An essential part of hunting ethically and responsibly while also avoiding fines and poaching charges is becoming familiar with (and only hunting during) the confines of hunting seasons set by state and federal legislators.

The following compilation of links and general hunting season dates will provide a starting point for hunters to begin familiarizing themselves with each state’s hunting seasons for popular big game and upland (non-migratory) small game species.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The information below is only a basic overview of general time periods in which various hunting seasons throughout the United States occur. Like most other laws and regulations, the details of hunting seasons are sprawling and complex and cannot be efficiently summarized. For every general hunting season date range, there might be dozens of exceptions and modifications. For example, a state’s combined deer seasons might run from September to December, but it will only be legal to hunt with a modern firearm during a limited portion of that date range. Some regions of a state may have deer seasons at different times of the year and for different durations, and there might even be different seasons for public and private land. To learn about the detailed specifics of the nation’s hunting seasons, click on each state to navigate to the corresponding department of fish and game website.

 

Alabama

Deer: October - February

Dove: September - January

Turkey: March – April and November – January

Quail: November – February

Rabbit/Squirrel: September –March

 

Alaska

Most big game seasons occur between August and February.

Small game seasons occur between August and April.

 

Arizona

Deer: August – January

Bear: August – December and March – June

Elk: August – November

Antelope: August – September

Turkey: October and April/May

Small game Birds: September - February 

 

Arkansas

Deer: September – February

Bear: September – December

Elk: October

Turkey: April

Quail/Rabbit: September – February

Squirrel: May – February

Feral Hog: No closed season

California

Deer: August – November

Bear: August – December

Pronghorn: August – September

Elk: August – December

Bighorn Sheep: December – February

Feral Hog: No closed season

Turkey: March – May and November – December

Game birds: August – February

Rabbit: July – January

Squirrel: September –January

 

Colorado

Deer/Elk: August – December

Moose:  September – October

Pronghorn: September – October

Bear: September – November

Game Birds: September – January

Rabbit: October – February

 

Connecticut

Deer: September – December

Turkey: April – May and September – January

Pheasant: January – February and October - December

Grouse/Quail: October – November

Rabbit/Hare: October – December and January – February

 

Delaware

Deer: September – January

Pheasant: November – February

Quail: November – January

Rabbit: November – February

 

Florida

Deer: July – February

Turkey: February – April and July – January

Quail: July – March

Rabbit: No closed season

Feral Hog: No closed season

 

Georgia

Deer: September – January

Bear: September – January

Dove: September – January

Grouse: October – February

Quail: November – February

Rabbit: November – February

Squirrel: August – February

 

Hawaii

Feral hog and goat: February – May or no closed seasons in some areas

Deer: September – December

Game birds: November – January

Turkey: March - April

 

Idaho

Deer: August – October

Elk: August – December

Pronghorn: August – December

Black Bear: august – November and April – July

Moose: August – December

Bighorn sheep: August – October

Mountain goat: August – November

Game birds: August – January

Turkey: April – May and September – December

Rabbit/Hare: August – March

 

Illinois

Deer: October – December

Turkey: March – May and October – January

Rabbit: November – February

Upland game birds: November – January

 

Indiana

Deer: September – January

Squirrel: August – January

Rabbit and upland game birds: November – February

 

Iowa

Deer: September – Jan

Turkey: April – May

Upland Game Birds: October – January

Rabbit: September - February

 

Kansas

Deer: January

Pronghorn: October

Elk: September – December

Turkey: April –May and October – November

Upland Game Birds: November – January

Rabbit: No closed season

 

Kentucky

Deer: September – January

Turkey: September – December and April – May

Grouse/Quail/Rabbit:  November – February

Louisiana

Deer: October – January

Feral Hog: No closed seasons

Turkey: April - May

Rabbit/Squirrel: October – February

Quail/Pheasant: November – February

 

Maine

Deer: September – December

Bear: August – November

Moose: September – November

Turkey: April –May and October –November

Upland game birds: October – December

Hare: October - March

 

Maryland

Deer: September – January

Turkey: January, April –May, November

Upland game birds: October – January

Rabbit: November – February

Massachusetts

Deer: September – December

Black bear: September – November

Turkey: April –May and October –November

Upland game birds: October – November

Rabbit/Hare: October – February

 

Michigan

Deer: September – December

Black bear: September - October

Turkey: April –May and September - December

Rabbit/Hare: September – March

Upland Game Birds: September – December

 

Minnesota

Deer: September – December

Bear: September – October

Turkey: April – May and September – October

Upland game birds: September – January

Rabbit: September - February

Mississippi

Deer: September – February

Turkey: March – May and October – November

Quail: November – March

Rabbit: October - February

 

Missouri

Deer: September – January

Turkey: April – May and September – November

Rabbit: October – February

Quail/Pheasant: November – January

 

Montana

Pronghorn: August – November

Bighorn sheep: September – November

Bison: November – February

Black Bear: April – June and September – November

Deer/Elk: September – November

Mountain Goat: September – November

Turkey: April – May and September – January

Upland game birds: September – January

 

Nebraska

Deer: September – January

Pronghorn: August – January

Elk: September – December

Bighorn Sheep: November – December

Turkey: March –May and September –January

Upland game birds: September – January

Rabbit: September - February

 

Nevada

Elk: August – January

Deer: August – December

Bighorn Sheep: October – December

Turkey: March – May and October

Upland game birds: September – February

Rabbit: October – February

 

New Hampshire

Deer: September – December

Black Bear: September – December

Turkey: May and September – October

Upland game birds: October – December

Rabbit: October – December

 

New Jersey

Deer: September – January

Black Bear: October

Turkey: April – May and October – November

Upland Game Birds: October – January

Rabbit: September – February

 

New Mexico

Deer: September – January

Elk: September – January

Pronghorn: August – October

Bighorn Sheep: August –March

Black bear: August - October

Turkey: April – May and November

Upland game birds: September – February

 

New York

Deer: September – December

Black bear: September – December

Turkey: April - May and October – December

Upland game birds: October – February

Rabbit: October - February

 

North Carolina

Deer: September – January

Bear: October – January

Turkey: April – May

Upland game birds: October – February

Rabbit: November – February

 

North Dakota

Deer: September – December

Bighorn Sheep: September – December

Elk: September – December

Pronghorn: September - October

Moose: September – November

Turkey: April – May

Upland game birds: September – January

Rabbit: No closed season

 

Ohio

Deer: September – February

Turkey: April – May and October – November

Upland game birds: October – January

Rabbit: November – February

 

Oklahoma

Deer: October – January

Elk: October- January

Black bear: October – November

Turkey: March – May and October – November

Upland game birds: November – January

Rabbit: October – March

 

Oregon

Deer: August – December

Elk: August - December

Turkey: April – May and October – December

Upland game birds: September – January

 

Pennsylvania

Deer: September – December

Black bear: October – December

Turkey: April – May and October – November

Upland game birds: October – February

Rabbit: October – February

 

Rhode Island

Deer: September – January

Turkey: April – May and October

Upland game birds: October – February

Rabbit: October –February

 

South Carolina

Deer: September – January

Turkey: March – May

Quail: September – March

Rabbit: September - March

 

South Dakota

Deer: September – December

Pronghorn: August – October

Bighorn Sheep: September – December

Elk: September – January

Mountain Goat: September – December

Buffalo: October – November

Turkey: April – May and November – January

Upland game birds: September – January

Rabbit: September – February’

 

Tennessee

Deer: September – January

Black bear: September - December

Turkey: March – May and September – November

Upland game birds: October – February

Rabbit: November - February

 

Texas

Deer: September – January

Pronghorn: September – October

Upland game birds: October – February

Turkey: March – May and October – January

Rabbit: No closed season

 

Utah

Deer: August – October

Elk: August – November

Pronghorn: August – November

Bighorn sheep, Mountain Goat, Bison: September – December

Black bear: March – August and November

Turkey: April – May and November – January

Upland game birds: September – February

Rabbit: September – February

 

Vermont

Deer: October – December

Turkey: April – May and October – November

Upland game birds: September – December

Rabbit/Hare: September - March

 

Virginia

Deer: October – April

Black bear: October – January

Turkey: April – May and October – January

Upland game birds: October – February

Rabbit: November - February

 

Washington

Deer: September – December

Elk: August – December

Black bear: August – November

Turkey: April – May and September – December

Upland game birds: September – December

Rabbit: September – March

 

West Virginia

Deer: September – December

Bear: September - December

Turkey: April – May and October – November

Upland game birds: November – February

Rabbit: November - February

 

Wisconsin

Deer: September – December

Black bear: September – October

Upland game birds: September – March

Rabbit: September - February

 

Wyoming

Deer: September – December

Pronghorn: August – November

Elk: August – January

Moose: September – November

Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goat: August – December

Turkey: April – May and September to December

Upland game birds: September – December

Rabbit: September - March