58 Pa. Code § 141.44 - Bear seasons
(a)
Archery bear season.
(1)
Permitted devices. It is lawful to hunt bear during the
archery bear season with any of the following devices:
(i) A bow and arrow. A bow must have a peak
draw weight of at least 35 pounds. An arrow must be equipped with a broadhead
that has an outside diameter or width of at least 7/8 inch and may not exceed
3.25 inches in length.
(ii) A
crossbow and bolt. A crossbow must have a peak draw weight of at least 125
pounds. A bolt must be equipped with a broadhead that has an outside diameter
or width of at least 7/8 inch and may not exceed 3.25 inches in
length.
(2)
Prohibitions. While hunting bear during the archery bear
season, it is unlawful to:
(i) Use or possess
a firearm. Exceptions:
(A) A person may
possess certain firearms during the archery bear season under the
authorizations of section 2525 of the act (relating to possession of firearm
for protection of self or others).
(B) A person may possess and use both a bow
or crossbow and a muzzleloading firearm during the overlaps of the archery and
muzzleloader bear seasons if that person is in possession of a valid bear
license and meets the greater protective material requirements for the
muzzleloader bear season, if applicable.
(C) A person may possess and use both a bow
or crossbow and a muzzleloading firearm during the overlaps of the archery bear
season and muzzleloader deer season if that person is in possession of both a
valid bear license and a valid muzzleloader deer license and meets the greater
protective material requirements for the muzzleloader deer season, if
applicable.
(ii) Use or
possess a device or ammunition not provided for in the act or in this
subsection, except as authorized under section 2525 of the act.
(iii) Disturb, wound or kill a bear in a
den.
(iv) Assist, conspire or use a
device to locate a bear to which a transmitter has been attached.
(b)
Muzzleloading bear season.
(1)
Permitted devices. It is
lawful to hunt bear during the muzzleloading bear season with any of the
following devices:
(i) A muzzleloading
firearm. The firearm must be a .44 caliber or larger single-barrel long gun or
a .50 caliber or larger single-barrel handgun that propels single-projectile
ammunition.
(ii) A bow and arrow as
permitted under subsection (a)(1)(i).
(iii) A crossbow and bolt as permitted under
subsection (a)(1)(ii).
(2)
Prohibitions. While
hunting bear during the muzzleloading bear season, it is unlawful to:
(i) Use or possess multiple projectile
ammunition or ammunition other than required under section 2322(a)(4) of the
act (relating to prohibited devices and methods), except as authorized under
section 2525 of the act.
(ii) Use
or possess a device or ammunition not provided for in the act or in this
subsection, except as authorized under section 2525 of the act.
(iii) Disturb, wound or kill a bear in a
den.
(iv) Assist, conspire or use a
device to locate a bear to which a transmitter has been attached.
(c)
Regular and
extended firearms bear seasons.
(1)
Permitted devices. It is lawful to hunt bear during the
regular and extended firearms bear seasons with any of the following devices:
(i) A manually operated, centerfire rifle or
handgun that propels single-projectile ammunition.
(ii) A manually operated or semiautomatic,
centerfire shotgun that propels single-projectile ammunition.
(iii) A bow and arrow as permitted under
subsection (a)(1)(i).
(iv) A
crossbow and bolt as permitted under subsection (a)(1)(ii).
(v) A muzzleloading firearm as permitted
under subsection (b)(1).
(2)
Prohibitions. While
hunting for bear during the regular and extended firearms bear seasons, it is
unlawful to:
(i) Use or possess multiple
projectile ammunition or ammunition other than required under section
2322(a)(4) of the act, except as authorized under section 2525 of the
act.
(ii) Use or possess a device
or ammunition not provided for in the act or in this subsection, except as
authorized under section 2525 of the act.
(iii) Disturb, wound or kill a bear in a
den.
(iv) Assist, conspire or use a
device to locate a bear to which a transmitter has been attached.
Notes
The provisions of this § 141.44 amended under 34 Pa.C.S. § 2102(a) and (d).
This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 141.1 (relating to special regulations areas).
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
No prior version found.