NYS 2026 small game hunting opens
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Small game hunting and furbearer trapping seasons for the 2026-27 license year are now open or will open soon across New York. Most small game and furbearer seasons open between Sept. 1 and Nov. 1, depending on species and zone. Full season dates, bag limits and regulations are published in the 2026-27 Hunting & Trapping Regulations Guide. Visit https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/hunting/hunting-trapping-regulations.
Each fall is when many new hunters head to the woods and fields of New York state, often starting their hunting careers with small game hunting. Each of the small game hunting seasons (and big game) are scientifically managed to sustain wildlife populations and provide safe access to introduce the next generation to hunting.
SQUIRREL & RABBITS
This most popular small game category is ripe with opportunities statewide on many public lands. For 2026-27 gray, black and fox squirrels, the season runs Sept. 1, 2026 to Feb. 28, 2027 (Long Island and New York City: Nov. 1 to Feb. 28), from sunrise to sunset. The daily bag limit is six total, regardless of species. There is no closed season for red squirrels.
COTTONTAIL RABBIT
This season is from Oct. 1 to Feb. 28 for Western New York, with a daily bag of six per day, from sunrise to sunset.
WILD TURKEY
Fall turkey hunting opportunities are improving this year due to above-average productivity in the last few summers. The statewide fall bag limit is one bird of either sex and hunting hours are sunrise to sunset. Fall 2026 season dates are: Northern Zone: Oct. 1-14, 2026; Southern Zone: Oct. 17-30, 2026.
COYOTE
This season is from Oct. 1 to Mar. 28 statewide (no bag limit); hunting is allowed day or night.
RUFFED GROUSE
This season is from Oct. 1 to Feb. 28 in Western New York and Sept. 20 to Feb. 28 in the northern zone. Hunters in northern Wildlife Management Units (specifically WMUs 5C, 5F, 6F, 6J) must take care to avoid mistakenly harvesting spruce grouse, a state-endangered species found in Adirondack lowland conifer forests. DEC also encourages hunters to participate in the Grouse Hunting Log and submit feathers from harvested birds to help biologists monitor grouse populations and annual productivity. To see the results of this survey, please visit the Ruffed Grouse Dashboard.
PHEASANT
The DEC pheasant program typically supplies more than 50,000 adult pheasants to supplement upland game bird hunting across the state and is an important hunter recruitment, reactivation and retention tool. Regular pheasant season begins Oct. 1, 2026, in eastern New York, and on Oct. 17 in Western New York. The youth-only pheasant hunt weekends in Western New York are scheduled for Oct. 10-11. The daily bag is two birds. All release sites for pheasants provided through the DEC pheasant propagation program are open to public hunting. An interactive map and complete list of release sites are available on the DEC website.
WATERFOWL HUNTING & SPECIAL YOUTH/MILITARY DAYS
New York offers a wide variety of waterfowl hunting opportunities across five waterfowl zones and nine Canada goose subzones to reflect the state's diverse habitats. DEC also designates Youth Waterfowl Days (for junior hunters ages 12-15) and special days for active military and veterans in many zones to provide lower-pressure hunting opportunities and mentoring experiences. Visit https://dec.ny.gov/nature/animals-fish-plants/nuisance-wildlife-species/canada-geese for details. Note that for 2026, opening dates for regular duck seasons vary by zone; hunters should (must) consult the 2026-27 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide and DEC's migratory game bird seasons page for full details.
Additionally, DEC helps promote and facilitate mentored hunts around New York state through the HuntFishNY event page at https://decals.events.east.licensing.app/em/programs/16. The HuntFishNY Event page helps prospective hunters find and register for upcoming mentored hunting and fishing events. HuntFishNY Events is a one-stop resource for events offered by DEC that includes a network of partners/instructors. Events are hands-on and designed to teach the basics about hunting, wildlife, and other outdoor skills. You can find sponsored pheasant hunts, mentored hunts, target shoots, hunting seminars and more. Events are designed for all ability levels. Check back if you don't see events of your interest, new events are added weekly.
Remember that hunter safety starts with each of us. Treat every firearm as if it's loaded, be sure of your target and what lies beyond it, keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot and wear blaze orange or blaze pink when appropriate. Hunting in New York remains one of the safest outdoor activities, but incidents can happen when the basics of hunter safety are forgotten or ignored. Always follow the rules of firearm safety: Point your gun in a safe direction. Treat every gun as if it were loaded. Be sure of your target and beyond. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
Lastly, the Early Doe-Only Firearm Season: Blaze orange is required for hunting deer or bear with a firearm in the special early doe-only season Sept. 12-20 in designated Wildlife Management Units. DEC strongly encourages small game hunters to wear blaze orange or pink to reduce the risk of mistaken identity.
Gotta love the outdoors.
CALENDAR
Sept. 1: Knox Farm State Park, deer hunting management session, 5:30 p.m., preregistration required to attend. Visit www.parks.ny.gov/recreation/hunting.
Sept. 1-30: New York state Early Nuisance Canada Goose, Upstate New York only, see syllabus, www.dec.ny.gov.
Sept. 1: New York state small game Seasons open, see syllabus.
Sept. 1: Niagara Musky Association, monthly meeting Eldredge Club, 17 Broad St., Tonawanda. 7 p.m. start.
Sept. 2: 3-D Archery, Evans Rod & Gun Club, 4 p.m. start, $10 fee, 15 targets, free instruction 4-6 p.m.; Info: call Jerry Gorski, 716-698-3008.
Sept. 3: 3-D Archery & Spaghetti Dinner, 4-7 p.m., members $5, nonmembers $8, dinner $8; West Falls Conservation, 55 Bridge St., West Falls; Info: 716-652-4650.
Sept. 3: 3-D Archery, 20 targets Bear Lake Rod & Gun Club, 4 p.m. start, $10 fee, open to public, 4391 Stockton-Cassadaga Road, Stockton; 716-397-9717.
Sept. 5: NYSDEC Hunter Ed, Harmony Conservation Club, Panama, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., taught by Charles W. Dole, register at https://decals.events.east.licensing.app/em/events/389/registrations/new, or call 585-226-5463.