Deer Season 2026-27: Opening Dates by State
Archery and firearm opening dates, and the last day of deer season, for Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. Each date comes from the state wildlife agency and links to a full state page with every zone and season type.
Deer season dates by state
| State | Archery opens | Firearm season | Last day | Open today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Oct. 1 | Nov. 7 to Jan. 27Gun season (Zones D and E), Zones D and E |
Feb. 10, 2027 | Archery |
| Georgia | Sept. 12 | Oct. 17 to Jan. 10Firearms season |
Jan. 31, 2027 | Archery, Extended Archery, Firearms |
| Indiana | Oct. 1 | Nov. 14 to Nov. 29Firearms season |
Jan. 31, 2027 | Deer Reduction Zone, Archery |
| Kentucky | Sept. 5 | Nov. 14 to Nov. 29Modern gun season |
Jan. 18, 2027 | Archery, Crossbow |
| Michigan | Oct. 1 | Nov. 15 to Nov. 30Firearm season |
Jan. 1, 2027 | Archery |
| Minnesota | Sept. 19 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15Firearm season, 200 and 300 Series permit areas |
Dec. 31, 2026 | Archery |
| Missouri | Sept. 15 | Nov. 14 to Nov. 24November firearms portion |
Jan. 15, 2027 | Archery |
| New York | Oct. 1 | Nov. 21 to Dec. 13Southern Zone regular season, Southern Zone |
Jan. 31, 2027 | Early Bowhunting, Bowhunting Only Season, Regular Season |
| North Carolina | Sept. 12 | Oct. 17 to Jan. 1Eastern gun season, Eastern |
Feb. 14, 2027 | Archery, Gun |
| Ohio | Sept. 26 | Nov. 30 to Dec. 6Gun season |
Feb. 7, 2027 | Archery |
| Pennsylvania | Oct. 3 | Nov. 28 to Dec. 13Rifle season |
Jan. 24, 2027 | Archery |
| Tennessee | Sept. 26 | Nov. 21 to Jan. 3Gun season |
Jan. 10, 2027 | Archery |
| Texas | Oct. 3 | Nov. 7 to Jan. 3General season, North Zone |
Jan. 31, 2027 | Archery Only |
| Virginia | Oct. 3 | Nov. 14 to Jan. 2General firearms season, Most counties (private lands) |
April 25, 2027 | General Firearms, Early Archery |
| Wisconsin | Sept. 12 | Nov. 21 to Nov. 29Gun season |
Jan. 31, 2027 | Archery and Crossbow |
"Last day" is the latest closing date of any deer season in the state, including late, extended and zone-limited seasons.
Statewide archery openers, earliest first
- Kentucky: Sept. 5, 2026
- Georgia: Sept. 12, 2026
- North Carolina: Sept. 12, 2026
- Wisconsin: Sept. 12, 2026
- Missouri: Sept. 15, 2026
- Minnesota: Sept. 19, 2026
- Ohio: Sept. 26, 2026
- Tennessee: Sept. 26, 2026
- Alabama: Oct. 1, 2026
- Indiana: Oct. 1, 2026
- Michigan: Oct. 1, 2026
- New York: Oct. 1, 2026
- Pennsylvania: Oct. 3, 2026
- Texas: Oct. 3, 2026
- Virginia: Oct. 3, 2026
Main firearm season openers, earliest first
- Georgia (firearms season): Oct. 17, 2026
- North Carolina (eastern gun season): Oct. 17, 2026
- Alabama (gun season (zones d and e)): Nov. 7, 2026
- Minnesota (firearm season): Nov. 7, 2026
- Texas (general season): Nov. 7, 2026
- Indiana (firearms season): Nov. 14, 2026
- Kentucky (modern gun season): Nov. 14, 2026
- Missouri (november firearms portion): Nov. 14, 2026
- Virginia (general firearms season): Nov. 14, 2026
- Michigan (firearm season): Nov. 15, 2026
- New York (southern zone regular season): Nov. 21, 2026
- Tennessee (gun season): Nov. 21, 2026
- Wisconsin (gun season): Nov. 21, 2026
- Pennsylvania (rifle season): Nov. 28, 2026
- Ohio (gun season): Nov. 30, 2026
Frequently asked questions
When does deer season start in 2026?
It depends on the state and the weapon. Among the states on this page, statewide archery opens first in Kentucky on Sept. 5, 2026, and the first main firearm season opens in Georgia on Oct. 17, 2026. Some states also have earlier youth, special or zone-limited seasons, listed on each state page.
Which state has the latest deer season?
Among the states on this page, Virginia has the latest closing date, April 25, 2027.
Are these dates the same in every zone?
No. Several states set different dates by zone or management unit. The table shows the main statewide dates; each state page lists every zone and season type.
Sources: the official regulations of each state wildlife agency, linked on each state page. Last verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Dates can differ by zone, unit and county. Check the state page and the official regulations before hunting.