Sep 8, 2022 2 min read

Young hunters have early chances to pursue squirrels, rabbits and pheasants. The junior squirrel season runs Sept. 10 to 24. The junior rabbit season runs Oct. 1 to 15. The junior pheasant season is Oct. 8 to 15. Mentored Youth hunters under 17 may participate.

• Junior hunters and mentored youth must be accompanied by an adult as required by law.
• A hunting license is not required to hunt squirrels or rabbits if the participant has successfully completed a Hunter-Trapper Education course. However, a young hunter must hold a junior hunting license or mentored youth permit to obtain the free permit that’s needed to hunt pheasants. These are available online or from any issuing agent.
• Hunters must abide by the same bag limits and regulations as during the regular season.
• Resident and nonresident junior hunting license holders and mentored hunters under age 17 must obtain a free junior pheasant hunting permit to hunt pheasants.
• Junior pheasant hunt stocking locations are listed online at www.pgc.pa.gov, or can be obtained by contacting the Centralized Dispatch Center. Although pheasants can be hunted statewide (except in WPRAs) during the Junior Pheasant Hunt, birds will be stocked at specific locations. About 15,000 pheasants are stocked statewide before the Junior Pheasant Hunt.