Hello, non resident planning to hunt in PA this 2015/16 season.  I hunted there briefly last year.   I understand that to shoot a doe in this particular county that I'm in (forgot name, it is east of Pittsburgh & NW of Johnstown) I need to send in for a doe tag for rifle season.  If I want to get a doe during bow season, do I have to do the same?  Would I be able to harvest a doe during bow and during rifle season? If so, would that require two doe tags?
Also, are crossbows allowed across the board for everyone?  And when is the earliest that I can get a hunting permit and send in for the doe tags?  Thanks for any help.

In order to take an antlerless deer, you need to apply for a permit in the WMU (wildlife management unit) you plan on hunting. You can find these WMU's on the PA Game Commission web site.

Then, depending on the season, you would be able to take an anterless deer if the season permits.

So, to answer your question, if you get a "doe" permit, you can take a doe during archery season and then hunt for a buck during the regular gun season. You can also send for multiple "doe" permits as long as the supply lasts so that you could possibly take another doe during buck season if you have a doe license for the WMU you are hunting.

Crossbows are legal in PA.

Pa starts selling licenses in June, Doe applications go In in July/august.  So keep an eye out for the dates.  

You are out of state so you will need to submit your applications two weeks after the residents can.  The dates will be posted of the pgc website and in the book you get with your licenses.

There are also DMAP doe tags, for certain areas of the state.  Depending on the WMA you may only get one doe tag.  Closer to Pittsburgh you can walk in and buy them all season long.

Good luck.

Thanks a lot guys.  So I would need two "doe tags" to harvest one doe with bow and one doe with rifle?  Is the doe tag generic for either bow or rifle season?  Thanks again

Yes and yes. If you want to shoot two doe you need two tags. They can be used anytime antlerless deer are in season.



 

During the rifle season certain WMU's only allow doe to be taken on certain dates. I hunt 2A, so if i want to take a doe during rifle season i have to wait until the first Saturday before i can. you'll want to check that the WMU you plan on taking a doe in doesn't have that restrction.

When did this change?  You never needed a separate doe tag for archery or blackpowder before.  The archery or blackpowder tag was good for one deer, antlered or not.  It was up to you what you wanted to shoot with that tag.  If you wanted a second doe you would need an extra tag/doe license.

Jq66  I do not follow your post logic.

Anyway, This is how it is now and has been for many years.  You buy a license and it gives you one tag for antlered (which can be used in late flintlock for a doe).   Then you buy doe tags, they are sold by WMA.  You need one tag per doe killed with any type of weapon.  You can buy multiple doe tags.  There are also DMAP tags, and then some extra type tags for certain areas.  These tags are not specific to archery or muzzle loader or rifle seasons.  

Each WMA has a season that may be different form others, such as you can shoot a doe all year long in any season, or no does the first week of rifle, You need to read the book for details.

Your information is outdated. It changed several years ago. It used to be if you bought an archery license, you could take either a buck or a doe, but then you were done hunting, period. Take a doe, no hunting for buck.

Now, in order to take a doe, you need to have a permit for the WMU's you are hunting. An unused "buck" tag could be used to take a doe in any WMU during the late season flintlock season. If you used your buck tag on a buck during the regular gun season and wanted to hunt flintlock, you need to get a doe tag. You could send for multiple doe tags as long as they did not sell out. You are only allowed to take (1) buck per year. You can take multiple doe's depending on how may doe tags you get.

Archery license = (1) buck

Archery license + WMU doe tag = (1) buck & (1) doe in WMU

Regular license = (1) buck

Regular license + WMU doe tag = (1) buck & (1) doe in WMU

Unused regular license + muzzleloader license = (1) buck or (1) doe in any WMU

Muzzleloader license + WMU doe tag = (1) doe in WMU

AN archery license ONLY means that you can hunt with a bow during the archery season, There are no tags associated with it.  You must use your general license buck tag or a WMA doe tag.