When does deer season end in 2026? Closing dates in 10 states and provinces
It depends on where you hunt. Of the 10 states and provinces we track, the last general deer season closes Feb 28, 2027 in British Columbia and Florida, and 7 of 10 still have some deer season open after January 1. The main gun seasons end much earlier, between Nov 29 (Wisconsin) and Feb 21 (Florida). Updated · source: official 2026–27 regulations of FWC, TPWD, ODNR, PGC, NYSDEC, Michigan DNR, Wisconsin DNR, Minnesota DNR, Ontario MNR and BC.
Last day of deer season 2026–27, by state and province
| State / province · source | Last day | Season that closes last | Main gun season ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia Agency ↗ +8 · 2026-2028 rules · fetched Oct 17 | Feb 28, 2027 118 days after Nov 2 | Mule deer (black-tailed) · Antlerless (1 MU group) | Sep 9 – Feb 28 General open seasons, any weapon (by MU) |
| Florida Agency ↗ · 2026-27 rules · fetched Oct 17 | Feb 28, 2027 118 days after Nov 2 | Muzzleloading gun season (Zone D) | Jan 3 – Feb 21 General gun season (4 zones) |
| Ohio Agency ↗ · 2026-27 rules · fetched Oct 17 | Feb 7, 2027 97 days after Nov 2 | Archery | Dec 20 Gun season (incl. Dec 19–20 weekend) |
| New York Agency ↗ · 2026-27 rules · fetched Oct 17 | Jan 31, 2027 90 days after Nov 2 | Regular - bowhunting only (Suffolk County (WMU 1C)) | Dec 6 – Dec 13 Regular season (Northern / Southern Zone) |
| Texas Agency ↗ · 2026-27 rules · fetched Oct 17 | Jan 31, 2027 90 days after Nov 2 | White-tailed Deer · Special Late (South) | Jan 3 – Jan 17 White-tailed general (North / South) |
| Pennsylvania Agency ↗ · 2026-27 rules · fetched Oct 17 | Jan 24, 2027 83 days after Nov 2 | ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK (Statewide); ANTLERLESS EXTENDED REGULAR FIREARMS (WMUs 2B, 5C, and 5D); ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless); ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless) (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D) | Dec 13 Regular firearms |
| Wisconsin Agency ↗ · 2026 rules · fetched Oct 17 | Jan 3, 2027 62 days after Nov 2 | Archery/Crossbow | Nov 29 9-day gun deer |
| Michigan Agency ↗ · 2026-27 rules · fetched Oct 17 | Jan 1, 2027 60 days after Nov 2 | Archery (late segment); Late antlerless firearm (Lower Peninsula DMUs (excluding 145 and 245)) | Nov 30 Regular firearm |
| Ontario Agency ↗ · 2026 rules · fetched Oct 17 | Dec 31, 2026 59 days after Nov 2 | White-tailed deer · Bows only — Non-resident; White-tailed deer · Bows only — Resident (13 WMU groups) | Oct 31 – Dec 15 Gun season, residents (by WMU) |
| Minnesota Agency ↗ · 2026-27 rules · fetched Oct 17 | Dec 31, 2026 59 days after Nov 2 | Archery | Nov 15 – Nov 29 Firearm A / B (by permit-area series) |
- Latest: British Columbia (Mule deer (black-tailed) · Antlerless (1 MU group)) and Florida (Muzzleloading gun season (Zone D)) run to Feb 28, 2027.
- Bowhunters get the latest dates in the Northeast and Ohio: Ohio's archery season runs to Feb 7, Pennsylvania's late archery and flintlock to Jan 24, and New York's Suffolk County bowhunting to Jan 31.
- Earliest finish: Michigan (Jan 1), Ontario (Dec 31), Minnesota (Dec 31) wrap up by New Year's Day.
- Texas splits its general season: North Zone to Jan 3, South Zone to Jan 17, then special late hunts to Jan 31.
Season timeline: how long each deer season runs
Light bars show the span from the first deer opener to the last closing day in any zone; there can be gaps in between. Dark bars are the main gun season (British Columbia has no separate gun season, so it has no dark bar). The dashed line marks the publication date.
Last day by weapon type
The latest closing date in any zone for each kind of season. "Late / antlerless-only" means the separate late or antlerless-only firearm hunts some states run in December and January. A dash means no such season in our records.
| State / province | Archery / bow | Gun / general | Muzzleloader | Late / antlerless-only |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Jan 15 | Feb 28 | — | — |
| Florida | Dec 4 | Feb 21 | Feb 28 | — |
| Ohio | Feb 7 | Dec 20 | Jan 5 | — |
| New York | Jan 31 | Dec 13 | — | — |
| Texas | Nov 26 | Jan 17 | Jan 17 | Jan 31 |
| Pennsylvania | Jan 24 | Dec 13 | Jan 24 | Jan 24 |
| Wisconsin | Jan 3 | Nov 29 | Dec 9 | Jan 1 |
| Michigan | Jan 1 | Nov 30 | Dec 6 | Jan 1 |
| Ontario | Dec 31 | Dec 15 | Dec 15 | — |
| Minnesota | Dec 31 | Nov 29 | Dec 13 | — |
Bold = the season that closes last. Ontario's gun and muzzleloader seasons include bows; British Columbia's "gun / general" column covers its any-weapon general open seasons (bucks, antlerless, either-sex). Youth-only hunts are not shown here.
Permit-only and special-area hunts (not counted above)
These run later or in limited areas and need a separate permit or apply only in a disease or damage-control area, so we keep them out of the "last day" answer.
| Where | Hunt | Dates | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | Deer · ANTLERLESS (Agricultural Deer Control) (See source) | Aug 1 – Apr 15, 2027 | Agency ↗ 2026-27 · fetched Oct 17, 2026 |
| Ohio | Deer (Disease Surveillance Area) · DSA Archery | Sep 12 – Feb 7, 2027 | Agency ↗ 2026-27 · fetched Oct 17, 2026 |
| New York | Deer · Special Firearms (Permit Req.) (Suffolk County (WMU 1C)) | Jan 3 – Jan 31, 2027 | Agency ↗ 2026-27 · fetched Oct 17, 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | Deer · ANTLERLESS EXTENDED REGULAR FIREARMS (DMAP properties statewide) | Dec 26 – Jan 24, 2027 | Agency ↗ 2026-27 · fetched Oct 17, 2026 |
| Ohio | Deer (Disease Surveillance Area) · DSA Early Gun | Oct 10 – Oct 12, 2026 | Agency ↗ 2026-27 · fetched Oct 17, 2026 |
What this means for you
If you only hunt with a rifle or shotgun, your season is shorter than "deer season" suggests: in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan the main gun season is over by Nov 30. After that, the remaining options are usually archery, muzzleloader or late antlerless hunts, which often need a different licence or tag. In British Columbia, Florida, Ohio, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin you can still be in the woods after New Year's Day. Dates and zones change every year, so open your state's or province's season page and the agency link before you go.
FAQ
Is it still deer season in January?
Yes in 7 of the 10: British Columbia (to Feb 28), Florida (to Feb 28), Ohio (to Feb 7), New York (to Jan 31), Texas (to Jan 31), Pennsylvania (to Jan 24), Wisconsin (to Jan 3). Michigan, Ontario, Minnesota close on or before January 1. In most places only archery, muzzleloader or late antlerless hunting is still open by then.
When does gun season for deer end?
The main gun seasons end Nov 29 in Wisconsin, Nov 29 in Minnesota, Nov 30 in Michigan, Dec 13 in New York, Dec 13 in Pennsylvania, Dec 15 in Ontario, Dec 20 in Ohio, Jan 17 in Texas, Feb 21 in Florida (latest zone shown). British Columbia has no separate gun season: its general open seasons allow any legal weapon and close by management unit. Only Texas and Florida run their main gun season into the new year.
When does deer season end in British Columbia?
In British Columbia the last general deer season of 2026–27 closes Feb 28, 2027 (Mule deer (black-tailed) · Antlerless (1 MU group)). There is no separate gun season; the general open seasons (any legal weapon) close between Sep 9 and Feb 28 depending on the management unit. Dates differ by management unit, so check your unit on the official page.
When does deer season end in Florida?
In Florida the last general deer season of 2026–27 closes Feb 28, 2027 (Muzzleloading gun season (Zone D)). The main gun season (General gun season (4 zones)) ends between Jan 3 and Feb 21, depending on the zone. Confirm zone and tag rules on the official page before you go.
When does deer season end in Ohio?
In Ohio the last general deer season of 2026–27 closes Feb 7, 2027 (Archery). The main gun season (Gun season (incl. Dec 19–20 weekend)) ends Dec 20. Confirm zone and tag rules on the official page before you go.
When does deer season end in New York?
In New York the last general deer season of 2026–27 closes Jan 31, 2027 (Regular - bowhunting only (Suffolk County (WMU 1C))). The main gun season (Regular season (Northern / Southern Zone)) ends between Dec 6 and Dec 13, depending on the zone. Confirm zone and tag rules on the official page before you go.
When does deer season end in Texas?
In Texas the last general deer season of 2026–27 closes Jan 31, 2027 (White-tailed Deer · Special Late (South)). The main gun season (White-tailed general (North / South)) ends between Jan 3 and Jan 17, depending on the zone. Confirm zone and tag rules on the official page before you go.
When does deer season end in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania the last general deer season of 2026–27 closes Jan 24, 2027 (ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK (Statewide); ANTLERLESS EXTENDED REGULAR FIREARMS (WMUs 2B, 5C, and 5D); ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless); ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless) (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D)). The main gun season (Regular firearms) ends Dec 13. Confirm zone and tag rules on the official page before you go.
When does deer season end in Wisconsin?
In Wisconsin the last general deer season of 2026–27 closes Jan 3, 2027 (Archery/Crossbow). The main gun season (9-day gun deer) ends Nov 29. Confirm zone and tag rules on the official page before you go.
When does deer season end in Michigan?
In Michigan the last general deer season of 2026–27 closes Jan 1, 2027 (Archery (late segment); Late antlerless firearm (Lower Peninsula DMUs (excluding 145 and 245))). The main gun season (Regular firearm) ends Nov 30. Confirm zone and tag rules on the official page before you go.
When does deer season end in Ontario?
In Ontario the last general deer season of 2026–27 closes Dec 31, 2026 (White-tailed deer · Bows only — Non-resident; White-tailed deer · Bows only — Resident (13 WMU groups)). The main gun season (Gun season, residents (by WMU)) ends between Oct 31 and Dec 15, depending on the zone. Dates differ by management unit, so check your unit on the official page.
When does deer season end in Minnesota?
In Minnesota the last general deer season of 2026–27 closes Dec 31, 2026 (Archery). The main gun season (Firearm A / B (by permit-area series)) ends between Nov 15 and Nov 29, depending on the zone. Confirm zone and tag rules on the official page before you go.
Where do these dates come from?
From each agency's official 2026–27 regulations, which we store as structured dates (267 season rows, fetched Oct 17, 2026). We show the dates only and link to the agency for the full rules. The CSV below has every row.
Method and downloads
Every published deer season row in our database for the 10 jurisdictions (official 2026-27 agency publications, fetched 2026-10-17) was split into its date segments. 'Last day' is the latest closing date of any general deer season segment, any zone or weapon, for the 2026-27 licence year (segments outside 2026-04-01 to 2027-06-30 are left out). Permit-only and special-area programs are listed separately and not counted. Season classes come from keyword rules on the season name (archery/bow, gun/general/firearm, muzzleloader/flintlock, late/holiday/antlerless-only; youth hunts are not shown in the class columns). Not counted: British Columbia Region 6: MU 6-12, 6-13 mule deer (black-tailed) bucks (stored as 2027-06-01 to 2028-02-28, outside the 2026–27 window; check the official synopsis). Generated 2026-11-02 17:37:40 UTC by a script from our database; no date on this page was written by AI. We list dates only: bag limits, tags, weapon rules and private-land rules are on the agency pages.
Download all 328 season segments (CSV) · Data sources & licences · All reports · Weekly report: season openers
Deer season pages by state and province
British Columbia deer season · Florida deer season · Ohio deer season · New York deer season · Texas deer season · Pennsylvania deer season · Wisconsin deer season · Michigan deer season · Ontario deer season · Minnesota deer season
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