Hunting Seasons Calendar 2026–2027: Dates & Deadlines

Hunting Seasons 2026–2027: What Is Confirmed Now

The 2025–2026 hunting season is mostly complete, but the 2026–2027 hunting season is not released everywhere at the same time. Some agencies have already posted 2026 application windows or season tables, while many state wildlife agencies still publish final fall regulations in late spring or summer.

Confirmed May 2026 planning items: Idaho fall 2026 controlled hunt applications for deer, elk, pronghorn, swan, fall black bear, and fall turkey run May 1 – June 5, 2026. Colorado's 2026 primary big game draw opened March 1 and closed April 7, 2026, so leftover, secondary draw, and returned-license paths matter more now than the primary draw itself.

Still awaiting final state releases: Many 2026–2027 deer, turkey, dove, and waterfowl tables are not final until each state publishes its regulation booklet or season notice. Use 2025–2026 dates as a planning baseline only, then confirm the exact zone, unit, weapon, and species dates before applying or buying a tag.

Best next step: pick your species first, then confirm the state. Deer planners should start with our Deer Season by State guide; turkey, dove, duck, and elk hunters should use the species guides below; and anyone deciding where to hunt should pair this calendar with our Hunting Season Finder and individual state pages.

Key Season Dates at a Glance (2025–2026 Baseline)

The following 2025–2026 season examples are useful for early planning because many states keep similar calendar shapes from year to year. Treat them as a baseline, not legal authority for 2026–2027, until the relevant state wildlife agency posts the new regulation booklet:

Texas (TPWD) — Archery: Sep 27 – Oct 31, 2025. General deer (North Zone): Nov 1, 2025 – Jan 6, 2026. General deer (South Zone): Nov 1, 2025 – Jan 19, 2026. Muzzleloader: Jan 5–18, 2026. Mule deer (Panhandle): Nov 22 – Dec 7, 2025. Youth-only: Oct 24–26, 2025 & Jan 5–18, 2026.

Wisconsin (DNR) — Archery/Crossbow: Sep 13, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026. Gun deer (statewide 9-day): Nov 22–30, 2025. Muzzleloader: Dec 1–10, 2025. Youth hunt: Oct 11–12, 2025. Antlerless-only holiday hunt: Dec 24, 2025 – Jan 1, 2026.

Pennsylvania (Game Commission) — Archery (statewide): Oct 4 – Nov 21, 2025 & Dec 26, 2025 – Jan 19, 2026. Antlerless muzzleloader: Oct 18–25, 2025. Regular firearms: Nov 29 – Dec 13, 2025. Flintlock: Dec 26, 2025 – Jan 19, 2026. Expanded Sunday hunting: 13 Sundays from Sep 14 – Dec 7, 2025 (enabled by Act 36 of 2025, which fully repealed PA's Sunday hunting ban).

Colorado (CPW) — Archery elk/deer: late Aug – Sep (varies by GMU). Rifle elk: Oct – Nov across four rifle seasons. Note: Major OTC tag changes for 2025–2026 season — see "What Changed" section below.

Michigan (DNR) — Archery: Oct 1, 2025 – Nov 14, 2025 & Dec 1, 2025 – Jan 1, 2026. Firearm: Nov 15–30, 2025. Muzzleloader (Zone 1 & 2): Dec 6–21, 2025. Late antlerless firearm: Dec 22, 2025 – Jan 1, 2026 (private land only in select DMUs).

Georgia (WRD) — Archery: Sep 13 – Oct 10, 2025. Primitive weapons: Oct 11–17, 2025. Firearms: Oct 18 – Jan 11, 2026 (varies by zone). Extended archery in some counties through Jan 31, 2026.

For all 50 states, visit our state pages to move from broad calendar timing into state-specific license, tag, and agency links.

What Changed for the 2025–2026 and 2026 Seasons

Several significant regulatory changes affect hunters in the current and upcoming seasons:

Colorado OTC elk tag eliminations — Starting in 2025, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) eliminated non-resident OTC archery elk tags for most Game Management Units (GMUs) west of I-25 and GMU 140. Beginning in 2026, OTC bull elk tags for the 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons in GMUs 54, 55, and 551 (northern Gunnison Basin) were also eliminated. The entire Gunnison Basin is now under a fully limited license system. Non-resident OTC archery elk tags remain available only for specific units east of I-25 (hunt codes E-F-133-U1-A and E-E-087-U1-A). Non-resident OTC rifle elk tags are still available for 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons in many western units outside the Gunnison Basin. Looking ahead, Colorado is planning a 50/50 split draw system and standardized 25% non-resident allocation for 2028.

Pennsylvania expanded Sunday hunting — Governor Josh Shapiro signed Act 36 of 2025 on July 9, 2025, fully repealing Pennsylvania's longstanding Sunday hunting ban. The Game Commission approved 13 Sunday hunting dates for the 2025–2026 season (Sep 14 – Dec 7, 2025). On these Sundays, any game in season may be hunted except migratory game birds. Hunters on private land must carry written permission from the landowner.

New Jersey fall turkey closure — The NJ Fish and Game Council voted on March 11, 2025 to close the fall either-sex turkey season statewide, citing continuously declining wild turkey harvest trends since the early 2000s. This reduces the total number of states with fall turkey hunting to 40 (per NWTF). The closure aims to improve hen survival and reproduction.

Always verify changes with your state's official wildlife agency before planning your hunt.

2026 Big Game Draw Deadlines — May Planning Check

If you are planning a Western big game hunt for fall 2026, the calendar is now a mix of closed primary draws, active application windows, upcoming resident deadlines, and later leftover-license opportunities. Missing a primary draw does not always end the season plan, but it changes the backup path.

Wyoming — Non-resident elk: deadline was February 2, 2026 (closed). Resident elk and all deer: June 1, 2026. Non-resident elk applicants can modify applications until May 8, 2026.

New Mexico — Big game draw applications for elk, deer, pronghorn, oryx, and ibex closed in March 2026. If you missed the draw, check leftover, returned tag, and private-land options before assuming the hunt is impossible.

Montana — Big game, elk, and deer combination applications closed April 1, 2026. Deer B and Elk B permits commonly sit on a separate June deadline, so hunters should verify the exact permit type before writing off the year.

Colorado — Primary draw for elk, deer, pronghorn, bear, and moose ran March 1 – April 7, 2026. For May planning, focus on result dates, secondary draw options, leftover licenses, returned tags, and the units affected by OTC elk changes.

Idaho — Controlled hunt applications for fall 2026 deer, elk, pronghorn, swan, fall black bear, and fall turkey run May 1 – June 5, 2026. Results are typically posted in early July, and hunters should use the current Idaho rules booklet before selecting hunt numbers.

For detailed tag costs and state-specific requirements, check our individual state hunting license pages. Planning to hunt out of state? See our hunting license reciprocity guide to understand which credentials transfer between states.

2026–2027 Season Query Quick Answers

New York hunting season 2026–2027: New York is one of the highest-interest season queries in our cluster, but hunters should expect the final 2026–2027 deer and turkey timing to depend on DEC updates later in the cycle. For planning, use the New York state page for purchase rules and use Deer Season by State if your real question is the bow, firearm, or muzzleloader structure.

Georgia dove season 2026–2027: Georgia's rule table already includes 2026–2027 dove dates, but public fields and quota hunts can use slightly different split structures. A common 2026–2027 pattern is Sep 5, Sep 12, Sep 19 – Oct 11, late-November dates, and Dec 19 – Jan 31. The best follow-up route is the Georgia hunting license page plus our Dove Hunting License guide.

Florida turkey season 2027: Searchers often mean the next spring gobbler window, but Florida sets turkey timing by zone. The current FWC planning pattern is south of State Road 70 first, then north of State Road 70 later in spring, so use the Florida hunting license page and the Turkey Hunting License guide until the final 2027 notice is posted.

Alabama turkey season 2027: Alabama turkey hunters should treat the current spring framework as a planning cue, not a locked 2027 date. Outdoor Alabama's 2025–2026 turkey season page shows why this query belongs on the season hub first: spring timing can differ between national forest districts and the rest of the state, so start with the Alabama hunting license page before assuming one statewide opener tells the whole story.

Tennessee turkey season 2027: Tennessee already shows how this query behaves in practice. TWRA has confirmed April 4–5, 2026 for the Young Sportsman hunt and April 11 – May 24, 2026 for the statewide spring season, which makes the current Tennessee structure a useful baseline while hunters wait for the next full 2027 update on the Tennessee hunting license page.

Texas turkey season 2027: Texas is the cleanest example of why the season hub should own broad dated demand. TPWD has already published 2026–2027 turkey timing, including North Zone Apr 3 – May 16, 2027, South Zone Mar 20 – May 2, 2027, and East Zone Apr 22 – May 14, 2027. Hunters should still branch into the Texas hunting license page for county rules, tags, and zone context.

North Carolina deer season 2026–2027: North Carolina deer demand is really a zone-structure query. The current pattern breaks deer into northeastern, southeastern, central, northwestern, and western seasons with separate archery, blackpowder, and gun windows, so this should route first to Deer Season by State and then to the North Carolina hunting license page when the new digest posts.

Muzzleloader season: Generic muzzleloader season searches are almost never asking for one national date. Hunters usually need the state and species combination, especially for deer. Use our Deer Season by State guide for the best national comparison, then narrow the answer with the Hunting Season Finder or the matching state page.

Deer Season Dates by State

Deer hunting is the most popular hunting activity in America. Most states break deer season into archery, firearm, and muzzleloader segments. Here's how season timing compares across key states (2025–2026 verified dates):

Archery season opens first — ranging from mid-September (Wisconsin: Sep 13) to early October (Pennsylvania: Oct 4). Archery seasons are the longest, often running 2 to 4 months. Wisconsin's archery/crossbow season runs nearly four months through Jan 4.

Firearm season timing varies dramatically. Wisconsin's iconic gun season is just 9 days (Nov 22–30). Pennsylvania's regular firearms runs 15 days (Nov 29 – Dec 13). Texas's general season runs over two months (Nov 1 – Jan 6/19 depending on zone). Southern states like Alabama and Georgia often extend into January or February.

Muzzleloader season is usually a short 1–2 week window. Pennsylvania: Oct 18–25. Wisconsin: Dec 1–10. Texas: Jan 5–18.

Late seasons offer bonus opportunities in December through February. Pennsylvania has extended firearms in select WMUs (Dec 26 – Jan 24). Wisconsin runs a holiday antlerless hunt Dec 24 – Jan 1.

For detailed deer season info including license costs and tag prices, see our deer hunting license guide. Key state pages: Texas (longest season), Wisconsin (famous 9-day gun season), and Pennsylvania (newly expanded Sunday hunting).

Elk Season Dates by State

Elk hunting is concentrated in Western states — Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, and New Mexico. Here's how the 2025–2026 season timing compares:

Archery elk season opens first, typically in late August to mid-September, coinciding with the elk rut (breeding season). Colorado and Montana open in late August. Idaho and Wyoming typically open in early September.

Rifle elk season runs October through November. Colorado has four separate rifle seasons each lasting about 9 days. Montana's general season runs five weeks from late October through late November. Wyoming's general season varies by hunt area.

Tag requirements — Most elk tags require a draw/lottery system. Colorado's 2026 primary draw runs March 1 – April 7. In many premium units, non-resident draw odds are under 5%. Note: Colorado's OTC elk tag availability has changed significantly — see the "What Changed" section above for details on the 2025–2026 OTC eliminations.

For elk tag costs and state-by-state breakdown, see our elk hunting license guide.

Turkey Season Dates by State

Turkey hunting has two distinct seasons — spring and fall. Here's the timing breakdown:

Spring turkey season runs from mid-March through late May. Southern states open first — Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia typically start in mid-March. Northern states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and New York open in late April or early May. Only male turkeys (toms/gobblers) may be harvested. Spring seasons typically last 4 to 6 weeks, with many states splitting them by zone.

Fall turkey season is available in 40 states as of 2025 (per NWTF — New Jersey closed its fall season in 2025), typically from October through December. Both sexes may usually be harvested. Bag limits tend to be more liberal than spring.

Top turkey hunting states include Missouri, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. For turkey tag costs and season details, see our turkey hunting license guide.

Waterfowl (Duck and Goose) Season

Waterfowl seasons are set within a federal framework by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). States choose their specific dates within federal windows:

Duck season — The federal framework allows up to 60 days between late September and late January. Most states split this into 2 to 3 segments. Daily bag limits are typically 6 ducks with species-specific sub-limits (e.g., 2 mallard hens, 1 pintail).

Goose season — Canada goose seasons vary widely, with early resident goose seasons opening as early as September 1. Regular seasons run October through February. Light goose conservation seasons extend into March.

Required permits — Beyond your state hunting license, you need: a Federal Duck Stamp ($25 for the 2025–2026 stamp year) valid July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026, a state waterfowl stamp ($5–$25 depending on state), and Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration.

The Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic Flyways each have different season structures and bag limits. For more details, see our duck hunting license guide.

Dove and Small Game Season

Small game seasons are often the longest and most accessible — ideal for beginners and budget-conscious hunters since they typically require only a basic hunting license:

Dove — Mourning dove season opens September 1 in many states, marking the start of fall hunting. The federal USFWS framework sets a daily bag limit of 15 doves (mourning and white-winged combined), with a possession limit of three times the daily bag. Dove season runs in 2 to 3 splits from September through January.

Pheasant — Opens in October, runs through December or January. South Dakota is the top pheasant destination, followed by Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska. See our pheasant hunting license guide.

Quail — Seasons run October through February in southern states. Bobwhite quail hunting is popular in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Georgia.

Rabbit and Squirrel — Among the longest seasons, often September through February or year-round in some states. Excellent for new hunters learning field skills.

See our dove hunting license guide for state-by-state information.

Bear Season Dates by State

Bear seasons are more limited and vary significantly by state. Here's what you need to know:

Black bear seasons typically run September through November. Legal hunting methods vary significantly by state — baiting is allowed in Maine, Wisconsin, and Michigan; hound hunting in Virginia, Idaho, and Montana; Colorado is spot-and-stalk only. These method restrictions are a major factor in choosing where to hunt.

Top states for bear hunting: Pennsylvania (over 4,000 bears harvested annually, OTC tags with no draw required), Michigan, Wisconsin, Maine, Idaho, and Montana.

Most bear hunts require a separate tag or permit, and many states use a draw/lottery system. Pennsylvania stands out for offering over-the-counter bear tags, making it one of the most accessible states for bear hunting. For bear tag costs, see our bear hunting license guide.

Wild Hog & Predator Hunting: Year-Round Seasons

While most hunting seasons are limited to specific windows, feral hog and predator hunting offer year-round opportunities in many states — making them ideal for hunters who want to stay active between traditional seasons.

Feral hog hunting is open year-round on private land in many southern and western states, including Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, South Carolina, and California. Private-land license exceptions can apply in places such as Texas or Florida for specific hog-control situations, but hunters still need landowner permission and should verify the current state rule before assuming no license path applies. Most of these states have no bag limit on feral hogs due to their status as a destructive invasive species. The USDA estimates feral hogs cause over $2.5 billion in agricultural damage annually across the US.

Night hunting for hogs is permitted in many of these states on private land — Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and South Carolina all allow night hunting with landowner permission. Some states require notifying local law enforcement before night hunting. Night vision and thermal optics are legal in most states for hog hunting.

Coyote hunting is open year-round in the majority of US states with no bag limit. Most states classify coyotes as non-game or predator animals. Popular methods include calling (distress calls, howling), spot-and-stalk, and hunting with dogs. Some states like Texas and Oklahoma also allow year-round hunting of other predators including feral cats and certain furbearers.

For hunters looking to keep their skills sharp during the off-season, hog and predator hunting provide affordable, accessible opportunities without the draw applications and limited tags associated with big game. See our wild hog hunting license guide for state-by-state rules.

Month-by-Month Hunting Calendar

Use this monthly reference to plan your year. It shows the normal season rhythm first, then points out where 2026–2027 dates still need a state-level confirmation:

January – February: Late deer seasons (TX South Zone closes Jan 19, AL through Feb 10). Late archery. Waterfowl winding down. Light goose conservation seasons opening. Coyote hunting year-round in most states.

March – April: Spring turkey opens in the South, snow goose conservation seasons remain active in some flyways, and many Western primary draw deadlines close before fall hunters are thinking about opening day.

May – June: Spring turkey wraps up in northern states. Idaho controlled hunts run May 1 – June 5, several Western permit deadlines land around June 1, and many agencies publish or update the next regulation booklet.

July – August: New license years and stamp years often begin around July 1. Leftover lists, secondary draws, and returned tags become important. Early archery elk and deer preparation begins for late-August and September openers where dates are confirmed.

September: Dove season opens (Sep 1 in many states). Archery deer opens: WI (mid-Sep), TX (late Sep). Archery elk at peak rut. Early goose. Teal season. Squirrel season opens in the East.

October: Peak archery deer. Pheasant opens (SD, KS, IA, NE). Quail opens in the South. Muzzleloader in PA (mid-Oct). Bear seasons in PA, MI, WI, ID.

November: Peak firearm deer nationwide. WI 9-day gun season (late Nov). PA firearms (late Nov – mid Dec). TX general in full swing. Peak waterfowl migration. Rifle elk in CO, MT.

December: Late muzzleloader (WI Dec 1–10, PA flintlock Dec 26+). Waterfowl late splits. WI holiday antlerless hunt (Dec 24 – Jan 1). Many seasons close Dec 31.

Hunting License Year: When to Buy & Renew

Understanding your state's license year is critical for planning. Hunting licenses are not purchased on a calendar year — each state sets its own license year, and buying at the wrong time can mean paying for a license that expires before your season opens.

Most common license year: July 1 – June 30. This is the standard in states like California, Montana, and many others. The Federal Duck Stamp ($25) also follows this period. If you buy on June 15, you're paying for just two weeks of validity.

April 1 – March 31: Several states including Wisconsin and Colorado use this cycle. Wisconsin's Go Wild system automatically sets your license to expire on March 31.

Calendar year (Jan 1 – Dec 31): Some eastern states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan use a calendar year format.

Date of purchase + 365 days: A few states issue licenses valid for one year from the date of purchase, giving you maximum flexibility.

Pro tip: Buy your license as close to the start of the new license year as possible to maximize value. Set a calendar reminder for your state's renewal date — many states offer early-bird purchase options. For specific renewal procedures, see our hunting license renewal guide.

How to Find Your State's Exact Season Dates

Season dates change every year and vary by region, weapon type, public/private land, species, and unit. The safest workflow is to use this page for planning, then verify the final date in the official state system before you buy or apply.

State wildlife agency websites are the final source for state-managed species such as deer, elk, turkey, bear, pheasant, and most small game. Every state publishes annual hunting regulations online, usually as a web page, PDF booklet, interactive calendar, or mobile app.

Federal migratory bird frameworks matter for ducks, geese, doves, rails, woodcock, and other migratory birds. The US Fish and Wildlife Service sets the outside framework, then states select season dates and splits inside that framework. That is why dove and waterfowl pages must be checked state by state.

Each of our 50 state pages includes hunting season overviews, license costs, and direct links to the state agency. High-interest season pages to check next include New York, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Colorado, and Idaho.

Frequently Asked Questions