HuntDates What’s open right now, state by state

Reference · 2026-27 · checked Aug 26, 2026

Sunday hunting by state

Sunday is the one hunting rule that is not a date. A couple of states shut the day entirely, several open it only on certain ground or with certain gear, and in much of the country the question never comes up at all. The line moved recently, too — Pennsylvania repealed its ban by statute in 2025, and 2026-27 is the first full season on the other side of it.

Below is what each state’s own agency says, quoted where we could read it and linked every time. Where we could not confirm a rule, the row says so and hands you the agency’s regulations page — an unchecked state is never listed as open here.

Pennsylvania: the ban is gone, with one exception

“Sunday hunting PA” is the question this page gets asked most, and the answer changed under hunters’ feet. Act 36 of 2025 repealed the Commonwealth’s Sunday hunting ban outright; the Game Commission then built 2026-27 around it. Here is the Commission in its own words.

What changed

“House Bill 1431, introduced by Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Allegheny, fully repealed the ban on Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania”

— PGC — Sunday Hunting, checked Aug 26, 2026

What it means for 2026-27

“All 2026-27 seasons include the Sundays that fall within their listed start and end dates. Also, seasons that previously ended on Saturdays largely will end on Sundays, providing additional days of opportunity throughout the year.”

— PGC — Final 2026-27 Hunting Seasons Approved (April 11, 2026), checked Aug 26, 2026

Act 36 of 2025 also raised the penalties for trespassing on private land while hunting, and the Game Commission tells hunters to get the landowner’s written permission in advance. The Game Commission’s regulations are the authority on all of it — nothing on this page is legal advice, and the Sunday rules are amended more often than season dates are.

Pennsylvania season dates for 2026-27

Where Sunday is a rule of its own

These are the 10 states whose Sunday rule we read on the agency’s own material, and no two of them do it the same way. Closed first, then the states that open the day with conditions, then the ones where it is an ordinary hunting day. Other states may single Sunday out too — these are the ones we can show you the wording for.

State Sunday What the agency says
Maine Closed Maine closes Sunday to hunting, statewide, all season long. There is no species and no land where it is open. Maine IF&W, in its own words: “Sunday Hunting is Illegal in Maine” The same page of general laws adds that carrying hunting equipment in the fields, forests or on the water on a Sunday is itself evidence of a violation unless it is cased, wrapped or broken down into separate pieces. Read from Maine IF&W — General Hunting Laws · checked Aug 26, 2026
Massachusetts Closed Massachusetts lists hunting on Sunday among the things it is illegal to do. There is no Sunday season for any species. The ban sits in statute rather than in a MassWildlife regulation, which is why the agency cannot lift it on its own. Bills to change that were filed in 2026; nothing had changed when we checked. Read from MassWildlife — Hunting prohibitions · Mass.gov — Updating Hunting Laws · checked Aug 26, 2026
Connecticut Open, with limits Sunday hunting is open on private land for every species in season — a 2025 statute opened it. Migratory birds stay closed on Sundays on every kind of land. CT DEEP, in its own words: “Under Public Act 25-138, Sunday hunting is now permitted on private land for all species using any approved hunting implement allowed for the current open season” The guide hangs three limits off it: no Sunday hunting within 40 yards of a blazed public trail; migratory birds — waterfowl, geese, woodcock, snipe, rails and crows — closed on Sundays on all land types; and the landowner’s written permission still required for deer and turkey. Read from 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide — What Is New in 2026 · 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide — Hunting Laws and Regulations · checked Aug 26, 2026
Maryland Open, with limits Sunday deer hunting runs on a calendar of its own: named Sundays, county by county, on private land and on a named list of public lands. DNR publishes it as a table rather than a rule, and the dates, the lands and even the shooting hours differ from one county to the next — some counties get Sundays only during archery, some only in late November, and the public-land list is spelled out area by area. Read your own county’s row before you plan a Sunday. Read from Maryland DNR — 2026-2027 Sunday Deer Hunting in Maryland · Maryland DNR — Hunting and Trapping Information · checked Aug 26, 2026
New Jersey Open, with limits Sunday hunting in New Jersey is archery only, deer only, and only on private property and state wildlife management areas. It does not reach firearms, it does not reach any species other than deer, and it does not reach other public land — municipal and county parks, state parks and forests and federal land are not part of it. New Jersey Fish & Wildlife publishes the open and closed lands area by area. Read from NJ Fish & Wildlife — Lands Open or Closed to Sunday Bow Hunting · checked Aug 26, 2026
North Carolina Open, with limits Sunday hunting is open, but the middle of the morning is not: firearms are shut off between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., kept 500 yards from a place of worship, and kept off deer running ahead of dogs. NCWRC, in its own words: “Hunting with firearms between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. is prohibited except on controlled hunting preserves” The digest sets archery apart — a bow may be used on a Sunday without the firearm limits. Migratory birds may not be hunted on Sunday at all, and game lands carry their own rules, so the land you are standing on decides as much as the day does. Read from 2026-27 North Carolina Regulations Digest — General Hunting Regulations · NCWRC — Fishing, Hunting & Trapping Regulations · checked Aug 26, 2026
South Carolina Open, with limits Sunday hunting is legal on private land statewide. WMA land is the other way round — closed on Sundays unless that WMA’s own rules open it. SCDNR, in its own words: “Hunting is prohibited on Sundays on all WMA lands unless otherwise specified. On private lands statewide, Sunday hunting for all game is legal.” Read from 2026-2027 South Carolina Hunting & Fishing Guide — General Rules & Regulations · SCDNR — Hunting and Fishing Laws and Regulations · checked Aug 26, 2026
Virginia Open, with limits Sunday hunting is open on private land, and on public land wherever the agency that manages that land allows it — but not within 200 yards of a house of worship, and not for deer or bear with dogs. Virginia DWR, in its own words: “Hunting deer or bear using a firearm or other weapon with the aid or assistance of dogs is prohibited on Sunday.” Tracking dogs held on a lead may still be used to recover a dead or wounded deer or bear. DWR also states that a Sunday hunter must be at least 200 yards from a house of worship or any accessory structure of one, and that the old requirement to carry specific written permission from a private landowner to hunt on a Sunday is gone — the ordinary rule for posted property still stands. Read from Virginia DWR — Sunday Hunting in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions · Virginia DWR — Hunting & Trapping Regulations · checked Aug 26, 2026
Delaware Open Sunday is an ordinary hunting day for every game animal in season, on private land with permission and on designated public land. DNREC, in its own words: “State law now allows Sunday hunting for all game animals during established hunting seasons, on private lands with landowner permission, and on designated publicly owned lands.” DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife opens all state wildlife areas to Sunday deer hunting during the regular deer seasons; some areas restrict firearms on particular Sundays, so the wildlife area you plan to hunt is worth reading on its own. Read from DNREC — Sunday Hunting · checked Aug 26, 2026
Pennsylvania Open The ban is gone. Every Sunday inside a season’s printed dates is open in 2026-27, and seasons that used to end on a Saturday mostly end on a Sunday now. Migratory game birds are the one exception. PGC, in its own words: “All 2026-27 seasons include the Sundays that fall within their listed start and end dates.” Act 36 of 2025 also raised the penalties for trespassing on private land while hunting, and the Game Commission tells hunters to get the landowner’s written permission in advance. Read from PGC — Final 2026-27 Hunting Seasons Approved (April 11, 2026) · PGC — Sunday Hunting · PGC — 2026-27 Seasons and Bag Limits · checked Aug 26, 2026

The states we have not checked

These 40 states are not listed as open. They are listed as unchecked — we could not read a Sunday rule on the agency’s own current material, and a rule we have not read is not a rule we will print. Sunday rules cluster in the Northeast, the Mid-Atlantic and the Southeast, so a state down here most likely has none — but “most likely” is not an answer, so the link in each row goes to the digest that decides it.

State Sunday Where to check
Alabama Check the current digest Alabama WFF — Seasons and Bag Limits Alabama WFF is the authority on Sunday in Alabama — we are not.
Alaska Check the current digest ADF&G — Alaska Hunting Regulations ADF&G is the authority on Sunday in Alaska — we are not.
Arizona Check the current digest Arizona Game & Fish Department — Regulations AZGFD is the authority on Sunday in Arizona — we are not.
Arkansas Check the current digest AGFC — Guidebooks AGFC is the authority on Sunday in Arkansas — we are not.
California Check the current digest CDFW — Regulations CDFW is the authority on Sunday in California — we are not.
Colorado Check the current digest CPW — Rules and Regulations CPW is the authority on Sunday in Colorado — we are not.
Florida Check the current digest FWC — Hunting Regulations FWC is the authority on Sunday in Florida — we are not.
Georgia Check the current digest Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources — Regulations Georgia DNR WRD is the authority on Sunday in Georgia — we are not.
Hawaii Check the current digest Hawai‘i DLNR DOFAW — Hunting DOFAW is the authority on Sunday in Hawaii — we are not.
Idaho Check the current digest Idaho Fish and Game — Seasons and Rules IDFG is the authority on Sunday in Idaho — we are not.
Illinois Check the current digest Illinois DNR — Hunting Illinois DNR is the authority on Sunday in Illinois — we are not.
Indiana Check the current digest Indiana DNR — Hunting & Trapping Guide Indiana DNR is the authority on Sunday in Indiana — we are not.
Iowa Check the current digest Iowa DNR — Hunting Regulations & Laws Iowa DNR is the authority on Sunday in Iowa — we are not.
Kansas Check the current digest Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks — Hunting Regulations KDWP is the authority on Sunday in Kansas — we are not.
Kentucky Check the current digest KDFWR — Hunting and Fishing Seasons Planner KDFWR is the authority on Sunday in Kentucky — we are not.
Louisiana Check the current digest LDWF — Seasons and Regulations LDWF is the authority on Sunday in Louisiana — we are not.
Michigan Check the current digest Michigan DNR — Hunting Rules and Regulations Michigan DNR is the authority on Sunday in Michigan — we are not.
Minnesota Check the current digest Minnesota DNR — Hunting Seasons Minnesota DNR is the authority on Sunday in Minnesota — we are not.
Mississippi Check the current digest MDWFP — General Hunting Rules & Regulations MDWFP is the authority on Sunday in Mississippi — we are not.
Missouri Check the current digest MDC — Hunting and Trapping Regulations MDC is the authority on Sunday in Missouri — we are not.
Montana Check the current digest Montana FWP — Hunting Regulations Montana FWP is the authority on Sunday in Montana — we are not.
Nebraska Check the current digest Nebraska Game and Parks — Hunting Guides Nebraska Game and Parks is the authority on Sunday in Nebraska — we are not.
Nevada Check the current digest Nevada Department of Wildlife — Rules & Regulations NDOW is the authority on Sunday in Nevada — we are not.
New Hampshire Check the current digest New Hampshire Fish and Game — Laws and Rules NH Fish and Game is the authority on Sunday in New Hampshire — we are not.
New Mexico Check the current digest New Mexico Department of Wildlife — Publications New Mexico Dept. of Wildlife is the authority on Sunday in New Mexico — we are not.
New York Check the current digest NYSDEC — Hunting Seasons NYSDEC is the authority on Sunday in New York — we are not.
North Dakota Check the current digest North Dakota Game and Fish — Regulations ND Game and Fish is the authority on Sunday in North Dakota — we are not.
Ohio Check the current digest Ohio Division of Wildlife — Hunting Regulations Ohio Division of Wildlife is the authority on Sunday in Ohio — we are not.
Oklahoma Check the current digest Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation — Regulations ODWC is the authority on Sunday in Oklahoma — we are not.
Oregon Check the current digest ODFW — Hunting Regulations and Updates ODFW is the authority on Sunday in Oregon — we are not.
Rhode Island Check the current digest RI DEM — Wildlife & Hunting RI DEM is the authority on Sunday in Rhode Island — we are not.
South Dakota Check the current digest South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks — Regulations SD Game, Fish and Parks is the authority on Sunday in South Dakota — we are not.
Tennessee Check the current digest TWRA — Tennessee Hunting Seasons Summary TWRA is the authority on Sunday in Tennessee — we are not.
Texas Check the current digest TPWD — Outdoor Annual TPWD is the authority on Sunday in Texas — we are not.
Utah Check the current digest Utah DWR — Guidebooks Utah DWR is the authority on Sunday in Utah — we are not.
Vermont Check the current digest Vermont Fish & Wildlife — Hunting Regulations Vermont Fish & Wildlife is the authority on Sunday in Vermont — we are not.
Washington Check the current digest WDFW — Hunting Seasons and Regulations WDFW is the authority on Sunday in Washington — we are not.
West Virginia Check the current digest WVDNR — Hunting Regulations WVDNR is the authority on Sunday in West Virginia — we are not.
Wisconsin Check the current digest Wisconsin DNR — Hunting Regulations Wisconsin DNR is the authority on Sunday in Wisconsin — we are not.
Wyoming Check the current digest Wyoming Game and Fish Department — Regulations WGFD is the authority on Sunday in Wyoming — we are not.

Questions this page gets

Can you hunt on Sunday in Pennsylvania?

Yes. The ban is gone. Every Sunday inside a season’s printed dates is open in 2026-27, and seasons that used to end on a Saturday mostly end on a Sunday now. Migratory game birds are the one exception. Act 36 of 2025 also raised the penalties for trespassing on private land while hunting, and the Game Commission tells hunters to get the landowner’s written permission in advance.

Which states do not allow Sunday hunting?

Of the states whose rule we read on the agency’s own material, 2 close Sunday outright: Maine and Massachusetts. 6 more open the day only on certain land, for certain species, or with certain implements. The states we could not check are listed separately, with their agency’s regulations page.

Why does this page not answer for every state?

Because a Sunday rule we could not read on the agency’s own material is not a rule we will print. 40 states are listed with their agency’s regulations page instead of a status — check the current digest for those before you plan a Sunday.