Deer Season Dates and Bag Limits
Deer
2026 Deer Hunting Seasons
| Season | Dates | Location | Special Instructions |
| Archery/Crossbow | Sept. 12-Jan. 3, 2027 or Jan. 31, 2027* | Statewide | No bucks may be harvested during the statewide antlerless-only hunt or in specific DMUs during the antlerless-only holiday hunt. |
| Gun Deer Hunt For Hunters With Disabilities | Oct. 3-11 | Participating properties | See the Special Hunts webpage for more information. |
| Youth and Disabled Hunt | Oct. 10-11 | Statewide | See the Special Hunts webpage for more information. |
| Gun Deer | Nov. 21-29 | Statewide | All weapon types allowed. Metro sub-unit dates Nov. 21-Dec. 9 |
| Muzzleloader | Nov. 30-Dec. 9 | Statewide | See the Weapons and Ammunition webpage for more information. |
| Antlerless-only | Dec. 10-13 | Statewide | All weapon types are allowed. Only antlerless deer may be harvested. |
| Antlerless-only Holiday Hunt | Dec. 24-Jan. 1, 2027 | Select Farmland Zone counties only** | All weapon types are allowed. Only antlerless deer may be harvested. |
*Archery/crossbow season closes on Jan. 31, 2027, in metro sub-units and in DMUs with extended archery/crossbow season. See the Deer Season Structure map for participating counties.
**See the Deer Season Structure Map.
Bag Limits
Unless otherwise specified under “Special Instructions" (above), the bag limit for all seasons is one buck deer per unused buck deer harvest authorization valid statewide and one antlerless deer per unused antlerless deer harvest authorization valid for use in the specified zone, deer management unit (DMU) and land type (public access or private). Bow buck deer harvest authorizations are weapon-specific. For example, you may not use a rifle to fill your bow buck harvest authorization, even during the firearm gun deer season. Junior antlerless deer harvest authorizations are valid statewide.