
- Bucks County4 tracts
- Chester County4 tracts
- Lackawanna County4 tracts
- Lawrence County4 tracts
- Mercer County4 tracts
- York County4 tracts
PGC State Game Lands GIS, DCNR forest and park hunting pages and federal managers (PGC layers), retrieved 2026-10-12. Species lists are what each manager names; area rules still apply.
What the law says about snow and Ross’s geese
Licenses, hours, orange and the other PGC rules that apply to snow and Ross’s geese.
Paperwork
Licenses and permits that apply to snow and Ross’s geese.
When to shoot
For snow and Ross’s geese the day ends at sunset, with no evening half hour.
Orange
Orange is not on the list for snow and Ross’s geese. If you walk State Game Lands between Oct. 1 and Jan. 31 for anything else, orange is required.
Sunday rule
No Sunday hunting for snow and Ross’s geese. Migratory game birds are the one group left out of the new Sunday rules. Sunday details
From the Pennsylvania Game Commission 2026-27 digest, license types and harvest reporting, checked October 12, 2026. Pennsylvania hunting laws · License guide.
Guns, bows and methods for snow and Ross’s geese
Arms rules change with the season, so check the row for the season you are hunting.
| Season | Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfowl and migratory birds | Manual and semiautomatic shotguns no larger than 10 gauge plugged to 3 shells; bows and crossbows; nontoxic shot up to size T for waterfowl. | Lead shot for waterfowl; unplugged guns; sink boxes; shooting from moving motorboats. |
Other snow goose method rules
Migratory bird restrictions
No migratory bird hunting on Sundays; no sink boxes, motor vehicles, aircraft, moving motorboats, live decoys, recorded calls (except snow goose conservation season), baited areas (baited for 30 days after removal) or driving birds.
Electronic calls and devices
Electronic devices prohibited except: electronic callers for bobcat, coyote, fox, raccoon, crow and conservation-season snow geese; non-beam lighted pins and reticles; arrow/bolt tracking lights; two-way radios for general communication only; hearing-protection amplifiers; electronic-ignition firearms; rangefinders; dog-locating collars; heated scent dispensers and ozone devices; ice-eaters.
2026-27 digest, sporting arms and unlawful acts pages, checked October 12, 2026.
Other game to pair with snow and Ross’s geese
Snow Goose questions and answers
Is there a snow goose conservation season this year?
No. Pennsylvania will not offer the Snow Goose Conservation Season for the 2026-27 license year (Atlantic Flyway coordination).
Where can I hunt snow and Ross’s geese without private access?
131 tracts, among them Delaware State Forest, Pinchot State Forest and State Game Lands 108.
Do snow goose hunters need anything beyond a hunting license?
PGC licenses for snow and Ross’s geese: Resident Migratory Game Bird License ($3.97); Federal Duck Stamp (E-Stamp) via HuntFishPA ($30.97); Snow Goose Permit ($1.97); Nonresident Migratory Game Bird License ($6.97).
Do snow and Ross’s geese fall under the orange rule?
Orange is not on the list for snow and Ross’s geese. If you walk State Game Lands between Oct. 1 and Jan. 31 for anything else, orange is required.
When can snow goose hunters start shooting?
For snow and Ross’s geese the day ends at sunset, with no evening half hour.
Which sporting arms may I use on snow and Ross’s geese?
Waterfowl and migratory birds: Manual and semiautomatic shotguns no larger than 10 gauge plugged to 3 shells; bows and crossbows; nontoxic shot up to size T for waterfowl.
Is Sunday snow goose hunting legal?
No Sunday hunting for snow and Ross’s geese. Migratory game birds are the one group left out of the new Sunday rules.
How many snow and Ross’s geese may I keep?
25 daily, no possession limit.
When do snow and Ross’s geese open and close in Pennsylvania?
Snow and Ross’s geese: regular season Nov 6, 2026 to Mar 10, 2027 (Atlantic Population Zone); regular season Nov 6, 2026 to Mar 10, 2027 (Resident Population Zone).
Gear that fits Snow Goose country
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Snow Goose: final checks
Pair this snow goose guide with the WMU guide for the ground you hunt; unit lines follow roads, not county lines.
Other photos on this page: TheTurducken (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region (Public domain); Dave Williss (CC BY 2.0); GA-Kayaker (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).