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2026-27 digest
Opossum, Skunk and Weasel Hunting in Pennsylvania
Opossums, striped skunks and weasels may be hunted every day of the license year, with no limit. From the first opener to the last Sunday, the 2026-27 opossum and skunk rules in one place.
Photo: Juliana Chong (CC BY 2.0)
From Nov. 28 to Dec. 13, the regular firearms deer season, they may be hunted only at night. Trapping runs Oct. 24, 2026 to Feb. 21, 2027, and snap traps are now allowed for weasels. Survey estimates for 2025: 28,852 opossums, 17,960 skunks and 141 weasels.
Opossum, Skunk and Weasel in brief
- Hunting year-round (night only during regular firearms deer season); trapping Oct. 24-Feb. 21, 2027.
Opossum, Skunk and Weasel seasons in Pennsylvania, 2026-27
Dates below are the Game Commission’s for 2026-27, 3 lines in all, with the Sunday count beside each.
| Season | Where | Opens | Closes | Days | Sundays | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | 365 | 52 | |
| Trapping (coyote, fox, opossum, raccoon, striped skunk and weasel) | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | 121 | 18 | |
| Falconry (mink, muskrat, fox, opossum, raccoon, striped skunk and weasel) | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | 212 | 30 |
PGC notes on these rows
- No limit. Night-only Nov. 28-Dec. 13 (regular firearms deer season). Furtaker license.
- No limit. Furtaker license.
- No limit.
From the Pennsylvania Game Commission seasons and bag limits and the 2026-27 digest, checked October 12, 2026.
Opossum, Skunk and Weasel limits for 2026-27
The quick numbers first, then the PGC limit text as printed for 2026-27.
Coyote, fox, raccoon, opossum, skunk, weasel
No limit.
Opossum, Skunk and Weasel public hunting areas
Opossums, skunks and weasels appear on 174 public tracts, about 831,463 acres between them, sorted here by size. Stars: the tract description mentions opossums, skunks and weasels.
| Tract | Kind | Counties | Units | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rothrock State Forest | State Forest | Huntingdon, Centre, Mifflin | 4A/4D | 96,000 |
| Delaware State Forest | State Forest | Pike, Monroe | 3D | 83,519 |
| Forbes State Forest | State Forest | Somerset, Fayette, Westmoreland | 2C | 59,000 |
| Pinchot State Forest★ | State Forest | Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe | 3B/3C/3D/4E | 54,000 |
| State Game Lands 12 | State Game Lands | Bradford, Sullivan | 3B | 24,598 |
| Ohiopyle State Park | State Park | Fayette | 2C | 20,000 |
| State Game Lands 36 | State Game Lands | Bradford | 3B | 18,972 |
| State Game Lands 42 | State Game Lands | Westmoreland, Cambria, Somerset | 2C | 18,041 |
| State Game Lands 141 | State Game Lands | Carbon | 4C | 17,227 |
| State Game Lands 86 | State Game Lands | Warren | 2F | 14,320 |
| Moraine State Park | State Park | Butler | 1A | 14,000 |
| State Game Lands 37★ | State Game Lands | Tioga | 3A | 13,136 |
| 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 |
Smaller opossum and skunk tracts
Cook Forest State Park (11,000 ac) · State Game Lands 95 (10,626 ac) · Pymatuning State Park (10,300 ac) · Ricketts Glen State Park (10,287 ac) · State Game Lands 106 (9,857 ac) · State Game Lands 29 (9,830 ac) · Erie National Wildlife Refuge (8,959 ac) · State Game Lands 208 (8,833 ac) · State Game Lands 24 (8,585 ac) · State Game Lands 64 (8,100 ac) · State Game Lands 168 (7,814 ac) · State Game Lands 120 (7,398 ac) · Raccoon Creek State Park (7,000 ac) · Oil Creek State Park (6,800 ac) · State Game Lands 74 (6,568 ac) · French Creek State Park (6,000 ac) · Lehigh Gorge State Park (6,000 ac) · State Game Lands 65 (6,000 ac) · State Game Lands 156 (5,894 ac) · State Game Lands 38 (5,818 ac) · Prince Gallitzin State Park (5,600 ac) · Tobyhanna State Park (5,200 ac) · State Game Lands 31 (5,157 ac) · State Game Lands 101 (5,058 ac) · Blue Knob State Park (5,000 ac) · Bald Eagle State Park (4,910 ac) · State Game Lands 244 (4,872 ac) · State Game Lands 69 (4,476 ac) · State Game Lands 228 (4,226 ac) · Hillman State Park (3,650 ac) · State Game Lands 314 (3,550 ac) · State Game Lands 135 (3,540 ac) · Nescopeck State Park (3,500 ac) · Nockamixon State Park (3,500 ac) · Swatara State Park (3,500 ac) · State Game Lands 195 (3,460 ac) · Elk State Park (3,150 ac) · State Game Lands 105 (3,112 ac) · State Game Lands 283 (3,061 ac) · Black Moshannon State Park (3,000 ac) · Shawnee State Park (3,000 ac) · State Game Lands 145 (2,987 ac) · State Game Lands 117 (2,895 ac) · State Game Lands 138 (2,879 ac) · State Game Lands 285 (2,841 ac) · Codorus State Park (2,800 ac) · Gouldsboro State Park (2,700 ac) · State Game Lands 55 (2,651 ac) · State Game Lands 299 (2,646 ac) · State Game Lands 207 (2,573 ac) · Kings Gap Environmental Education Center (2,500 ac) · State Game Lands 330 (2,479 ac) · State Game Lands 52 (2,432 ac) · State Game Lands 222 (2,377 ac) · Yellow Creek State Park (2,300 ac) · Laurel Hill State Park (2,200 ac) · McConnells Mill State Park (2,200 ac) · State Game Lands 157 (2,102 ac) · Mahoning Creek Lake (2,019 ac) · Gifford Pinchot State Park (1,945 ac) · 99 others
Top counties for opossums, skunks and weasels
- Jefferson County9 tracts
- Monroe County8 tracts
- Somerset County7 tracts
- Warren County7 tracts
- Wayne County7 tracts
- Crawford County6 tracts
- Erie County6 tracts
- Fayette County6 tracts
- Lancaster County6 tracts
- Lawrence County6 tracts
- Luzerne County6 tracts
- Potter County6 tracts
- Beaver County5 tracts
- Berks County5 tracts
- Butler County5 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.
Opossum, Skunk and Weasel harvest trend
How many opossums, skunks and weasels Pennsylvania hunters reported taking, year by year.
Harvest data: furbearer harvest, hunters and trappers. Estimates as published by the PGC.
Opossum, Skunk and Weasel regulations beyond the limit
Rules for opossums, skunks and weasels, with prices as listed on October 12, 2026.
License list
What furtakers buy, at PGC prices for 2026-27.
Hours
There is no daylight-only rule for opossums, skunks and weasels. From Nov. 28 to Dec. 13 foxes, raccoons, opossums, skunks and weasels may be hunted only at night.
Wearing orange
The orange rule does not apply to opossums, skunks and weasels. On State Game Lands, non-hunters and hunters exempt from orange still need it during the posted fall and spring periods unless lawfully hunting where it is not required.
Hunting on Sunday
The new rule opens every Sunday inside the opossum and skunk season. More on Sundays
From the Pennsylvania Game Commission 2026-27 digest, license types and harvest reporting, checked October 12, 2026. Pennsylvania hunting laws · License guide.
Legal sporting arms for opossums, skunks and weasels
Legal and prohibited arms for opossums, skunks and weasels, season by season.
| Season or group | Legal | Not legal |
|---|---|---|
| Furbearer hunting | Semiautomatic and manual rifles, manual handguns of any caliber, manual or semiautomatic shotguns, bows, crossbows, single-projectile muzzleloaders, air guns .22+; gun-mounted lights without laser beams; handheld and mounted night-vision and thermal optics for coyote, fox, bobcat, raccoon, skunk, opossum, weasel. | Shotgun shot larger than No. 4 buckshot; laser-beam lights. |
| Trapping (dispatch during deer season) | .22 rimfire or smaller rifles (semi or manual) and manual .22 rimfire handguns; air rifles/handguns .177-.22. | Other firearms while trapping during deer season. |
Method rules for furtakers
Trapping rules
No traps before 7 a.m. opening day; not within 5 ft of a den (except underwater); jaw spread max 6.5 in; body-grip traps only in water (cubby exceptions); trap ID tags; check every 36 hours; remove by sunset closing day; no bait visible from the air. Beaver/otter device limits and 15-ft dam/house setback.
Spotlighting
Unlawful while possessing a firearm/bow/device, during the regular firearms deer season (closes 11 p.m. day before, reopens a full day after), or after 11 p.m.; recreational spotlighting lawful sunrise-11 p.m. Furbearer hunters on foot may use handheld or gun-mounted lights (no laser).
2026-27 digest, sporting arms and unlawful acts pages, checked October 12, 2026.
Species often hunted alongside opossums, skunks and weasels
Asked about opossums, skunks and weasels
Is a furtaker license needed for opossums and skunks?
Yes, the PGC season table lists the furtaker license for opossum, striped skunk and weasel hunting and trapping.
Must I wear orange for opossums, skunks and weasels?
The orange rule does not apply to opossums, skunks and weasels. On State Game Lands, non-hunters and hunters exempt from orange still need it during the posted fall and spring periods unless lawfully hunting where it is not required.
Are Sundays open for opossums, skunks and weasels?
The new rule opens every Sunday inside the opossum and skunk season.
What guns are legal for opossums, skunks and weasels?
Furbearer hunting: Semiautomatic and manual rifles, manual handguns of any caliber, manual or semiautomatic shotguns, bows, crossbows, single-projectile muzzleloaders, air guns .22+; gun-mounted lights without laser beams; handheld and mounted night-vision and thermal optics for coyote, fox, bobcat, raccoon, skunk, opossum, weasel.
What are the 2026-27 dates for opossums, skunks and weasels?
For opossums, skunks and weasels: trapping Oct 24, 2026 to Feb 21, 2027.
What is the possession limit for opossums, skunks and weasels?
No limit.
What does it cost to hunt opossums, skunks and weasels in Pennsylvania?
Buy, as applies to opossums, skunks and weasels: Resident Adult Furtaker License ($20.97); Nonresident Adult Furtaker License ($81.97); Resident Junior Furtaker License ($6.97).
Is there public land for opossums, skunks and weasels in Pennsylvania?
Rothrock State Forest, Delaware State Forest and Forbes State Forest lead a list of 174.
How late can I hunt opossums, skunks and weasels?
There is no daylight-only rule for opossums, skunks and weasels. From Nov. 28 to Dec. 13 foxes, raccoons, opossums, skunks and weasels may be hunted only at night.
Opossum, Skunk and Weasel country gear checklist
Matched to the species on this page, with live listings.
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Heading out after opossums, skunks and weasels
Dates and limits here match the 2026-27 digest as of October 12, 2026; the PGC can amend them, so check the season page before a opossum and skunk hunt.
Other photos on this page: TheTurducken (CC BY 2.0); USFWSmidwest (Public domain); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren (CC BY 2.0); Rick Berg (CC BY-SA 2.0).