Andy Close
HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners met in Harrisburg, finalizing the antlerless deer and elk license allocations for 2022-23 and moving ahead with other business.
The board voted to allocate 948,000 antlerless deer licenses statewide, which is up from the 925,000 licenses allocated for 2021-21.
Allocations by WMU are as follows, with the allocation from the previous license year appearing in parentheses: WMU 1A – 43,000 (40,000); WMU 1B – 34,000 (32,000); WMU 2A – 39,000 (39,000); WMU 2B – 49,000 (49,000); WMU 2C – 67,000 (67,000); WMU 2D – 74,000 (74,000); WMU 2E – 42,000 (42,000); WMU 2F – 37,000 (32,000); WMU 2G – 25,000 (23,000); WMU 2H – 6,000 (9,000); WMU 3A – 19,000 (19,000); WMU 3B – 33,000 (30,000); WMU 3C –37,000 (33,000); WMU 3D – 41,000 (36,000); WMU 4A – 50,000 (50,000); WMU 4B – 34,000 (34,000); WMU 4C – 31,000 (29,000); WMU 4D – 55,000 (55,000); WMU 4E – 42,000 (42,000); WMU 5A – 31,000 (31,000); WMU 5B – 60,000 (60,000); WMU 5C – 70,000 (70,000); and WMU 5D – 29,000 (29,000).
Hunting licenses for 2022-23 go on sale in mid-June and become effective July 1. After hunters purchase a general hunting license, they may apply for antlerless deer licenses based on staggered timelines, which will be outlined in the 2022-23 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest, to be given free to all license buyers.
The board also voted to issue 178 elk licenses (60 antlered, 118 antlerless) across three 2022-23 seasons. For the one-week general season to run Oct. 31-Nov. 5, 31 antlered and 70 antlerless tags have been allocated. In the archery season open only in select Elk Hunt Zones, to run from Sept. 10-24, 14 antlered and 15 antlerless licenses are available. And there are 15 antlered and 33 antlerless licenses available for the Dec. 31-Jan. 7 late season.
All elk licenses will be awarded by lottery, and hunters must apply separately for all seasons they wish to be eligible to hunt. Each application costs $11.97, meaning a hunter can enter all three drawings for $35.91. Individuals can be drawn for a maximum of one elk license per license year.
