New York Hunting Season 2026–27: Dates, Regulations & More

*The New York season dates have been updated in July, 2026. Information is checked from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

New York offers some of the most diverse hunting opportunities in the Northeast, but each species has its own season dates, regulations, and hunting requirements.

From whitetail deer and black bears in the Adirondacks to spring turkey and waterfowl along the state’s lakes and farmland, hunters need to know the current season schedules before heading into the field.

This New York hunting season guide covers the latest dates for deer, turkey, bear, small game, and waterfowl seasons, as well as licenses and key regulations every hunter should know.

Key Differences: This Season vs. Last Season

• Earn-a-Second-Buck (EA2B) Rules: The DEC switched to the Earn-a-Second-Buck (EA2B) system. Everyone gets one buck tag with their license, but if you want a second buck, you must harvest and report an antlerless deer first.
• More DMP Options (Up to 4 Tags): You can now apply for up to 4 DMPs: 2 in limited-quota WMUs and 2 in unlimited WMUs. Now you can accept an unlimited number of transferred DMPs from other hunters.
• Expanded September Antlerless Season: 10 additional WMUs (3P, 6P, 7F, 7H, 7J, 7R, 8H, 8R, 8S, and 9G) have been added to the 9-day mid-September antlerless season, giving you an earlier window to earn tag #2.
• Synthetic Scent Lures Only: Natural deer urine, saliva, or gland-based scents remain strictly prohibited to prevent Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) transmission. Stick to 100% synthetic lures.
• HPAI (Avian Flu) Waterfowl Safety: It has recently been detected in New York State in many species of waterfowl. Avoid targeting or handling birds showing neurological symptoms.
• Mandatory 7-Day Reporting: All harvested deer, bear, and wild turkey must be reported within 7 days of harvest (via the HuntFishNY app, online portal, or phone line).

New York Hunting Seasons 2026

While the specific dates for each year’s hunting seasons will be a bit different, you can reliably predict which months you can hunt each species, and which weapon you’re allowed to use.

For larger game, like deer and turkey, seasons are organized by weapon type, oftentimes with archery seasons book-ending the regular rifle and shotgun seasons.

The state is also split up into a Northern and Southern zone, each with different regulations and season dates.

These regulations are made in coordination with the state’s conservation agency to ensure that hunter impact doesn’t negatively affect the animal populations.

Always be sure to check the state regulations closely before your trip to make sure you avoid getting into any trouble with conservation officers.

Deer Hunting Seasons

The whitetail, America’s favorite wild game animal, lives in droves across the state. Deer are so plentiful that hunters harvest around 200,000 deer a year, and there are still concerns about overpopulation.

New York deer season is divided into different zones, as specific hunting seasons can vary based on location.

The following will detail the general dates one can hunt whitetails with your preferred weapon for both the Northern and Southern zones in 2026.

Bowhunting

New York offers bowhunters plentiful opportunities to hunt for whitetails. On top of being able to use a bow during the regular rifle season, there is both an early and late bowhunting-only season.

This allows bowhunters the ability to take advantage of the rut and have several chances on a target buck in the late season if they miss.

Regular

This is the gun season. Opening day is reliably scheduled on the third weekend of November every year, just in time for Thanksgiving. The season spans a chaotic time of year in nature.

The season can begin in intense blizzards or near balmy warm conditions, and normally ends in frigid temperatures and waist-high snow. Opening weekend and Thanksgiving weekend are the most popular times.

The woods will be crowded; it’s best to be the first one on the trailhead to avoid other hunters as much as possible. Going during the week can often be a productive way to avoid the crowds.

Muzzloader

The muzzleloader season is a challenging one, hunters face the harshest conditions of the late season with a weapon that is known to be unreliable in wet conditions.

This is a deer hunter’s last chance to harvest a deer before having to wait until next fall.

Special Firearms

Except for the popular deer season, we also summarized all the NY hunting seasons for small game and waterfowl for your quick reference. Check the following scheduled dates if you have plans to hunt more game animals.

Turkey Hunting Seasons

Wild turkeys provide two unique hunting experiences, one in the spring and one in the fall.

In New York, you are able to hunt them with both a shotgun and a bow; you will have to purchase an additional set of tags alongside your license.

Spring turkey season is the most popular time to hunt turkeys is spring. You are only able to call in and harvest two bearded birds during this season. General spring season dates start from May 1 – May 31 in all open areas; the youth season starts from April 25 – 26, with the bag limit of one bearded bird.

The fall seasons vary in different areas. You are able to harvest a bird of either sex during this season.

When hunting turkey, it is crucial to follow all rules and regulations for a secure and legal hunt. Hunters are required to have their hunting license and turkey permit with them at the time of hunting.

Turkey hunting is allowed with a bow, crossbow (excluding Northern Zone in the fall with dogs and WMU 1C), shotgun, handgun, and muzzleloading shotgun.

When hunting with a shotgun or handgun, only shot sizes between #2 and #9 are permitted.

Dogs are only allowed in the Fall season. And, decoys and scopes of any kind are allowed. However, using bait or electronic calling devices is not allowed.

Right after harvesting a turkey, the hunters must tag it with the date of the kill, and then fasten it safely to the carcass.

Small Game Seasons

New York State considers an assorted number of species to be small game, ranging from furbearers (fox, raccoon, etc.),  mammals like squirrels and rabbits, and even reptiles and amphibians.

Each have their own season and bag limit.

Squirrel

One of my personal favorite species of animal to hunt, squirrels pose a satisfying challenge to hunters of any age or experience level.

The rules and regulations only pertain to Grey and Fox squirrels; Red squirrels are unprotected and can be hunted at any time of the year.

• Statewide: September – February
• Long Island:  November – February

Rabbit  

Cottontail rabbits are plentiful across New York, especially where agricultural lands are nearby.

They can be hunted with bows or a shotgun/rimfire caliber firearms; be sure to brush up on your shooting skills as they pose a challenging target.

• Northern Zone: October – March
• Southern Zone: October – February
• Long Island: November – February

Raccoons/Weasels/Skunks/Opossums

New York’s furbearers, these species are also targeted by trappers. All can be hunted day or night except weasels, which are only to be hunted from sunrise to sunset.

• Statewide: October-February
• Long Island:  November-February

Bobwhite Quail

Not many of these exist in the state; there are only two places they’re found: County and Long Island.

• Orange County: October – February
• Suffolk County: November – December

Varying Hare

Varying (Snowshoe) Hares are a unique hunting experience, especially when in the Adirondacks. Many hunters find satisfaction in pursuing them when in their white winter coats with late-season snow up to their knees.

• Northern Zone: October – March
• Center to East NY: December – February
• Center to West NY: January

Pheasant

There are currently no substantial wild breeding populations in New York, meaning that most are raised in pheasant farms to then be released in several public lands across the state.

The pheasant season runs from September to October and is often hunted alongside trained gundogs.

Ruffed Grouse

Known as the king of the gamebirds (and my personal favorite quarry), the ruffed grouse is a challenge to hunt.

It lives in the thickest, nastiest early forest habitat, meaning eye protection and tough clothing are part of the gear list.

• Northern Zone: September – February
• Southern Zone: October – February

Frogs and Turtles

Species included in the approved to be taken include: bullfrogs, green frogs, northern leopard frogs, and others. The frog season lasts from June to September.

The Common Snapping Turtle is the only species of Turtle allowed for hunters to harvest in New York, with a minimum shell length of twelve inches. Be prepared to get wet and muddy if turtles are on your menu. The season runs from July to September.

New York Hunting Regulations

As a general rule of thumb, no matter what state you hunt in, it’s always a good idea to triple-check the state regulations before you hit the field, as rules may change depending on time of year, area of the state, and species being pursued.

Big Game Hunting Regulations

Hunting Hours:

Deer and bear are only to be hunted from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset. Official times can be seen in the state regulations.

Red Squirrels, porcupines, rock pigeons, woodchucks, English sparrows, and starlings are all unprotected species. These can be hunted any time of the year with the purchase of a license.

Bag Limits:

Resident and nonresident hunters can each hunt one bear per license year. For deer hunting, there are various types of tags available for purchase, and each licensed hunter can shoot multiple deer in one day if they have the proper tags.

Legal Methods:

Hunters pursuing large game in New York can have a .22 caliber rim-fire pistol with them during deer or bear hunting seasons if they have a valid New York State pistol permit. Nevertheless, a .22 caliber rim-fire is not suitable as a primary or secondary firearm for hunting deer or bears.

Illegal Methods:

Big game hunting is not allowed with automatic guns, guns that can hold more than six shells (except short-barreled pistols), guns with silencers, air guns, or air bows.

Hunters cannot hunt big game, like deer with dogs, aircraft or bait.

Hunter Safety

Big game hunters must have at least 250 square inches of bright hunter orange or pink material above the waist that can be seen from every direction. On the other hand, you can also wear an equal amount of patterned material in these colors, with at least 50% being fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink.

An alternative choice is a hat or cap with 50% or more solid fluorescent orange or pink fabric.

Field Dressing:

A legal deer must have at least one antler that is a minimum of three inches long, measured from the base of the burr.

Hunters should not bring the whole dead deer into New York. Hunters need to field dress the deer and correctly label those allowed parts. This tag must contain the type of animal, the location where it was captured, and the hunter’s name and address.

The Allowed Parts include:

• Deboned meat
• Cleaned skull cap
• Antlers with no flesh
• Raw or processed cape or hide
• Cleaned teeth or lower jaw
• Finished taxidermy products

Small Game Hunting Regulations

1. Bobcat, coyote, red fox, grey fox, raccoon, opossum, and skunk can be hunted at any hour, whether at day or at night.
2. Hunters are allowed to pursue furbearer animals with a handgun, shotgun, rifle, bow, or crossbow.
3. Hunters can hunt furbearers with a shotgun that is loaded with shots (of any size).
4. Air guns can be used for hunting
5. Hunters can utilize a call, including an electronic call for small game hunting.
6. Mandatory harvest reporting is required only for bobcats.

Hunting License Acquiring Requirements

Getting your license is possibly the easiest part of hunting in New York. I personally enjoy walking into a store that sells them and interacting with the person behind the counter when getting my tags.

In the case it’s your first NY hunting license, you’ll hand over your hunter education (or equivalent) information and driver’s license; the clerk will process your information and ask you if there are any tags you’d like to buy.

 I always get a set of “doe management permits” (DMP) and turkey tags. Some places will have maps of the various information needed to make a decision.

However, all this information, and a way to purchase a license, can be found online for those who’d rather prepare in their homes.

Where To Hunt In New York State?

In New York, there are many public and private lands open for hunting.

Public lands include Wildlife Management Areas, State Forests, Forest Preserve, and State Parks. These lands are available for hunting and trapping within the designated seasons.

Private land makes up 85% of the state, and more than 90% of hunters will hunt on private lands during hunting seasons. When preparing to hunt on private property, it is crucial to request permission, regardless of whether or not the land is marked as private.

Adirondacks

These mountains have been famous for their rugged beauty for a long time.

They’re remote and a long drive from everywhere in the state: exactly why people like to visit here! Deer here are sparse, and every one harvested is earned.

There are also small game like ruffed grouse and varying hares. Dense and vast, steep, short mountains and hills roll around creeks, lakes, marshes, and ponds that form at their bases.

Tracking deer in the snow is a very popular way to hunt here, for those who can keep track of where they are on the map. Bears here are also sparse, but produce the largest bears in the state.

Catskills

Just north of New York City, bears are plentiful here but not as large as their Northern neighbors.

Similar to the North in opportunities to pursue game, though the terrain isn’t as severe and civilization feels a bit closer.

There are many private lands and places to stay just outside of places to hunt and fish for those who want to get into pristine New York habitat without having to sleep with rock or tree root in their side.

Western New York

Cuddled between two Great Lakes and hugging the Appalachian Mountains, the public lands in this part of the state are normally smaller and spread out like islands, sometimes only a few minutes’ drive apart. Many are surrounded by farms that attract deer and turkey.

Gear For New York Hunting Seasons

New York is often a state of extremes. During hunting season, it is not uncommon to experience rain, snow, ice, and baking sunshine in one day.

A quality base layer, enough layers to change in and out of, and a windbreaker are often enough until late season.

New York is also very wet and muddy; people often get away with a pair of waterproof hunting boots and foot warmers throughout the fall and winter, while I prefer leather hunting boots.

Conclusion

New York has never been an overlooked gem, proudly sitting in the history of the nation, yet nowadays the outdoors and hunting circles have been focused on the Western States, for good reason.

Those willing to trade in the open skies and sprawling plains will find the Empire State is not a waste of time.

Whether you want to pick up the shotgun and chase birds along marshes, search for an Adirondack bruin, or stalk squirrels among hickory trees New York has plenty of room for your next fall trip, no matter what you look to hunt.

Interested In Hunting in More states? Check Here:

• United States Hunting Season Overview
• Pennsylvania Hunting Seasons
• Vermont Hunting Seasons
• Mass Hunting Seasons
• Connecticut Hunting Seasons