New York · 2026-27
Shooting hours in New York
For deer and bear, New York legal shooting hours run 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset — the NYSDEC rule is quoted below. Sunrise and sunset shift every day and with every county, so the lookup here turns the rule into your exact minutes.
Legal light for
Deer and bear
Albany County · Aug 21, 2026
Legal start
—
sunrise − 30 min
Legal end
—
sunset + 30 min
Hunting from exact coordinates instead
These minutes apply the statewide rule at your chosen spot — they can’t see zone, season, or species exceptions. Always verify in the current NYSDEC regulations before you hunt — rules change annually. Rule checked against NYSDEC Aug 20, 2026.
The rule, straight from the regs
“Hunters are only allowed to hunt deer and bear from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset.”
— NYSDEC — Deer and Bear Hunting Regulations, checked Aug 20, 2026
The official times
Exceptions the regs call out
The window above — 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset — is the rule for deer and bear. These run on different clocks:
- Turkey and waterfowl
- Turkey and migratory bird hours are set separately — check the DEC regulations guide for your season. Official page.
Opening day, worked out
Regular Firearms opens Oct 24, 2026 in New York. In Albany County that morning, sunrise is 7:19 AM — so legal light starts at 7:19 AM − 30 min = 6:49 AM EDT. Sunset is 5:59 PM, so the day ends at 5:59 PM + 30 min = 6:29 PM EDT. A county line east or west moves those minutes, and the NYSDEC official times are the ones that count — check them before you go.
More New York, more states
The whole New York board · Deer season in New York · Straight-wall cartridge states
Shooting hours elsewhere: GA · MI · MN · MO · OH · PA · TX · WI