JIRI KOMAREK VIA UNSPLASH A hunter stand is pictured at winter.

Though 2022 has come to a close, Pennsylvania’s hunting license year isn’t over just yet!

There are plenty more hunting opportunities to be found in the oncoming months. Here’s a quick look at some of the options local hunters have after Christmas as detailed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

According to the Game Commission’s website, there are three separate deer seasons running simultaneously after Christmas. Flintlock and late archery are held statewide, but run an additional two weeks in Wildlife Management Units 2B, 5C and 5D.

Late archery and flintlock hunters have the opportunity to harvest a buck as well as antlerless deer so long as they have valid tags for each. With a general license, a buck harvest tag is included. As long as the hunter hasn’t used the tag in earlier seasons it can be used in these later seasons.

Flintlock hunters may also use a buck tag to take an antlerless deer. According to the Game Commission, in all other cases, a hunter needs a valid antlerless deer license or Deer Management Assistance Program permit for every antlerless deer they attempt to harvest; this exception only applies to flintlock hunters and not those hunting deer in other seasons.

While these two seasons are statewide, extended firearms antlerless deer season, however, is held only in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D.

This season is open only for harvesting antlerless deer and hunters need a valid antlerless license or DMAP permit for each deer they attempt to harvest.

The Game Commission website states, “While antlerless licenses for most WMUs have long been sold out, some licenses still remain in WMUs 2B and 4A. Likewise, DMAP permits — which are valid only on the properties for which they’re issued — remain available for some properties. Availability can be checked online at https://www.pgcapps.pa.gov/Harvest/DMAP.”

The late archery and flintlock seasons run Dec. 26-Jan. 16 statewide and Dec. 26-Jan. 28 in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D. The extended firearms season runs Dec. 26-Jan. 28.

There are also plenty of opportunities to be found with small game hunting! The small game season includes squirrels, pheasants and rabbits. Despite small game hunting closing for a brief time on the weekend of Christmas, many small game seasons resumed on Dec. 26 and can run through Feb. 27. Many of the waterfowl seasons will run into January and, in some cases, even later!

According to the Game Commision, “Pheasants have become perhaps the most sought-after late season small game species.”

In addition to their general license, pheasant hunters generally need a pheasant permit to hunt or harvest pheasants. The permit costs $26.97 and must be signed and carried while hunting.

Junior hunters and mentored permit holders under the age of 17 qualify for a free permit and must obtain it before hunting. Senior lifetime license holders who purchased their lifetime licenses prior to May 13, 2017 are exempted from needing a permit.

For this year’s season, around 23,400 pheasants were released Dec. 14-16. The Game Commission released birds on Dec. 28-29 as well, and also planned another release Jan. 4-5, totalling 31,700 birds. Some of the sites stocked during the early season are not stocked during the late season.

For this reason, pheasant hunters are advised to consult www.pgc.pa.gov for further information on late season pheasant releases.

As a reminder, the final segment of ruffed grouse season closed on Dec. 23 and features no after-Christmas season.

If deer and small game hunting isn’t of interest to you, there are plenty of furbearer opportunities as well!

Though hunting and trapping for furbearers peaks in winter, there is still plenty of trapping to enjoy in the early months of 2023. There are lots of opportunities for foxes, racoons, beavers, minks and muskrats.

Bobcats, fishers and river otters are all only able to be pursued by licensed furtakers if they first obtain their permit and harvest tag for that species. These permits are sold prior to the start of the season and are therefore no longer available. You can still purchase a permit for river otters, however. These permits must be purchased before Feb. 11.

Though a furtaker license is generally required to take furbearers by hunting or trapping, coyotes are an exception to this requirement and can be harvested by anyone with a hunting or furtaker license.

As always, here are some safety and regulations tips from the Game Commission regarding these seasons:

— Statewide, archery and flintlock hunters are not required to wear fluorescent orange. Though the Game Commission highly recommends the use of orange, especially while moving and on public properties

— Hunters participating in the extended firearms season must wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange on the head, chest and back combined, visible from 360 degrees at all times.

— All small game hunters must wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange on the head, chest and back combined, visible from 360 degrees at all times.

For a complete list of seasons and regulations, see the Hunting & Trapping Digest.

Stay safe everyone, and happy hunting!