WMU 3A, Pennsylvania
Unit info
- Game species
- Deer, Turkey, Bear
- Group
- WMU Group 3
- Area
- 1,507 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
Black Bear — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 203
Draw odds for Black Beararen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Wild Turkey — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 1,322
Draw odds for Wild Turkeyaren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 12,900
Draw odds for White-tailed Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Season & harvest data is published for Black Bear, Wild Turkey, White-tailed Deer so far. Deer, Turkey, Bear also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedWMU 3A covers south-central Pennsylvania including York and Adams counties — a predominantly agricultural landscape interspersed with woodlots, ridges, and State Game Lands that supports some of the highest deer densities in the state. Public land is limited relative to the unit's size, but liberal antlerless allocations make this a productive doe-harvest unit. Bear and turkey populations are present though secondary to deer as the primary draw.
Rolling agricultural lowlands and woodlots across York and Adams counties, with South Mountain ridges providing topographic relief along the northern edge. Farmland dominates at roughly 60-70% of the landscape; forested patches and fencerows serve as primary deer cover. Total unit area is approximately 1,508 square miles.
high
Antlered buck: over-the-counter included with general hunting license, one antlered deer per season. Antlerless: WMU 3A is a liberal-allocation unit due to high deer density in agricultural areas — multiple antlerless licenses are typically available per hunter and quotas often remain in later sale rounds. Statewide 1,469,000 antlerless licenses allocated for 2026-27, up from 1,312,000 in 2025-26. Antler restrictions apply per standard PA WMU 3A rules (3 points on one side for firearms season).
DEER — Archery: Oct 3–Nov 20 and Dec 26–Jan 24; Regular Firearms: Nov 21–Dec 5 (2026-27); Muzzleloader: Dec 26–Jan 19; Extended firearms antlerless season runs late Nov through early Dec in WMU 3A. BEAR — Archery bear Oct 17–25; Extended firearms bear Nov 28–Dec 6; bag limit 1 bear per license year; bear density is lower than north-central PA but bears present. TURKEY — Spring gobbler: May 1–31, daily/season limit 1 bearded bird; Fall turkey: Oct 31–Nov 15, shotgun or archery only. ELK — Not applicable; WMU 3A is not elk range (elk zone is WMU 2G in north-central PA).
One of PA's most productive agricultural deer units with consistently high whitetail densities; liberal antlerless tags make doe harvest accessible; proximity to major population centers (York, Harrisburg) means convenient access but heavy hunter pressure on public land; South Mountain / Michaux State Forest offers more remote hunting experiences.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about WMU 3A— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.
Nothing posted yet about WMU 3A.
Be the first — ask a question (“Best public access on the north end?”) or share a tip (“Glass the burn scars off the main ridge at first light”).
Boundaries: PA Game Commission official Wildlife Management Units. Community info last updated 23d ago.