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Upland and small game in Pennsylvania
Ruffed Grouse Hunting in Pennsylvania
Grouse season runs Oct 17 to Dec 24, 2026, 69 days across the whole state. 2026-27 grouse dates, limits, harvest and public tracts.
Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
The Game Take Survey put the 2025 grouse harvest at 3,175 birds by about 11,623 hunters over 43,969 hunter days. Grouse shows up on the species list of 167 public tracts in our list, from state forests to State Game Lands. Falconers get a longer window, Sept. 1 to March 31, with the same two-bird daily limit.
PGC quick facts on grouse
- Oct. 17-Dec. 24, 2026; 2 daily, 6 possession.
Every grouse segment this license year
2 Season rows cover grouse 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 | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | 69 | 10 | |
| Falconry | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | 212 | 30 |
Fine print from the season table
- 2 daily, 6 possession.
From the Pennsylvania Game Commission seasons and bag limits and the 2026-27 digest, checked October 12, 2026.
Limits on grouse
Grouse limits, from the digest and the season table.
Bag: ruffed grouse
2 daily, 6 possession.
Mapped public land for grouse
The map pins up to 80 of the 167 tracts that list grouse; the table starts with the 15 largest.
| Area | Type | County | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny National Forest | National Forest | Warren, Elk, Forest | 1B/2F/3A | 512,932 |
| Sproul State Forest | State Forest | Clinton, Centre, Potter | 2G | 305,450 |
| Susquehannock State Forest | State Forest | Potter, Clinton, McKean | 2G/3A | 265,000 |
| Allegheny National Forest, Bradford Ranger District | National Forest Ranger District | Warren, McKean, Forest | 1B/2F/3A | 262,965 |
| Allegheny National Forest, Marienville Ranger District | National Forest Ranger District | Elk, Forest, McKean | 2F | 249,968 |
| Elk State Forest | State Forest | Cameron, Elk, McKean | 2G | 217,000 |
| Bald Eagle State Forest | State Forest | Union, Centre, Mifflin | 4D | 194,602 |
| Moshannon State Forest | State Forest | Clearfield, Centre, Elk | 2E/2G/4D | 190,031 |
| Tioga State Forest | State Forest | Tioga, Lycoming, Bradford | 2G/3A/3B | 161,890 |
| Tiadaghton State Forest | State Forest | Lycoming, Clinton, Potter | 2G/4D | 146,539 |
| Loyalsock State Forest | State Forest | Lycoming, Sullivan, Bradford | 3B | 114,552 |
| Tuscarora State Forest | State Forest | Perry, Juniata, Mifflin | 4B | 96,025 |
| Rothrock State Forest | State Forest | Huntingdon, Centre, Mifflin | 4A/4D | 96,000 |
| Michaux State Forest | State Forest | Cumberland, Franklin, Adams | 5A | 85,500 |
| Delaware State Forest | State Forest | Pike, Monroe | 3D | 83,519 |
Further grouse options
Forbes State Forest (59,000 ac) · Pinchot State Forest (54,000 ac) · State Game Lands 57 (46,676 ac) · State Game Lands 211 (44,479 ac) · Weiser State Forest (30,000 ac) · State Game Lands 75 (27,500 ac) · Gallitzin State Forest (24,370 ac) · State Game Lands 108 (22,739 ac) · State Game Lands 100 (21,071 ac) · State Game Lands 36 (18,972 ac) · State Game Lands 33 (17,755 ac) · State Game Lands 158 (17,463 ac) · State Game Lands 14 (17,360 ac) · State Game Lands 87 (17,296 ac) · State Game Lands 141 (17,227 ac) · Clear Creek State Forest (16,716 ac) · State Game Lands 86 (14,320 ac) · State Game Lands 37 (13,136 ac) · State Game Lands 58 (12,630 ac) · State Game Lands 166 (12,375 ac) · State Game Lands 295 (12,338 ac) · State Game Lands 30 (11,658 ac) · State Game Lands 210 (11,131 ac) · State Game Lands 39 (10,869 ac) · State Game Lands 111 (10,286 ac) · State Game Lands 61 (9,972 ac) · State Game Lands 106 (9,857 ac) · State Game Lands 29 (9,830 ac) · State Game Lands 170 (9,463 ac) · State Game Lands 159 (9,448 ac) · State Game Lands 62 (9,258 ac) · State Game Lands 84 (9,010 ac) · State Game Lands 103 (8,995 ac) · Erie National Wildlife Refuge (8,959 ac) · State Game Lands 208 (8,833 ac) · State Game Lands 60 (8,773 ac) · State Game Lands 198 (8,688 ac) · State Game Lands 24 (8,585 ac) · State Game Lands 119 (8,375 ac) · State Game Lands 187 (8,157 ac) · State Game Lands 104 (8,138 ac) · State Game Lands 64 (8,100 ac) · State Game Lands 223 (8,063 ac) · State Game Lands 168 (7,814 ac) · State Game Lands 35 (7,772 ac) · State Game Lands 120 (7,398 ac) · State Game Lands 59 (7,023 ac) · State Game Lands 88 (7,005 ac) · State Game Lands 124 (6,847 ac) · State Game Lands 176 (6,501 ac) · State Game Lands 331 (6,438 ac) · State Game Lands 49 (6,437 ac) · State Game Lands 70 (6,335 ac) · State Game Lands 235 (6,271 ac) · State Game Lands 40 (6,200 ac) · State Game Lands 118 (6,133 ac) · State Game Lands 65 (6,000 ac) · State Game Lands 53 (5,958 ac) · State Game Lands 156 (5,894 ac) · State Game Lands 38 (5,818 ac) · plus 92 more
County guides for grouse
- Clearfield County13 tracts
- Centre County12 tracts
- Erie County10 tracts
- Clinton County9 tracts
- Crawford County9 tracts
- Indiana County9 tracts
- McKean County9 tracts
- Schuylkill County9 tracts
- Monroe County8 tracts
- Perry County8 tracts
- Huntingdon County7 tracts
- Lycoming County7 tracts
- Potter County7 tracts
- Warren County7 tracts
- Blair County6 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.
Grouse harvest numbers
Survey harvest of grouse, newest year highlighted.
| Year | Harvest | Hunters | Hunter days | Per 100 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,175 | 11,623 | 43,969 | 7.22 |
| 2024 | 3,733 | 11,918 | 45,334 | 8.23 |
| 2023 | 2,503 | 12,958 | 54,314 | 4.61 |
| 2022 | 4,314 | 16,030 | 60,542 | 7.13 |
| 2021 | 6,184 | 18,061 | 85,500 | 7.23 |
| 2020 | 8,782 | 21,177 | 96,962 | 9.06 |
| 2019 | 10,254 | 21,547 | 96,735 | 10.6 |
| 2018 | 8,717 | 24,144 | 94,230 | 9.25 |
Harvest data: harvest, hunters, hunter days. Estimates as published by the PGC.
What the law says about grouse
Licenses, hours, orange and the other PGC rules that apply to grouse.
Paperwork
Licenses and permits that apply to grouse.
When to shoot
Grouse follow the general PGC hours: half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset.
Orange
Small game seasons, grouse included, require 250 square inches of orange on the head, chest and back.
Sunday rule
Sundays are open for grouse in 2026-27; state parks in five southeast counties limit Sundays to Nov. 15, 22 and 29. 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 grouse
Arms rules change with the season, so check the row for the season you are hunting.
| Season | Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Small game | Manual and semiautomatic shotguns 10 gauge or less, 3-shell capacity; manual and semiautomatic rifles and manual handguns .22 rimfire or less; air guns .177-.22 (woodchucks at least .22) with single projectile; muzzleloading rifles/handguns .40 or less and shotguns 10 gauge or less; bows and crossbows. No magazine limit on semiautomatic rifles. | BB ammunition; shot larger than No. 4 lead/No. 2 steel. Rifle/handgun caliber limits (except air guns) do not apply to woodchucks. |
Other grouse method rules
Dogs
Unlawful to use dogs to hunt elk, bears, deer or spring turkeys; dogs allowed for fall turkey, small game and furbearers (not during regular firearms deer and bear seasons for furbearers). Leashed tracking dogs may recover deer, bear or elk with no permit.
Hunting parties
Max 25 for deer, elk or bears; max 6 for small game (not waterfowl/dove hunters in blinds or stationary).
Field possession limits
Opening day: no more than the daily limit; afterward no more than three days' limit.
2026-27 digest, sporting arms and unlawful acts pages, checked October 12, 2026.
Ruffed Grouse questions and answers
Is grouse season open during rifle deer season?
Yes. Grouse, squirrel, rabbit, pheasant, quail and woodchuck seasons stay open during the regular firearms deer season this year.
Where can I hunt grouse without private access?
167 tracts on our list qualify; the largest are Allegheny National Forest, Sproul State Forest and Susquehannock State Forest.
Do grouse hunters need anything beyond a hunting license?
PGC licenses for grouse: Resident Adult Hunting License ($20.97); Nonresident Adult Hunting License ($101.97); Nonresident 7-Day Small Game License ($31.97).
Do grouse fall under the orange rule?
Small game seasons, grouse included, require 250 square inches of orange on the head, chest and back.
When can grouse hunters start shooting?
Grouse follow the general PGC hours: half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset.
Which sporting arms may I use on grouse?
Small game: Manual and semiautomatic shotguns 10 gauge or less, 3-shell capacity; manual and semiautomatic rifles and manual handguns .22 rimfire or less; air guns .177-.22 (woodchucks at least .22) with single projectile; muzzleloading rifles/handguns .40 or less and shotguns 10 gauge or less; bows and crossbows. No magazine limit on semiautomatic rifles.
Is Sunday grouse hunting legal?
Sundays are open for grouse in 2026-27; state parks in five southeast counties limit Sundays to Nov. 15, 22 and 29.
How many grouse may I keep?
2 daily, 6 possession.
When do grouse open and close in Pennsylvania?
Grouse: regular season Oct 17 to Dec 24, 2026.
Gear that fits Ruffed Grouse country
Click through for current models and prices.
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Light 20 gauge case
Grouse hunters walk miles; a padded case protects the gun in the truck.
Ruffed Grouse: final checks
Pair this grouse 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); Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (CC BY-SA 2.0); Shenandoah National Park (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0); grendelkhan (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).