First hunting seasons of 2021-22 open in Pa. on Wednesday

While hunting is open nearly year-round for a few species like groundhogs and coyotes, for most Pennsylvania hunters the first seasons of the July 1-June 30 hunting license year open on Sept. 1.

Two common and abundant species — Canada geese and mourning doves — become legal game on Wednesday.

The early season on Canada geese — the first of several season segments through February — will be open statewide, except for a small area in Lancaster and Lebanon counties around the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area and State Game Lands 46. In most of the state, hunters may kill eight geese per day throughout the season, which closes Sept. 25.

For mourning doves, the more generous first segment of hunting seasons this year will run through Nov. 26, with hunters allowed to harvest 15 doves per day.

Sept. 1 also is the opener on seasons for a few, little known, wetland bird species that are not widely hunted. The seasons for gallinules, Virginia rails and sora rails will run through Nov. 20, with a daily limit of 20.

Falconry seasons for those hunting with trained birds of prey also opens on Wednesday on squirrels, bobwhite quail, ruffed grouse, cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares and ring-necked pheasants. The season will continue through March 31.

In addition to groundhogs and coyotes, species with open hunting seasons that close only a few days each year includes opossums, striped skunks, weasels, starlings and English sparrows.

Next on the hunting calendar for 2021-22 will be the early segment of the season for squirrels, which will run Sept. 11-Nov. 26, including a special season for junior hunters Sept. 11-25. The daily harvest limit on squirrels is six.