Rabbit Hunting Season in Pennsylvania: 2026-27 Dates, Limits, and Rules
October 15, 2026
Rabbit hunting season in Pennsylvania runs for more than four months, and for the first time this year it stays open straight through the firearms deer season. That is a big change for anyone who used to hang up the shotgun for two weeks every late November and December. The 2026-27 seasons also include Sundays, which opens more days afield for working hunters.
This article covers dates, species, bag limits, licensing, legal methods, shooting hours, and orange requirements. Every date below comes from the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s 2026-27 season approvals unless noted. If you also chase other game in the Keystone State, our guides to deer hunting season in Pennsylvania and turkey hunting season in Pennsylvania cover the rest of your calendar.
Rabbit Hunting Season Dates in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania splits its cottontail season into a junior-only window and a long general season. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s final 2026-27 approval, the special junior season for eligible junior hunters and Mentored Permit Holders age 16 and under runs Oct. 3-18, and the general season runs Oct. 17-Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 28, 2027.
Notice the one-day gap on December 25. The season closes for Christmas Day only, then reopens the next morning. The junior season and the general opener overlap on October 17 and 18, so adults can join the field while young hunters are still in their special window.
| Season | Dates | Daily / Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Junior and Mentored (age 16 and under) | Oct. 3-18, 2026 | 4 / 12 |
| General, first split | Oct. 17-Dec. 24, 2026 | 4 / 12 |
| General, second split | Dec. 26, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027 | 4 / 12 |
| Snowshoe hare, statewide | Dec. 26-31, 2026 | 1 daily / 3 season |
Key Insight: The Game Commission reports that the squirrel, ruffed grouse, rabbit, pheasant, bobwhite quail and woodchuck seasons all remain open during the firearms deer season. Earlier years closed small game for the two-week deer rifle season, so check older guides before trusting them.
Most rabbit hunters find the best action in two windows. Early season gives you the first pass at cottontails before hard frost flattens cover, while the post-Christmas stretch brings snow for tracking and lighter hunting pressure. One outfitter notes that snow makes tracking easier, hunting pressure drops off, and rabbits concentrate in the remaining good cover.
Which Rabbit and Hare Species You Can Hunt in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania offers two legal quarry species in this category: the cottontail rabbit and the snowshoe hare, also called the varying hare. Cottontails are the bread and butter of the state’s small game tradition, and nearly every hunter targeting “rabbits” means the eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus). They live in brushy fence rows, overgrown fields, briar patches, and thickets across the state.
The snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) is a different story. It is a much scarcer animal tied to dense northern forest and conifer habitat, so the Game Commission keeps its season short and tightly limited. Per the commission’s final 2026-27 seasons, the hare season is Dec. 26-Dec. 31, statewide, with a 1 daily, 3 season limit.
The commission trimmed hare harvest in recent years. When it set the three-hare season limit, it said the change protects against overharvest in isolated segments of the hare population. Pennsylvania has no statewide jackrabbit season, since those animals do not live in the state.
Rabbit Hunting Bag and Possession Limits in Pennsylvania
The cottontail limit is the same across every season type, so there is nothing to memorize beyond one number pair. You can take 4 rabbits per day and hold 12 in possession, as listed on the Game Commission’s seasons and bag limits page. Junior hunters have the same 4 daily and 12 possession limit.
Snowshoe hare limits are much tighter, with only one animal per day and three for the entire season. Once you tag your third hare, you are done for the year no matter how many days remain.
| Game | Daily Limit | Possession or Season Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Cottontail rabbit (general) | 4 | 12 in possession |
| Cottontail rabbit (junior season) | 4 | 12 in possession |
| Snowshoe hare | 1 | 3 per season |
| Cottontail rabbit (falconry) | 1 | 3 per season |
Falconers follow a separate set of limits. As reported by abc27, the falconry cottontail season runs Sept. 1-March 31, 2027, with a limit of 1 daily and 3 per season.
Licenses and Permits Required to Hunt Rabbits in Pennsylvania
Most adult rabbit hunters need a general Pennsylvania hunting license. The 2026-27 license year runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, so a license bought last season will not cover you this fall. Unlike pheasant, rabbit does not require a special permit.
Junior hunters get a break during the special season. The Game Commission says the junior rabbit season is open to eligible juniors with or without required license, and Mentored Permit Holders age 16 and under can join in as well.
Hunter Education and the Mentored Program
New hunters can start through the mentored program without first completing hunter education. According to AskHunting’s Pennsylvania guide, that exemption has limits: hunters who age into a regular license, or who use the mentored pathway for the maximum three license years, must pass hunter-trapper education before buying a standard license.
Confirm your exact license category on the Game Commission’s HuntFish system before you head out. Fees and eligibility rules can change between license years.
Legal Hunting Methods and Weapons for Rabbits in Pennsylvania
Shotguns are the standard tool for rabbits, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission allows several other methods as well. One outfitter’s guidance is that a 20-gauge is a good all-around choice, though any gauge, choke, or action will work. For shot size, the same source suggests #6 and #7 1/2 shot.
Archery and falconry are also legal ways to hunt cottontails, and the Game Commission’s regulations list archery seasons for small game like rabbits. If you plan to hunt with a bow, our breakdown of bow hunting laws in Pennsylvania covers equipment rules that apply across species.
Baiting and Dog Rules
Baiting is off the table. The Game Commission’s pocket guide states that it is unlawful to hunt in or around any area where artificial or natural bait has been used within the past 30 days.
Beagles are a long-standing part of Pennsylvania rabbit hunting, and hunting with dogs is legal. Hunting with a group is also common. As one outfitter advises, stay in a line when working through cover and go slowly, because a flushed rabbit can bolt in any direction.
Pro Tip: Pair brush-proof pants with a slow, zigzag walking pattern. Cottontails often hold tight in the thickest cover until you are nearly on top of them, so pause every few steps to make them nervous enough to flush.
Shooting Hours and Sunday Hunting Rules for Rabbit Hunting in Pennsylvania
Legal shooting hours for rabbits match the rest of small and big game. The Game Commission’s pocket guide states that legal hunting hours for all small and big game are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Check a sunrise and sunset table for your county, since the window shifts by several minutes across the state and across the season.
Sunday hunting is the biggest rule change for 2026-27. The Game Commission announced that all 2026-27 seasons include the Sundays that fall within their listed start and end dates. The lone exception is for migratory game birds, so rabbit and hare hunters can go any Sunday between October 17 and February 28.
The commission also shifted several season end dates. Seasons that previously ended on Saturdays largely will end on Sundays, which gives you extra opportunity at the back end of winter.
Important Note: Some third-party guides still list the old split seasons with November closures and a single Sunday bonus day. Those listings reflect earlier rules. Use the Game Commission’s final 2026-27 seasons as your reference.
Hunter Orange and Public Land Rules for Rabbit Hunting in Pennsylvania
Fluorescent orange rules matter more this year because rabbit season now overlaps the firearms deer seasons. The Game Commission’s digest explains the general standard: hunters must wear 250 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange material on the head, chest and back combined, visible from 360 degrees. A hat and vest satisfies that requirement.
Camouflage orange can count too, provided the orange content reaches the required area. The pocket guide adds that camouflage fluorescent orange may satisfy the 250-square-inch rule if the orange content is at least 250 square inches. Orange is not required when only archery seasons are open for big game, but it is strongly recommended anyway.
State Game Lands Requirements
State Game Lands carry their own orange rule that applies even if you are not hunting. The digest states that it is unlawful to be on State Game Lands from Nov. 15 through Dec. 15, including Sundays designated as hunting days, without wearing at least 250 square inches of fluorescent orange, unless engaged in lawful hunting or trapping that does not require orange.
In certain Wildlife Management Units and on DMAP properties, the full orange requirement applies while moving, from one hour prior to the start of legal hunting hours until one hour past the closing of legal hunting hours. The affected units are listed in the digest, so check your WMU before you go.
Where to Hunt Public Land
State Game Lands, state forests, and pheasant release properties all offer small game cover. Huntinglocator.com singles out State Game Lands 33 in Westmoreland County, where mixed hardwoods and edge cover make good squirrel and rabbit country. Southeastern Pennsylvania’s farm country also stands out, with brushy fence rows and field edges that cottontails love.
Before any public land trip, read the current Hunting and Trapping Digest for your WMU. The Game Commission publishes it annually, and the Breezy Hill PA regulations summary also points hunters back to it for complete rules. For other Pennsylvania seasons that overlap with your rabbit trips, see our guides to bear hunting season in Pennsylvania and dove hunting season in Pennsylvania.
This article is general information, not a legal reference. Season dates, limits, and orange rules can change, so confirm every detail with the Pennsylvania Game Commission before you hunt. Safe hunting this season.