Rhode Island Hunting Season Dates
Recorded hunting windows for Rhode Island, including historical and unverified entries.
Recorded dates, not hunting permission
Status assessment: 2026-10-14 UTC (static build snapshot). Static activity badges and day counts use this build assessment, not a live check. Interactive finder results show their own UTC assessment day.
1 of 5 recorded windows have date-review evidence. Other rows remain unverified. Historical records are retained and are not a current-season promise.
Check your current agency regulations, GMU or zone, hunt code, license and access restrictions before hunting. An agency link or successful publication fetch does not verify a row. Reviewed base dates do not cover every license-specific exception.
Date evidence: Official date source. Review dates apply only to the stated row scope, not an entire state or current license eligibility.
Rhode Island Hunting Season Calendar
Find all hunting season dates for Rhode Island including deer, elk, turkey, and waterfowl. Filter by species and hunting method.
Coming Up in Rhode Island
Seasons opening in the next 60 days
Dec 5-31, 2026
Opens in 52 days
Recorded Season Windows
All Rhode Island hunting seasons organized by species
Deer 4 seasons
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 15, 2025 - Jan 31, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Extended archery | |
| Shotgun | Dec 5-31, 2026 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | Westerly Zone1 private-land adult legal-antlered shotgun — current individual shotgun deer permit | Upcoming | Actual active250-RICR-60-00-9 amendment effective07/28/2026, official linked final rule:9.7(B) Westerly Zone1;9.7(C)(3), PDF6 first Saturday in December through Dec31 inclusive, calculated Dec5–31,2026; not old-guide Dec20 cutoff. Only private-land adult legal-antlered shotgun subset reviewed, not individual permission.9.7(A)/(G), PDF5/7 correct permit for each deer before hunting and annual written permission carried while hunting; current hunting license.9.7.1, PDF8/9 maximum two antlered statewide across all seasons/methods, not two per season or zone; correct antler classification/tag/bag must be checked.9.7.5, PDF11 shotgun capacity at most five shells or lawful one-piece plug; 10/12/16/20 gauge; single lead/alloy projectile including rifled slug/sabot, no buckshot.9.7(F) hours sunrise/sunset±30minutes; date activity is not hourly permission. Check local discharge/parcel/access/orange/tagging/reporting/CWD/bait/weapon restrictions/current amendments. No other towns/zones/public/cooperative/federal/island/special/youth/archery/muzzleloader/antlerless coverage; four history rows/license metadata unverified. DEM index403 and March proposed redline not read as current facts; active SOS HTML/final PDF read, not two independent publications. | |
| Shotgun | Nov 17-29, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Shotgun season | |
| Muzzleloader | Dec 1-31, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Muzzleloader season | |
Turkey 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | Apr 26 - May 25, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Spring season | |
Got your license ready to show?
Store credentials offline in Hunter Passport
Rhode Island Hunting Regulations
License year, species, and agency information
- License Year
- Sep 1, 2025 - Aug 31, 2026
- Available Species
-
- Deer
- Turkey
- Hunting Methods
-
- Archery
- Shotgun
- Muzzleloader
- Any Legal Method
- Wildlife Agency
- Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
This information is for reference only. Always verify regulations with your state wildlife agency before hunting or fishing.
Important Note for Rhode Island
Only Westerly Zone1 private adult legal-antlered shotgun Dec5–31 reviewed from active July28,2026 rule/SOS linked final PDF, not old Dec20 cutoff or proposed redline. Permit per deer/current license/annual written permission carried; two antlered statewide all seasons/methods.10/12/16/20gauge single lead/alloy slug/sabot; five-shell capacity/one-piece plug, no buckshot. Sunrise/sunset±30minutes, date activity not hourly permission. Local discharge/parcel/access/orange/tagging/reporting/CWD/bait/current amendments need checks. Other towns/zones/public/cooperative/federal/island/special/youth/other weapons/antlerless/four history rows/license metadata unverified. DEM index403; not individual permission.
Hunting Method Legend
Rhode Island Hunting FAQ
Common questions about hunting seasons in Rhode Island
What are the hunting season dates for Rhode Island?
Recorded Rhode Island entries cover Deer, Turkey. Dates include history and unverified records; the recorded license-year metadata is not current verification. Check row evidence and current agency regulations and your license.
When does deer season start in Rhode Island?
Recorded windows, not one continuous season: 2025-09-15 to 2026-01-31; 2026-12-05 to 2026-12-31; 2025-11-17 to 2025-11-29; 2025-12-01 to 2025-12-31. Historical and unverified records may be included. Check each row's evidence and your current GMU/hunt code and license before hunting.
Does Rhode Island require a draw for hunting?
Draw requirements depend on species, GMU or zone, hunt code and license type. Recorded date windows do not establish eligibility. Check the current Rhode Island agency rules and your actual license.
Which recorded windows include the assessment date 2026-10-14 UTC in Rhode Island?
The next recorded window is Deer starting Dec 5, 2026. Check its row evidence and current regulations; the record may be unverified.
What should I know about hunting in Rhode Island?
Only Westerly Zone1 private adult legal-antlered shotgun Dec5–31 reviewed from active July28,2026 rule/SOS linked final PDF, not old Dec20 cutoff or proposed redline. Permit per deer/current license/annual written permission carried; two antlered statewide all seasons/methods.10/12/16/20gauge single lead/alloy slug/sabot; five-shell capacity/one-piece plug, no buckshot. Sunrise/sunset±30minutes, date activity not hourly permission. Local discharge/parcel/access/orange/tagging/reporting/CWD/bait/current amendments need checks. Other towns/zones/public/cooperative/federal/island/special/youth/other weapons/antlerless/four history rows/license metadata unverified. DEM index403; not individual permission.
Other States
Compare hunting seasons across states
Need a Rhode Island Hunting License?
Store your RI license in Hunter Passport for instant offline access.
Your license shouldn't be harder to access than these regulations.
Hunter Passport stores every state's hunting license on your phone. Works without signal — three seconds from tap to warden.