October ushers in a host of great opportunities for both hunters and anglers in Pennsylvania. One of the most significant of those is the beginning of the statewide archery season this weekend. The 2025 archery season also represents the seventy-fifth archery season for deer in Pennsylvania. And to say that archery hunting has changed dramatically over the last 75 years would be the definition of an understatement.

Using a bow and arrow to hunt game in Pennsylvania was made legal in Pennsylvania in 1929. The first Pennsylvania archery deer season in 1951 was a “bucks only” event. More than 5,500 archery licenses were sold for $2 for that inaugural season. Those first archery hunters reported taking 33 bucks for a meager success rate of just a bit better than one-half of one percent. Does were made legal game during archery season in 1957. Remember, however, this was back in the days of “one deer a year,” so a hunter who harvested a doe with a bow was done deer hunting for the year. Bowhunting continues to grow in popularity along with success rates. During the 2024-25 season, archery hunters accounted for about one-third of all deer taken in Pennsylvania with an estimated total of 178,140 deer — 87,540 bucks and 90,600 does.

“We now have as many, if not more, bowhunters than any state in the country,” Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith said. “It’s amazing — but not surprising to see how archery hunting has evolved in Pennsylvania. Mild weather, readily available antlerless tags, the kind of mature bucks that previous generations of hunters might only dream of, and the excitement of the whitetail rut are huge draws. Hunters are putting food on their tables and making remarkable memories alongside family and friends.”

The length of the fall archery season has gradually increased over the years. This fall it runs until Nov. 21, for seven weeks of hunting time to bag a deer with a bow.

I recently uncovered another interesting statistic regarding hunter success rates for archery season: during a typical archery season, each week of the season will contribute 10 percent of the total bow harvest. That means chances for getting a deer with a bow are good throughout the season.

With the recent repeal of Pennsylvania’s ban on Sunday hunting, bowhunters will also have the benefit of six additional Sundays to hunt during the fall archery season. One exception to that will be no Sunday hunting on any state park land except on the three Sundays previously established. Those dates are Nov. 16, 23 and 30. That applies to any game in season, not just archery deer. Sunday hunting is permitted on any state forest lands open to hunting on any of the expanded Sunday hunting days this fall.

Starting last week, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) began its fall trout stocking program. From now through the middle of December the PFBC plans to stock approximately 116,500 rainbow, brown, and brook trout in

118 stream sections and lakes around the state. Most of that effort will occur during October with about 89,000 trout scheduled to be released into 53 lakes and 40 stream sections.

Here in our region, several waters will receive October stockings, the Delayed Harvest section of Chest Creek near Patton in Cambria County was scheduled to be stocked last week on Oct. 1.

Greenwood Lake in Huntingdon County will be stocked on Oct. 7;

meeting place will be Greenwood Lake at 10 a.m. Canoe Creek Lake in Blair County will be stocked on Oct. 16; meeting place will be the Canoe Creek State Park office at

10:30 a.m. Lake Rowena and Duman Dam in Cambria County will be stocked on Oct. 21; meeting place for those stockings will be at Lake Rowena just off Route 22 at

Ebensburg at 10:45 a.m.

Complete information on all fall stockings throughout the state can be found on the PFBC website — fishandboat.com — or the PFBC app for smartphones or other mobile devices. Anglers and stocking volunteers should also note that stocking schedules are subject to change due to a variety of factors, including weather and water conditions. Check the schedule often for postponements and rescheduled stockings.

The extended trout season is in effect until Feb. 16, 2026, so the daily limit of trout is reduced from five to three and only applies to designated Stocked Trout Waters. Catch-and-release trout fishing is permitted on wild trout streams and other waters not managed as stocked trout waters during the extended season. For complete information about specific regulations on various waterways, consult the Pennsylvania Fishing Summary booklet.