Home/Regulations/Seasons

When are the seasons?

Hunting seasons follow a rough yearly rhythm - archery deer in early autumn, the gun season around the rut, turkeys in spring. But the exact dates are set state by state and change every single year. Use the chart below for the general shape of the year, then get your real dates from your state's own agency.

⚠️ These are typical windows, not dates - and not legal advice. Seasons vary widely by state, zone, weapon and species, and they are re-set every year. The bands below only show the general months a season tends to fall in across North America. Never plan a hunt from this chart. Always confirm the current, legal dates, zones and bag limits with your state's wildlife agency (linked below) before you head out.

The general shape of the year

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🏹Deer - archery

🔫Deer - firearm

💨Deer - muzzleloader

🎺Elk

🦬Pronghorn

🫎Moose

🐻Bear

🕊️Dove

🦃Turkey - spring

🍂Turkey - fall

🦆Waterfowl

🐦Upland birds

🐇Small game

🦊Predators

Rough, typical North American windows - your state may open earlier, later, or split a season into several parts.

How seasons are set - and why the dates move

🗓️ Re-set every year

Agencies re-draw seasons annually from population surveys, harvest data and - for migratory birds - federal frameworks. Last year's dates are a hint, never a promise.

🗺️ Zones & units

Most states split into zones or game-management units, each with its own dates and limits. A season open in one county can be closed a valley over.

🏹 Weapon splits

Deer especially runs as separate archery, muzzleloader and firearm seasons - archery usually opens first, the gun season lands near the rut.

🎟️ Tags & draws

Many premium hunts (elk, moose, sheep, trophy deer) are limited-entry: you apply months ahead in a draw or lottery. Miss the application window and there's no season at all.

Timing your hunt within the window

A season can run for weeks, but the good days cluster. A few rules of thumb:

Rut beats dates. For deer, the pre-rut and rut - usually somewhere inside the firearm window - out-hunts any calendar date. Watch the cold fronts.
First and last light. Legal shooting light at dawn and dusk is prime for most game - be in position before it, not walking in.
Weather turns feed movement. A cold front, a pressure drop or the first hard freeze can flip animals on; keep a flexible day in reserve if you can.
Lead time. Buy licences early, put in for draws months ahead, and sight-in and scout well before the opener - the season countdown planner keeps you honest.

Find your state's exact dates

Every state publishes its own current seasons, zones and limits. Pick yours for the official source - the only place to get dates you can actually hunt by.

Alabama Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Alaska Alaska Department of Fish and Game Arizona Arizona Game and Fish Department Arkansas Arkansas Game and Fish Commission California California Department of Fish and Wildlife Colorado Colorado Parks and Wildlife Connecticut CT Dept of Energy and Environmental Protection (Wildlife) Delaware Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife Florida Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Georgia Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division Hawaii Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife Idaho Idaho Department of Fish and Game Illinois Illinois Department of Natural Resources Indiana Indiana DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife Iowa Iowa Department of Natural Resources Kansas Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Kentucky Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Louisiana Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Maine Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Maryland Maryland DNR Wildlife and Heritage Service Massachusetts Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan Michigan Department of Natural Resources Minnesota Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Mississippi Mississippi Dept of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Missouri Missouri Department of Conservation Montana Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Nebraska Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Nevada Nevada Department of Wildlife New Hampshire New Hampshire Fish and Game Department New Jersey New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife New Mexico New Mexico Department of Game and Fish New York New York State Dept of Environmental Conservation North Carolina North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission North Dakota North Dakota Game and Fish Department Ohio Ohio Division of Wildlife Oklahoma Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Oregon Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Game Commission Rhode Island Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife South Carolina South Carolina Department of Natural Resources South Dakota South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Tennessee Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Texas Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Utah Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Vermont Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department Virginia Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources Washington Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife West Virginia West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Wisconsin Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wyoming Wyoming Game and Fish Department

Once you know your dates, count down and get ready with the season countdown planner, brush up in the hunter-ed directory, and read the wider rules on the regulations page.

⚠️ Reference only, not legal advice. Hunting law is complex and changes yearly; only your state wildlife agency's current publications are authoritative. You are responsible for knowing and following the licences, tags, seasons, zones, weapon rules and bag limits that apply to you. Links to agencies are provided for convenience and are not endorsements.

When are the seasons?

The general shape of the year

How seasons are set - and why the dates move

Timing your hunt within the window

Find your state's exact dates

From the field, weekly.