Yes. To hunt fox in Pennsylvania you need a furtaker license, not a general hunting license. A resident adult furtaker license costs $20.97, and a nonresident adult license costs $81.97.1Pennsylvania Game Commission. License Types Fox is classified as a furbearer under state law, which puts it outside the species covered by the standard hunting license that most deer and small-game hunters already carry.
Why Fox Falls Under the Furtaker License
Under 58 Pa. Code § 133.5, the Pennsylvania Game Commission lists every species classified as a furbearer. Both red and gray fox are on that list, along with bobcat, otter, muskrat, beaver, mink, skunk, opossum, raccoon, and weasel.2Cornell Law Institute. 58 Pa Code 133.5 – Furbearers Any species on that list generally requires a furtaker license to hunt or trap.
Two furbearers break that pattern. Coyotes and porcupines can be taken with either a general hunting license or a furtaker license.2Cornell Law Institute. 58 Pa Code 133.5 – Furbearers Fox gets no such exception. Hunters who already carry a general hunting license for deer or small game sometimes assume it covers fox too, and that assumption can lead to a citation.
Fox Season, Hours, and Bag Limits
For the 2025–2026 license year, Pennsylvania’s fox season runs from October 25 through February 21, 2026. There is no daily bag limit and no season limit, and Sunday hunting is permitted throughout the season.3Pennsylvania Game Commission. Seasons and Bag Limits Red fox and gray fox share the same dates and rules.
Fox may be hunted at any hour, day or night.4Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. 58 Pa Code 141.4 – Hunting Hours If your fox hunting overlaps with the regular firearms deer season, watch for any temporary restrictions the Game Commission posts for that period.
Equipment and Orange Rules
Hunters pursuing fox on foot at night may use a handheld light, including a gun-mounted light, and electronic callers are legal.5Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. 58 Pa Code 141.6 – Illegal Devices Lawful firearms, bows, and crossbows are all permitted. Shotgun magazines must be limited to a two-shell capacity when hunting furbearers.
Fluorescent orange is not required for fox or other furbearers. The one orange rule tied to furbearer hunting applies only to coyotes: coyote hunters must wear 250 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange during the regular firearms deer season or any bear season. That requirement does not extend to fox. If you’re hunting fox during a period that overlaps with firearms deer season, wearing orange anyway is a sensible precaution even when the law doesn’t require it.
Fox Chasing With Hounds Is Different
Pennsylvania has a long tradition of fox chasing, where organized packs of foxhounds pursue foxes for sport rather than harvest. Any fox hunting club, organization, or individual using a pack of five or more foxhounds may apply to the Game Commission for a permit to chase foxes on horseback during designated periods.6Pennsylvania General Assembly. 34 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes 2945 – Fox Chasing
Participants in a permitted fox chase are not required to hold a furtaker license.6Pennsylvania General Assembly. 34 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes 2945 – Fox Chasing The permit covers the activity. If you intend to harvest the fox, you need the furtaker license.
Penalties for Hunting Fox Without the License
Hunting or trapping furbearers without the required license is a summary offense under Pennsylvania’s Game Code. For fox and most other furbearers, the violation is a summary offense of the fifth degree. Bobcat and otter violations are classified one step higher at the fourth degree.7Pennsylvania General Assembly. Title 34 – Game, Chapter 23 A conviction brings a fine and can affect your ability to buy future hunting licenses. A game warden checking licenses in the field will look specifically for the furtaker license if you have fox in your possession.
How to Buy a Furtaker License
Furtaker licenses are sold online through the Game Commission’s HuntFishPA platform and in person at authorized issuing agents, including sporting goods stores and county treasurer offices.8Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Purchase a Hunting and Trapping License Online purchases generate a digital copy immediately, which is useful if you’re buying close to opening day. Because fox hunting requires no harvest tag, the digital license works in the field without waiting for the physical document, which can take up to 20 business days to arrive.9Pennsylvania Game Commission. Licensing FAQs
First-time hunters and trappers must complete Pennsylvania’s Hunter-Trapper Education course before buying any license. The in-person course is free and open to anyone age 11 or older, and an online version is available to Pennsylvania residents age 16 and older.10Pennsylvania Game Commission. Hunter-Trapper Education Hunting license privileges begin at age 12. Pennsylvania’s Mentored Youth Hunting Program, which lets young hunters take the field with a licensed mentor before completing education, does not include fox on its approved species list.11Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Purchase a Mentored Hunting Permit A young hunter interested in fox will need to finish the course and then purchase a junior license and a furtaker license.