If you’re looking to stay safe when hiking during Pennsylvania’s hunting season, read on for my guide to hiking during hunting season.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I only recommend things I've tried myself or that a trusted peer has recommended. Thanks in advance for supporting my work!
Table of Contents
- About Hiking During Hunting Season
- What to Wear During Hunting Season
- What to Avoid During Hunting Season
- Where to Hike with No Hunting Allowed
- FAQs about Hunting Season in Pennsylvania
About Hiking During Hunting Season
If you’re a regular hiker in Pennsylvania, you know the drill. As soon as hunting season starts, it’s time to don our fashionable orange gear and be prepared to share the trails with hunters. In this guide, I share my advice for hiking during hunting season in Pennsylvania, including what to wear, where to hike if you want to avoid hunters, and where to absolutely NOT hike.
As a regular trail user, I often get asked if I am annoyed by hunting being allowed where I hike. My resounding answer is NO. Here’s why.
Hunters are our partners in conservation and contribute a huge amount of money to the state outdoor economy through the Pittman Robertson act, which places a tax on firearms. These funds are then used for land preservation and conservation. For more information on the Pittman Roberston act, check out this great article on wildlifeforall.us.
It is our responsibility to share our public lands with all users, as long as they’re being respectful and following all principles of Leave No Trace as well as local and state laws.
Read on for more information about hiking during Pennsylvania’s hunting season!
As always, follow the principles of leave no trace when you're out exploring! Pack out all trash, leave wildlife alone, and generally leave it better than you found it - for more information visit the Leave No Trace Center.
Disclaimer: Always use extreme caution and your best judgment when hiking during hunting season. While I’ve done my best to make sure this information is accurate about where hunting is and is not allowed, the best way to get the most up to date information is to check directly with each specific area’s management office. There’s always a chance restrictions could change – by choosing to hike during hunting season, you may be putting yourself at risk so please do your research and hike responsibly.
What to Wear During Hunting Season
Wear bright orange! No exceptions.
Hunters are legally required to wear orange during hunting season and so should you. This will keep you visible to other trail users. Frankly it’s a good idea to wear orange at all times when hiking, even if you’re in an area that doesn’t allow hunting. It’s always better to be safe and seen than sorry.
My favorite hunting season accessory is my insanely bright orange Carhartt beanie. It keeps my head warm and I’ve had so many people comment on how far off they could see me coming. I also use this hat when I am guiding hikes so that the group can see me at all times!
My dog also wears orange on trail. While he’s not an off leash dog, we want to keep him safe during hunting season. I have a safety paws orange reflective vest for him. This vest is also great for taking him on walks during the short days after daylight savings ends. I recommend not allowing your dog off leash in a hunting area during hunting season.
Orange Options for Hunting Season
Below I’ve listen out some other awesome orange options to keep you visible during hunting season. (I think outdoor brands seem to think that orange is a men’s color, so I struggle to find cute women’s clothing in orange).
- Orange Vest – InVEST in the season (yup, I went there) by grabbing this orange vest from Cotopaxi and it’s a women’s vest, which is hard to find
- Orange Backpack – One of the easiest ways to be prepared to hunting season is if your go-to-backpack is already orange.
- The Osprey DayLite 18L comes in orange.
- If you’re looking for something a little bigger, the REI Co-Op 25L also comes in orange. I used this pack for my hut-to-hut in Austria and it is my go-to cold weather backpack.
- Orange PA Parks and Forest Bandana – Support your PA Parks and Forests with this orange bandana and stay safe – it’s a win-win! I keep this tied on my backpack at all times
- Orange reflective dog leash – I love a reflective dog leash for when we switch back from Daylight savings time and most of my dog walks happen in the dark
- Orange Safety Vest -I keep a reflective safety vest like this one in my car just in case I forget any of my other orange and want to do a hike in an area that might have hunting. Fun fact – Montour Trail actually has orange safety vests at one of their trailheads. This is one of the coolest things I’ve seen for hikers at a trailhead!
What to Avoid During Hunting Season
State Game Lands
Avoid hiking on state game lands at all costs during hunting season. These lands are set aside specifically for hunting by the PA Game Commission and hiking can be disruptive to hunters at best and potentially dangerous at worst. Leave game lands to hunters during hunting season!
Hiking at Dawn and Dusk
Hunters are usually out during this time of day as animals are most active. While I love a sunrise and sunset hike, I usually skip being out this time of day during hunting season if I am going to be in an area that allows hunting.
Being Silent
If you’re on a trail with hunters, best to make sure you are heard. Bring a friend to talk to, listen to your audiobook without headphones, sing to yourself – anyway to make sure you are heard. If you hear shots close by, yell “hikers on trail” to keep yourself safe.
Brett at ReWildOutdoors, an avid hiker and hunter, recommends that hikers wear bells. He says “I also like the use of a cowbell while hiking or mountain biking during hunting seasons. It is subtle and not natural to the environment and should signal to a hunter that someone is nearby.”
Where to Hike in Pennsylvania During Hunting Season
The below areas don’t allow any hunting, even during hunting season. If you’re at all concerned about hiking during hunting season, pick one of these places to avoid hunters.
Western PA
All the Allegheny County Parks
None of the Allegheny County Parks allow hunting at any time except as authorized by the parks department. For more information about these parks, check out my guide to all of the Allegheny County parks!
McConnells Mill – Alpha Pass and Kildoo
The area around the mill is closed to hunting. This is a great time to visit Alpha Falls (assuming there’s been some rainfall) and take pictures of the mill and covered bridge area.
For more information about hiking in this park, check out my guide to McConnells Mill.
Raccoon Creek Wildflower Reserve
While the rest of the park is open for hunting, the Wildflower Reserve is not. You won’t see any flowers during winter hunting season, but you will get a nice hike without having to worry about hunters. Reminder – dogs are not allowed in the reserve and much of the rest of the park is open to hunting. For more information, here’s my guide to the Raccoon Creek Wildflower Reserve.
Presque Isle State Park
The most visited state park in the Commonwealth, located in Erie, PA, does not allow hunting, other than wildlife management handled by park staff.
Central PA & Eastern PA
Wildwood Park in Harrisburg
This beautiful park located within city limits of Harrisburg is, unsurprisingly, off limits to hunters. Head there early for a surprisingly serene sunrise spot.
Wissahickon Park
This park in the city limits of Philadelphia is fully off limits to hikers.
If you're located in Lancaster County, Kristen over at Lancaster County Day Hikes has a great list of trails where hunting isn't allowed.
FAQs about Hiking During Hunting Season
When Is Hunting Season in Pennsylvania?
Hunting is usually not allowed on Sundays, with some exceptions. Check out the PA Game Commision Hunting schedule for more details.
Is it safe to hike during hunting season?
Broadly, yes, however, you will need to assess risks based on where you are planning to hike and when. I recommend avoiding State Game Lands, hiking at dawn or dusk, not allowing your dog off leash, or hiking with small children during hunting season. If you’re worried at all about hiking during hunting season, check out my list of places that don’t allow hunting.
Do Pennsylvania State Parks allow hunting?
Broadly, yes, however there are usually limits to certain areas. When planning to visit a State Park during hunting season, do your research and come prepared. Hunting is actually encouraged in State Parks to limit habitat damaging species like deer and Canadian geese.
Have another park or trail where hunting isn’t allowed? Have a favorite piece of orange gear you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments!
Updated December 1, 2024