WMU 2G, Pennsylvania

Remote north-central Pennsylvania mountains spanning Elk, McKean, Cameron, and Potter counties. Predominantly steep ridges and deep hollows covered in mixed hardwood and northern hardwood-conifer forest. Drainage basins of the Clarion, Sinnemahoning, and Susquehanna tributaries cut through the unit. Very limited agricultural land; largely wild, roadless country especially in the Hammersley Wild Area within Sproul State Forest.

Allegheny National Forest (513,000 acres across McKean and Elk counties, free access with PA license); Elk State Forest; Sproul State Forest (307,140 acres, one of the wildest public land blocks in the eastern US — Hammersley Wild Area is roadless); State Game Lands 36, 100, 134, and others in the northern tier. SGL 100 borders Sproul State Forest and is within the elk range. PA HuntMap (hunting.pa.gov) is the best tool for locating specific parcel boundaries.

low to moderate

Antlered buck — OTC included with base hunting license, one per season. Antlerless — WMU 2G has a liberal allocation (57,000 antlerless licenses for 2025-26, up from 37,000 the prior year); each hunter may hold up to 6 antlerless licenses. DMAP permits also available (up to 10,790 additional antlerless opportunities). High demand — tags sold out rapidly when sales opened. Residents guaranteed at least one antlerless license per recent PGC policy.

DEER: Archery opens statewide Oct. 3; regular firearms Nov. 21 – Dec. 5 (2026-27); flintlock/muzzleloader extended season available. Antlered OTC, antlerless by tag (liberal allocation in 2G). BEAR: Archery bear Oct. 17–25 in WMU 2G; statewide firearms bear seasons also apply. TURKEY: Spring gobbler season statewide; fall turkey in WMU 2G runs Oct. 31 – Nov. 15. ELK: WMU 2G is within PA's elk management zone. All elk licenses awarded by lottery — archery season runs mid-September, regular rifle seasons in Oct/Nov, and a late January rifle segment. 140 total elk licenses statewide (65 antlered, 75 antlerless) for 2025-26. Application deadline typically mid-July, $11.97 per application. One elk license maximum per hunter per year.

Pennsylvania's premier elk zone and one of the most remote big-game destinations in the eastern US. Massive public land base anchored by Allegheny National Forest and Sproul/Elk State Forests. Liberal antlerless deer allocation rewards hunters who target does. Roadless Hammersley Wild Area offers true backcountry hunting with very low pressure after opening weekend. Lottery elk hunting available within the unit — among the only elk opportunities in the eastern US.