When Does Deer Season Start? 2026–27 Opening Dates for All 50 States
Deer season opens as early as July 11, 2026 in California and as late as October 23, 2026 in Arizona, with most states opening in November.
Dates verified against each state's official wildlife agency — open any state below for its source and last-verified date.
Deer season opening dates by state
48 states
- CaliforniaOpen now
- Archery open
- Jul 11
- Firearm open
- —
- Closes
- Nov 1
- AlaskaOpen now
- Archery open
- —
- Firearm open
- —
- Closes
- Oct 31
- FloridaOpen now
- Archery open
- Aug 1
- Firearm open
- Sep 5
- Closes
- Feb 21
- South CarolinaOpen now
- Archery open
- Aug 15
- Firearm open
- Sep 1
- Closes
- Jan 1
- UtahOpen now
- Archery open
- Aug 15
- Firearm open
- Oct 17
- Closes
- Oct 25
- ArkansasOpen now
- Archery open
- Aug 29
- Firearm open
- Nov 7
- Closes
- Feb 28
- OregonOpen now
- Archery open
- Aug 29
- Firearm open
- Oct 3
- Closes
- Nov 6
- IdahoOpen now
- Archery open
- Aug 30
- Firearm open
- —
- Closes
- Nov 14
- DelawareOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 1
- Firearm open
- Nov 13
- Closes
- Jan 31
- HawaiiOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 1
- Firearm open
- Sep 11
- Closes
- Dec 31
- NebraskaOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 1
- Firearm open
- Nov 14
- Closes
- Jan 15
- South DakotaOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 1
- Firearm open
- Nov 1
- Closes
- Jan 1
- WashingtonOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 1
- Firearm open
- Oct 17
- Closes
- Dec 15
- WyomingOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 1
- Firearm open
- —
- Closes
- Nov 20
- ColoradoOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 2
- Firearm open
- Oct 24
- Closes
- Nov 22
- North DakotaOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 4
- Firearm open
- Nov 6
- Closes
- Jan 3
- KentuckyOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 5
- Firearm open
- Oct 10
- Closes
- Jan 18
- MontanaOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 5
- Firearm open
- Oct 24
- Closes
- Dec 20
- MarylandOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 11
- Firearm open
- Nov 28
- Closes
- Jan 2
- MississippiOpens in 4 days
- Archery open
- Sep 11
- Firearm open
- Nov 7
- Closes
- Jan 31
- GeorgiaOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 12
- Firearm open
- Oct 10
- Closes
- Jan 10
- MaineOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 12
- Firearm open
- Nov 2
- Closes
- Dec 12
- New JerseyOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 12
- Firearm open
- Nov 23
- Closes
- Feb 20
- North CarolinaOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 12
- Firearm open
- Oct 17
- Closes
- Jan 1
- WisconsinOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 12
- Firearm open
- Oct 10
- Closes
- Jan 3
- KansasOpen now
- Archery open
- —
- Firearm open
- Dec 2
- Closes
- Dec 13
- ConnecticutOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 15
- Firearm open
- Nov 18
- Closes
- Dec 31
- MissouriOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 15
- Firearm open
- Oct 9
- Closes
- Jan 15
- New HampshireOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 15
- Firearm open
- Nov 11
- Closes
- Dec 15
- Rhode IslandOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 15
- Firearm open
- Dec 5
- Closes
- Jan 31
- MinnesotaOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 19
- Firearm open
- Nov 7
- Closes
- Dec 31
- OhioOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 26
- Firearm open
- Nov 21
- Closes
- Feb 7
- TennesseeOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 26
- Firearm open
- —
- Closes
- Jan 3
- West VirginiaOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 26
- Firearm open
- Nov 23
- Closes
- Jan 17
- New YorkOpen now
- Archery open
- Sep 27
- Firearm open
- Sep 12
- Closes
- Jan 1
- AlabamaOpens in 4 days
- Archery open
- Oct 1
- Firearm open
- Nov 7
- Closes
- Feb 10
- IllinoisOpens in 4 days
- Archery open
- Oct 1
- Firearm open
- Nov 20
- Closes
- Jan 17
- IndianaOpen now
- Archery open
- Oct 1
- Firearm open
- Nov 14
- Closes
- Jan 3
- IowaOpen now
- Archery open
- Oct 1
- Firearm open
- Dec 5
- Closes
- Jan 10
- LouisianaOpens in 4 days
- Archery open
- Oct 1
- Firearm open
- Nov 14
- Closes
- Jan 31
- MichiganOpens in 4 days
- Archery open
- Oct 1
- Firearm open
- Sep 12
- Closes
- Jan 1
- OklahomaOpens in 4 days
- Archery open
- Oct 1
- Firearm open
- Oct 16
- Closes
- Jan 15
- VermontOpens in 4 days
- Archery open
- Oct 1
- Firearm open
- Nov 14
- Closes
- Dec 15
- PennsylvaniaOpens in 6 days
- Archery open
- Oct 3
- Firearm open
- Nov 28
- Closes
- Jan 24
- TexasOpens in 6 days
- Archery open
- Oct 3
- Firearm open
- —
- Closes
- Jan 31
- VirginiaOpen now
- Archery open
- Oct 3
- Firearm open
- Nov 14
- Closes
- Jan 2
- MassachusettsOpens in 8 days
- Archery open
- Oct 5
- Firearm open
- Nov 30
- Closes
- Dec 31
- ArizonaOpens in 26 days
- Archery open
- —
- Firearm open
- Oct 23
- Closes
- Dec 31
| Region | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | West | Jul 11 | — | Nov 1 | Open now |
| Alaska | West | — | — | Oct 31 | Open now |
| Florida | South | Aug 1 | Sep 5 | Feb 21 | Open now |
| South Carolina | South | Aug 15 | Sep 1 | Jan 1 | Open now |
| Utah | West | Aug 15 | Oct 17 | Oct 25 | Open now |
| Arkansas | South | Aug 29 | Nov 7 | Feb 28 | Open now |
| Oregon | West | Aug 29 | Oct 3 | Nov 6 | Open now |
| Idaho | West | Aug 30 | — | Nov 14 | Open now |
| Delaware | Northeast | Sep 1 | Nov 13 | Jan 31 | Open now |
| Hawaii | West | Sep 1 | Sep 11 | Dec 31 | Open now |
| Nebraska | Midwest | Sep 1 | Nov 14 | Jan 15 | Open now |
| South Dakota | Midwest | Sep 1 | Nov 1 | Jan 1 | Open now |
| Washington | West | Sep 1 | Oct 17 | Dec 15 | Open now |
| Wyoming | West | Sep 1 | — | Nov 20 | Open now |
| Colorado | West | Sep 2 | Oct 24 | Nov 22 | Open now |
| North Dakota | Midwest | Sep 4 | Nov 6 | Jan 3 | Open now |
| Kentucky | South | Sep 5 | Oct 10 | Jan 18 | Open now |
| Montana | West | Sep 5 | Oct 24 | Dec 20 | Open now |
| Maryland | South | Sep 11 | Nov 28 | Jan 2 | Open now |
| Mississippi | South | Sep 11 | Nov 7 | Jan 31 | Opens in 4 days |
| Georgia | South | Sep 12 | Oct 10 | Jan 10 | Open now |
| Maine | Northeast | Sep 12 | Nov 2 | Dec 12 | Open now |
| New Jersey | Northeast | Sep 12 | Nov 23 | Feb 20 | Open now |
| North Carolina | South | Sep 12 | Oct 17 | Jan 1 | Open now |
| Wisconsin | Midwest | Sep 12 | Oct 10 | Jan 3 | Open now |
| Kansas | Midwest | — | Dec 2 | Dec 13 | Open now |
| Connecticut | Northeast | Sep 15 | Nov 18 | Dec 31 | Open now |
| Missouri | Midwest | Sep 15 | Oct 9 | Jan 15 | Open now |
| New Hampshire | Northeast | Sep 15 | Nov 11 | Dec 15 | Open now |
| Rhode Island | Northeast | Sep 15 | Dec 5 | Jan 31 | Open now |
| Minnesota | Midwest | Sep 19 | Nov 7 | Dec 31 | Open now |
| Ohio | Midwest | Sep 26 | Nov 21 | Feb 7 | Open now |
| Tennessee | South | Sep 26 | — | Jan 3 | Open now |
| West Virginia | South | Sep 26 | Nov 23 | Jan 17 | Open now |
| New York | Northeast | Sep 27 | Sep 12 | Jan 1 | Open now |
| Alabama | South | Oct 1 | Nov 7 | Feb 10 | Opens in 4 days |
| Illinois | Midwest | Oct 1 | Nov 20 | Jan 17 | Opens in 4 days |
| Indiana | Midwest | Oct 1 | Nov 14 | Jan 3 | Open now |
| Iowa | Midwest | Oct 1 | Dec 5 | Jan 10 | Open now |
| Louisiana | South | Oct 1 | Nov 14 | Jan 31 | Opens in 4 days |
| Michigan | Midwest | Oct 1 | Sep 12 | Jan 1 | Opens in 4 days |
| Oklahoma | South | Oct 1 | Oct 16 | Jan 15 | Opens in 4 days |
| Vermont | Northeast | Oct 1 | Nov 14 | Dec 15 | Opens in 4 days |
| Pennsylvania | Northeast | Oct 3 | Nov 28 | Jan 24 | Opens in 6 days |
| Texas | South | Oct 3 | — | Jan 31 | Opens in 6 days |
| Virginia | South | Oct 3 | Nov 14 | Jan 2 | Open now |
| Massachusetts | Northeast | Oct 5 | Nov 30 | Dec 31 | Opens in 8 days |
| Arizona | West | — | Oct 23 | Dec 31 | Opens in 26 days |
Deer seasons opening this week
Earliest and latest openers
Deer seasons by region
Northeast
10 states covered
Earliest open
Sep 1
South
15 states covered
Earliest open
Aug 1
Midwest
12 states covered
Earliest open
Sep 1
West
11 states covered
Earliest open
Jul 11
Archery vs. firearm vs. muzzleloader: how seasons are split
Most states don't run one continuous deer season — they split it into method-specific segments. Archery seasons typically open first and run longest, often overlapping with the rest of the calendar. Muzzleloader segments are usually short windows before or after the main firearm season. General firearm (gun) season is usually the shortest and most heavily hunted segment, and dates can differ by zone within the same state.
- Archery
- 45
- states with an archery segment
- Muzzleloader
- 36
- states with a muzzleloader segment
- Firearm
- 42
- states with a general gun segment
Frequently asked questions
Deer season opens as early as July 11, 2026 in California and as late as October 23, 2026 in Arizona, with most states opening in November.
Regulations change every year and can vary by county or unit. Hunting Season by State is a reference tool, not a substitute for the official regulation book — always verify dates, zones, and bag limits with the state wildlife agency before you hunt.