Tioga County, Pennsylvania, is a prime destination for deer hunting, offering a mix of public and private lands, a robust white-tailed deer population, and a rich hunting tradition. Below is a detailed overview of deer hunting in Tioga County for the 2025-2026 season, including regulations, season dates, licensing, locations, and local insights, tailored to the county’s unique characteristics.
### **Tioga County Context**
Tioga County, located in north-central Pennsylvania, falls primarily within **Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 2G**, with portions potentially overlapping adjacent WMUs (e.g., 2F or 3A) depending on precise boundaries. WMU 2G is known for its forested terrain, including the **Tioga State Forest** and other public lands, which provide excellent habitat for white-tailed deer. The county’s rural landscape, with a mix of hardwoods, fields, and rolling hills, supports a healthy deer population, though densities may vary due to habitat and past hunting pressure. Pennsylvania’s deer population is estimated at around 1.5 million, with WMU 2G receiving increased antlerless license allocations for 2025-2026 to manage population growth.
### **2025-2026 Deer Hunting Seasons in Tioga County (WMU 2G)**
The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) sets season dates and regulations, which apply to Tioga County based on its WMU designation. Below are the key deer hunting seasons for 2025-2026, as finalized by the PGC:
- **Archery (Antlered and Antlerless)**:
- **Statewide (including WMU 2G)**: October 4 – November 15, 2025; Sunday, November 16, 2025; November 17–21, 2025; December 26, 2025 – January 19, 2026.
- **Bag Limits**: One antlered deer per hunting license year; one antlerless deer per required antlerless license or permit.
- **Notes**: Archery season allows long, recurve, compound bows, and crossbows with modern broadheads (minimum 7/8-inch wide, 3.25-inch long). Crossbows may use enlarging lenses or red-dot sights.
- **Antlerless Muzzleloader (Statewide)**:
- **Dates**: October 18–25, 2025.
- **Bag Limits**: One antlerless deer per required antlerless license or permit.
- **Notes**: Single-barrel muzzleloaders (flintlock, percussion, or in-line ignition) with black powder or substitutes. Scopes are permitted during this season.
- **Antlerless Special Firearms (Statewide)**:
- **Dates**: October 23–25, 2025.
- **Eligible Hunters**: Junior and Senior license holders, Mentored Permit holders, Disabled Person Permit holders (for vehicle use), and active-duty U.S. Armed Services or Coast Guard members.
- **Bag Limits**: One antlerless deer per required antlerless license.
- **Regular Firearms (Antlered and Antlerless)**:
- **Statewide**: November 29, 2025; Sunday, November 30, 2025; December 1–13, 2025.
- **Bag Limits**: One antlered deer per hunting license year; one antlerless deer per required antlerless license or permit.
- **Notes**: Allows manually operated centerfire rifles, pistols, shotguns (12-gauge or larger, rifled barrels permitted), and semi-automatic rifles (magazine capacity ≤ 5 rounds). Single-projectile ammunition required.
- **Flintlock (Antlered or Antlerless)**:
- **Statewide**: December 26, 2025 – January 19, 2026.
- **Bag Limits**: One antlered deer per hunting license year; one antlerless deer with a general license antlered deer harvest tag, plus one antlerless deer per required antlerless license or permit.
- **Notes**: Restricted to traditional flintlock muzzleloaders with open sights; no scopes permitted.
- **Antlerless Extended Firearms (WMU 2G)**:
- **DMAP Properties (Statewide)**: December 26, 2025 – January 24, 2026 (requires a valid DMAP permit for specific properties).
- **Notes**: WMU 2G is not listed for a general extended firearms season, but hunters on Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) properties in 2G can participate. Check PGC for DMAP property locations.
- **Antlerless (Agricultural Deer Control)**:
- **Dates**: August 1, 2025 – April 15, 2026.
- **Bag Limits**: One antlerless deer per required agricultural deer control harvest permit.
- **Notes**: Applies to specific agricultural areas with depredation issues; contact PGC for eligibility.
**Sunday Hunting**: Hunting is permitted on three Sundays in 2025: November 16 (archery), November 23 (small game/archery in certain WMUs), and November 30 (firearms deer). Sunday hunting is otherwise prohibited except for foxes, crows, and coyotes.
**Antler Restrictions**: In WMU 2G, a legal antlered deer must have at least **3 points on one antler** (excluding the brow tine), aligning with PGC’s antler point restrictions to promote mature buck harvests.
### **Licensing and Permits**
- **General Hunting License**: Required for all deer hunting. Allows one antlered deer per license year. Residents can purchase starting June 23, 2025; non-residents start July 7, 2025.
- **Antlerless Licenses**: Required for antlerless deer. WMU 2G has a 54% increase in antlerless tags for 2025-2026 (part of the statewide 1,312,000 licenses, a 10.6% increase). Licenses are sold over-the-counter or online, with a guarantee for Pennsylvania residents applying between June 23 and July 7, 2025. Each antlerless license permits one antlerless deer.
- **DMAP Permits**: Needed for hunting on DMAP properties during the extended firearms season (December 26, 2025 – January 24, 2026). Check PGC’s DMAP map for properties in Tioga County.
- **Hunter Safety Course**: First-time hunters must complete a hunter safety course unless participating in a Mentored Hunting Permit program, which allows new hunters to hunt under supervision before certification.
- **Cost**: License fees vary (e.g., ~$20.90 resident adult, ~$101.90 non-resident adult for 2024-2025; 2025-2026 prices TBD). Antlerless licenses are ~$6.90 resident, ~$26.90 non-resident per tag.
Licenses can be purchased online via the PGC’s HuntFishPA portal or at issuing agents (e.g., sporting goods stores in Wellsboro or Mansfield).
### **Hunting Locations in Tioga County**
Tioga County offers diverse hunting opportunities on public and private lands:
- **Public Lands**:
- **Tioga State Forest**: Spanning over 160,000 acres, this forest is a hotspot for deer hunting, with rugged terrain and abundant hardwoods. Popular areas include the **Pine Creek Valley** and **Asaph Wild Area**. Access points are available via Route 6 or side roads like Leetonia Road.
- **State Game Lands (SGL)**: Tioga County has several SGLs, such as **SGL 208** (near Antrim) and **SGL 313** (near Wellsboro). These areas are managed for wildlife and open to public hunting. Maps are available on the PGC website.
- **Hills Creek State Park**: While primarily a recreational area, surrounding lands may allow hunting outside park boundaries; verify with PGC regulations.
- **Private Lands**: Much of Tioga County’s land is privately owned. Hunters must obtain written permission from landowners. Local farms and timberlands can be productive but require courtesy and respect for property boundaries. X posts emphasize ethical hunting, urging hunters to secure permission and avoid trespassing.
- **Guided Hunts**:
- **Tioga Boar Hunting Preserve** (near Gaines, PA): Offers guided deer hunts on a 1,000-acre preserve. Experienced guides assist hunters of all skill levels, focusing on trophy bucks and antlerless deer. Amenities include lodging, meals, and an on-site butcher shop for custom meat processing. Contact: (570) 835-5341 or www.tiogaboarhunting.com. Hunts are tailored to bow or firearm seasons, with a focus on ethical harvests.
### **Regulations and Safety**
- **Firearm Restrictions**:
- **Archery**: Bows and crossbows only; no firearms permitted during archery season except for self-defense (with a License to Carry Firearms).
- **Firearms Season**: Centerfire rifles (≥.23 caliber in most areas), shotguns, and muzzleloaders. Semi-automatic rifles are allowed with a 5-round magazine limit. Buckshot is prohibited.
- **Special Regulations Areas**: Tioga County is not in a Special Regulations Area (e.g., Bucks or Philadelphia counties), so standard firearm rules apply.
- **Fluorescent Orange**: During firearms deer season, hunters must wear 250 square inches of solid fluorescent orange (visible from all angles) on the head, chest, and back combined. Archery hunters need orange while moving during overlapping firearms seasons but can remove it when stationary.
- **Tagging and Reporting**: Hunters must attach harvest tags to deer ears (noting month and day of harvest) until processing or mounting. Harvests must be reported to the PGC within 10 days via online, phone, or mail.
- **Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)**: While WMU 2G is not currently a CWD Management Area, nearby WMU 4C has an extended season (January 2–19, 2026) due to CWD detection. Hunters in Tioga County should monitor PGC updates for potential CWD restrictions, such as bans on moving high-risk parts (e.g., brain, spinal cord) outside harvest areas.
- **Safety**: Tioga County’s rural roads see increased traffic during firearms season. Deer-vehicle collisions are a concern (Pennsylvania reports ~1.6 million annually). Hunters should use deer whistles on vehicles and exercise caution. X posts highlight the importance of blaze orange and safe firearm handling to protect hunters and trail users.
### **Local Insights and Tips**
- **Deer Population**: WMU 2G’s deer numbers are healthy but may be lower in dense forest areas compared to agricultural edges. Focus on transition zones (e.g., field-forest edges) near Wellsboro or Liberty for higher deer activity.
- **Weather and Terrain**: Tioga County’s late fall and winter can bring snow, especially in higher elevations. Prepare for cold, wet conditions with layered clothing and waterproof boots. The county’s hilly terrain requires good physical conditioning and navigation tools (e.g., GPS, HuntWise app).
- **Gear Recommendations**:
- **Archery**: High-quality broadheads and rangefinders for dense woods.
- **Firearms**: Rifles in .270 or .30-06 for open shots; shotguns for thicker cover.
- **Accessories**: Trail cameras, portable blinds, and scent control (deer in 2G are wary due to hunting pressure).
- **Tech**: Apps like HuntWise or OnX Hunt for mapping public lands and tracking deer movement.
- **Community and Culture**: Tioga County’s hunting culture is strong, with local events like the **Pennsylvania Outdoor Show** in Wellsboro offering gear and networking. X posts from hunters in the region share excitement for venison recipes and family traditions, with some noting Tioga’s “trophy buck potential” in remote areas.
- **Challenges**: Overhunting in popular SGLs can reduce deer sightings. Scout less-pressured areas in the Tioga State Forest or secure private land access. Poaching (e.g., an 8-point buck illegally killed in nearby Somerset County) is a concern; report violations to PGC game wardens.
### **Economic and Ecological Impact**
Deer hunting in Tioga County supports local businesses (e.g., outfitters, diners, and lodging in Wellsboro or Mansfield) and funds conservation through license sales. The PGC uses these funds to manage habitats and monitor CWD. Ecologically, hunting prevents overpopulation, which can lead to forest degradation and increased deer-vehicle collisions.
### **Resources and Contacts**
- **Pennsylvania Game Commission**: www.pgc.pa.gov for season updates, maps, and licensing (HuntFishPA portal).
- **Tioga State Forest**: (570) 724-2868 for public land access and camping info.
- **Tioga Boar Hunting Preserve**: (570) 835-5341 for guided hunt bookings.
- **Local Outfitters**: Check Wellsboro’s sporting goods stores for gear and local knowledge.
- **HuntWise App**: For mapping and season tracking.
- **X Community**: Search #TiogaHunting or #PADeerSeason for real-time tips and hunter experiences.
### **If You Need More**
If you’re in Tioga County, I can refine details based on your specific location (e.g., Wellsboro, Elkland) or hunting method (bow vs. rifle). Want a list of top public land spots, a breakdown of guided hunt costs, or a short story about a Tioga deer camp? Let me know! For the latest regulations, always verify with the PGC, as minor changes may occur before the season starts.[](https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pgc/newsroom/preliminary-2025-26-seasons-approved.html)[](https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pgc/newsroom/final-2025-26-seasons-adopted.html)[](https://lancasteronline.com/sports/outdoors/here-are-the-key-dates-to-remember-for-the-2025-26-pa-hunting-season/article_8ee692e1-a543-42f9-a973-4c67d8bacf85.html)