When Is Bow And Arrow Hunting Season? [Each American State]

A few days ago, some of my friends and I planned to hunt with a bow and arrow. All of them were beginners in archery, and only I was experienced in hunting. When I asked them about hunting season with bow and arrow, none of them had any idea about it.

Well! In this article, I will discuss the hunting season of each American state and what if you hunt in the season. So, let’s jump to the article-

When Is Bow And Arrow Hunting Season?

Here is the 50-state name of the United States with hunting season by bow and arrow:

North Side Of America:

• Alabama: The bow and arrow hunting season varies from mid-October to mid-February; the hunting season may differ depending on a different zone. 
• Alaska: The bow and arrow hunting season typically runs from mid-October until mid-February, and the hunting season differs based on different zones. The state has 26 different hunting zones, each with particular hunting laws. In several areas, bows and arrows are prohibited for large-game archery hunters.
• Arizona: Arizona has various zones, and the hunting season is individually assigned here in the lottery system. The hunting period runs 2 to 3 weeks. 
• Arkansas: You can hunt over the state from 26th September to 28th February. 
• Nebraska: 1st September to 31st December. 
• Nevada: The hunting period differs in various zones. Mostly include –
  • From 10th August to 9th September. 
  • In the early winter and late fall, “any legal weapon” is allowed by most zones.
• New Hampshire: 
  • Over the state from 15th September to 15th December. 
  • In Northern tip areas, bow hunting season ends early(almost 1 week).
• New Jersey:
  • From September to 31st December. 
  • There are two distinct bow seasons in New Jersey: “Permit Bow,” which is only available to individuals who possess a permit to hunt in a restricted zone, and
  • “Fall Bow” is open to everybody with a valid New Jersey hunting license. Taking antlered deer during bow season necessitates special permission. 

West Side Of America:

• California: There are 12 distinct zones, and the hunting season varies by each zone.  The typical bow and arrow hunting period is July or August and lasts until the end of September. The A zone has the earliest deer seasons from 15th September to November or December. 
• Colorado: There are various hunting seasons in colorado. From 2nd September to 30th (west of I-25 and in Unit 140).  From 1st October to 23rd,  November 4th to 30th, December 15th to 31st (east of I-25).
• Connecticut: The hunting period runs from 15th September to November or December. In certain zones, the bow hunting season lasts until January 31st on private land.
• Delaware: You can hunt over the state from 1st September to 31st January. 
• Florida: Typically varies with zones but mostly runs from September to November. The seasons in South Florida are sooner, running from August 1 to August 30.
• Georgia: The season runs from September 10 to January 8 statewide. In counties in the Atlanta metro area, it is extended until January 31 to compensate for the absence of a gun hunting season in those areas.
• Hawaii: Hunting on private land runs all year. Typically, hunting season is tied in the zone individually by a lottery system.  
• Idaho: Bow and arrow hunting seasons vary depending on various zones. The hunting period is mainly on public land from August to late fall or early winter.
• Illinois: So, when is bow and arrow hunting season in Illinois? 
  • Over the state from 1st October to 17th January.
  • During  firearms deer season, archery is prohibited in counties outside of the Chicago region from November 20–22 and December 3–6.
  • Wanna know can you bow hunt during firearm season in Illinois? Yes, it is legal to bowhunt during firearm season. 
• Indiana:  Statewide from 1st October to 3rd January. 
• Iowa: 
  • Over the state from 1st October to 4th December,
  • 21st December to 10th January.
• Kansas: Over the state from 14th September to 31st December.

East Side America:

• Kentucky:
  • Over the state from 5th September to 18th January.
  • From 19th September to 18th January, only crossbow is allowed for hunting.
• Louisiana: 
  • From September or October to January or February. 
  • The hunting season varies depending on various zones.
• Maine: 
  • From 3rd October to 30th October.
  • In some zones, the expanded season is from 12th September to 12th December. 
• Maryland: Typical hunting season varies depending on the zone, and most include-
  • 6th September to 16th October.
  • 20th October to 29th November. 
  • 16th December to 20th December. 
  • 1st January to 9th January.
  • Some archer includes 13th January to 31st January. 
• Michigan: Over the state 
  • From 1st October to 14th November.
  • 1st December to 1st January. 
  • Some counties offer extended hunting season up to 31st January, such as Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne.
• Minnesota: Over the state from 19th September to 31st December. 
• Mississippi: Typically varies with different zones.
  • 1st October to 15th December(The primitive weapon season is included).
  • 21st to 31st January. 
  • The southeast is also similar, but the hunting season starts on 15 October and is extended from 1 to 15 February.
• Missouri:  
  • Over the state from 15th September to 13th November.
  • 25th November to 15th January.
• Massachusetts: If you want to hunt antlerless deer, you need an antlerless deer permits(ADP). You should take 4 to 8 arrows for a day of deer hunting in massachusetts. 
  • In Western Massachusetts, it starts from 1st week of October to the 30th of November.
  • In Eastern Massachusetts, it starts from the 16th of October to the 25th of November.
• Montana:
  • 8th September to 18th October.
  • Only some backcountry districts are allowed from the 5th to the 14th of September.
• Virginia: Do you know Virginia archery laws for bowhunting?
  • Hunting season in Virginia starts from October 3rd until November 13th, the entire state. 
  • Bow season start in Virginia cate November and December are late archery seasons in several places.
  • Further urban archery seasons take place from January 3rd through March 28th and from September 5th to October 2nd. 

South Side of America

• New Mexico:  The hunting season varies depending on the zone. Mostly include-
  • From 1st to 24th September.
  • From October to late November, “any legal” is followed. 
  • January is also a hunting season in some areas.
• New York: 
  • Each zone has different seasons. 
  • The northern zone has the most WMUs from September 27 to December 6, and they continue until December 13th. 
  • Most WMUs from October 1st to December 13th are in the southern zone. 
  • Crossbows are only allowed for brief durations in November or October.
• North Carolina: 
  • Each zone has different seasons. 
  • From 12th September to October, November, and December in a different zone.
  • In some zones, it is shown to break. 
  • January 9 through February 14 are “urban archery” bow seasons in some cities. 
• North Dakota: Over the state from 4th September to 3rd January.
• Ohio: Over the state from 26th September to 7th February.
• Oklahoma: Over the state from 1st October to 15th January.
• Oregon: 
  • The hunting period varies with different zones. 
  • August 29 through September 27 is open bow season in Eastern and Western Oregon. 
  • A few weeks of bow season are also available in some zones in November and December.
  • Additionally, depending on the zone, there are “any legal weapon” seasons in Western Oregon between October and November. All through the fall, there are several different regulated lottery hunts.
• Pennsylvania: 
  • Over the state from 3rd October to 20th November.
  • From 26th January to 18th January.
  • Some WMUs have a longer season than others.
• Rhode Island: 
  • Vary depends on the zone.
  • Zones 1 and 2 are open from September 15 to January 31 and October 1 to January 31, respectively. 
  • A few small islands in zones 3 and 4 have their bow season dates.
• South Carolina: 
  • Each zone has a different season. They mostly include-
  • From the start of August or September to 1st January.
• South Dakota: Over the state from 1st September to 1st January.
• Tennessee: 
  • From September 28 to January 5, all around the state, with the exception of October 26 and 27 (which are set aside for juvenile hunts). 
  • Extended season on certain private land from January 6th to January 10th.
• Texas: So, when is bow and arrow hunting season in texas?  All around the state from 3rd October to 6th November.
• Utah: 
  • The entire state from August 15 until September 11. 
  • Extended bow hunting seasons are available in some places, lasting into October, November, or December.
• Vermont: 
  • All around the state from 1st October to 15th December.
  • However, it is not permitted from November 14 through November 29 during the official firearms season.

The archery deer hunting season dates in Virginia runs from 19th November to 7th January. To ensure an ethical kill of the deer, you should hit with an arrow to the vital organs such as the heart and lungs.

Now, the question is: can you archery hunt during rifle season in VA? Yes, you can hunt archery during rifle season in Virginia.

What State Has The Earliest Bow Season?

The hunting bow season varies depending on the state. Here is the state name where the bow season starts early: 

• In Alabama, The bow and arrow hunting season starts early and runs from mid-October to mid-February.
• In Oregon, August 29 through September 27 is open bow season in Eastern and Western Oregon. A few weeks of bow season are also available in some zones in November and December.
• In California, The A zone has the earliest archery deer season from 15th September to November or December. However, the hunting regulations can be changed. So, always be updated about hunting regulations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Final Thoughts

In the end,  I hope the above discussion was helpful for you and that you have a clear vision of when is bow and arrow hunting season?

Each state has its own specific rules and regulations. The hunting season varies depending on the state and even the state’s zone. So, it is crucial to check the hunting regulations before hunting because off-season hunting can lead to penalties imposed by the authorities. That’s all for today!