Did you know Pennsylvania has a special season where you can hunt both deer and bear?
This is a special season just for muzzleloaders. These historic guns are reloaded on range. Muzzleloader season is the only time when most hunters can hunt both black bears and whitetail deer at the same time!
Pennsylvania’s Muzzleloading Special Season: October 2025
PA offers hunters with muzzleloaders to hunt deer and bear before hunters with other types of guns.
The Muzzleloader Season dates are:
- Antlerless Deer: Oct. 18-25th
- Black Bears: Oct. 23rd-25th
October 23rd-October 25th are the three days when you can hunt both deer and bears! This season does not include bucks, as antlered deer season does not start until November 29th.
Getting a Muzzleloader License and a Bear License
Hunting in Pennsylvania’s muzzleloader season requires an add-on license. For $11.97, residents can add a Resident Muzzleloader License. For non-residents, this costs $21.97. A bear license is also an add on license. A PA bear license costs $16.97 for residents and $36.97 for non-residents.
The process of getting a license is easy. Simply visit huntfishpa.gov and purchase your regular hunting license, if you haven’t already. Then, purchase your bear license and muzzleloader license so you can make the most of this extra hunting time.
What to Know about Hunting with Muzzleloaders
Muzzleloader hunting requires a lot of different skills than hunting with a rifle or shotgun. There are different types of muzzleloaders, but none take traditional bullets.
Instead, powder must be loaded into the muzzle of the gun for every shot. Then, you load a single bullet at a time, followed by primer. You’ll need special tools, like a ramrod and a shot starter. Stealth is important in muzzleloader hunting, so pick up some extra camp and learn how to be as silent as possible in the woods.
The early muzzleloader season allows any .44 caliber or larger muzzleloader. This includes those with traditional or modern ignition systems.
There are lots of resources available online to learn more. And of course, our experts are happy to help you get all the gear you need to get started muzzleloading.
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