New York hunting seasons

Season dates for 2026-27, straight from the NYSDEC regulations — starting with what you actually want to know.

Open right now in

New York

Today in NY: Friday, August 14

Dates checked against the NYSDEC regulations Aug 14, 2026.

Season	Zone	Dates
Early Antlerless Firearms Firearms and bows in WMUs 3M, 3P, 3R, 6P, 7F, 7H, 7J, 7R, 8A, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 8R, 8S, 9A, 9F and 9G; bow-only in 1C, 3S, 4J and 8C.	Southern Zone	Sep 12 – Sep 20
Regular Firearms Six weeks in the Adirondacks, Tug Hill and the northern valleys.	Northern Zone	Oct 24 – Dec 6
Regular Firearms Opens the Saturday before Thanksgiving — the biggest weekend of the New York deer year.	Southern Zone	Nov 21 – Dec 13
Bowhunting Crossbows may be used during all bowhunting seasons. WMUs 5A, 5G, 5J, 6A, 6C, 6G and 6H add a late bow season Dec. 7-13.	Northern Zone	Sep 27 – Oct 23
Bowhunting Crossbows may be used during all bowhunting seasons.	Southern Zone	Oct 1 – Nov 20; Dec 14 – Dec 22; Dec 26, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Bowhunting Bow-only county. An early antlerless bow season runs Sept. 12-20, and a special firearms season runs Jan. 3-31 by permit.	Suffolk County (WMU 1C)	Oct 1, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027
Bowhunting Bow-only county. An early antlerless bow season runs Sept. 12-20.	Westchester County (WMU 3S)	Oct 1 – Dec 31
Muzzleloading WMUs 5A, 5G, 5J, 6A, 6C, 6G and 6H add a late muzzleloader season Dec. 7-13.	Northern Zone	Oct 17 – Oct 23
Muzzleloading Not open in WMUs 1C, 3S, 4J or 8C.	Southern Zone	Dec 14 – Dec 22; Dec 26, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Youth Firearms Hunt Ages 12-15, both zones. Not open in WMUs 1C, 3S, 4J or 8C.	Statewide	Oct 10 – Oct 12

Season	Zone	Dates
Fall Season	Long Island (WMU 1C)	Nov 21 – Dec 4
Fall Season One bird of either sex statewide. Hours are sunrise to sunset.	Northern Zone	Oct 1 – Oct 14
Fall Season One bird of either sex statewide. Hours are sunrise to sunset.	Southern Zone	Oct 17 – Oct 30
Spring Season All open areas. Half an hour before sunrise to noon. Two bearded birds for the season, no more than one a day, and no more than one in WMU 1C.	Statewide	May 1 – May 31
Spring Youth Hunt Ages 12-15 with a hunting license and turkey permit. One bearded bird, same open areas as the regular spring season.	Statewide	Apr 24 – Apr 25

Season	Zone	Dates
Regular Season	Lake Champlain Zone	Oct 10 – Nov 1; Nov 21 – Dec 27
Regular Season	Long Island Zone	Nov 21 – Nov 29; Dec 12, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027
Regular Season	Northeast Zone	Oct 10 – Nov 29; Dec 12 – Dec 20
Regular Season	Southeast Zone	Oct 10 – Oct 18; Nov 7 – Dec 27
Regular Season	Western Zone	Oct 10 – Nov 1; Dec 5, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027
Youth Waterfowl Days	Long Island Zone	Nov 7 – Nov 8
Youth Waterfowl Days	Western, Northeast, Lake Champlain & Southeast zones	Sep 26 – Sep 27
Veteran & Active Military Days The Lake Champlain Zone has no veterans season.	Northeast & Southeast zones	Sep 26 – Sep 27
Veteran & Active Military Days	Western & Long Island zones	Nov 7 – Nov 8

Season	Zone	Dates
No Open Season New York has no mourning dove season. Doves are federal migratory game birds, but state law does not list them as game, so DEC has never set a season — the migratory bird seasons cover ducks, geese, brant, coot, rails, gallinules, woodcock and snipe only.	Statewide	No open season

Coming up: Deer Management Permit (DMP) applications — closes Oct 1, 2026.