Rhode Island Hunting Seasons 2023-2024 New Dates & Rules

Rhode Island is a great place for hunters to indulge in their pastime while also seeing the state’s stunning landscapes. Whether you’re a seasoned outdoorsman or just getting your feet wet, you’ll enjoy Rhode Island’s several hunting seasons. We’ll go through the several hunting seasons in Rhode Island and the regulations and permits you’ll need to take part in this thrilling outdoor pastime.

Rhode Island Hunting Seasons

Rhode Islanders love to spend time in the great outdoors, and the state’s several hunting seasons allow them to do just that. The deer season begins on September 15 and ends on January 31, while the deer shotgun season runs from September 9 through December 20 and again from December 26 through February 16.

Any anyone using a state managed area between the second Saturday in September and the last day in February, and the third Saturday in April and the last day in May, must wear 200 square inches of solid daylight bright orange, regardless of whether or not they are hunting. Rhode Island is a great place to go hunting, whether you’re a seasoned pro or just getting started.

Deer Season

Deer Season	Zones	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates
Archery (Youth only)	Zone 1	9-Sep	10-Sep
Archery (Youth only)	Zone 2	23-Sep	24-Sep
Archery	Zone 1	15-Sep	31-Jan-24
Archery	Zone 2	1-Oct	31-Jan-24
Archery: Patience and Prudence Islands (Youth only)	Zone 3	28-Oct	29-Oct
Archery: Patience and Prudence Islands	Zone 3	1-Nov	31-Jan-24
Archery: Block Island	Zone 4	October 12, 13, 16-20, 23-27, 30, 31
Muzzleloader (Youth only)	Zones 1, 2	28-Oct	29-Oct
Muzzleloader	Zones 1, 2	4-Nov	26-Nov
Muzzleloader (Private land only, antlerless deer only)	Zones 1, 2	26-Dec	2-Jan-24
Shotgun	Zone 1	2-Dec	17-Dec
Shotgun	Zone 2	2-Dec	10-Dec
Shotgun (Private land only, antlerless deer only)	Zones 1, 2	26-Dec	2-Jan-24
Archery, Muzzleloader & Shotgun: Block Island (Zone 4)		November 1-3, 6-9, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 21, 27-30, December 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11-15, 18, 19, 21, 22, January 2-5, 8-12, 16-19, 22-26, 29-31, 2024, February 1, 2, 5-9, 12-16, 2024
Special Season for Disabled Hunters: Patience and Prudence Islands (Zone 3)		24-Oct	27-Oct

Turkey Season

Turkey Season	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates
Fall Archery	1-Oct-23	31-Oct-23
Youth	15-Apr-23	21-Apr-24
Paraplegic	20-Apr-23	21-Apr-24
Spring	25-Apr-23	19-May-24

RI Small Game Hunting Season

Coyote Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Daily Bag Limit
Coyote – State Land	15-Sep	29-Feb-24	Unlimited
Coyote – State Land	25-Apr	19-May-24	Unlimited
Coyote – Private Land	No closed season	No closed season	Unlimited

Raccoon Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Bag Limit
Raccoon Season	1-Oct	29-Feb	unlimited

Pheasant Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Daily Bag Limit
Youth Pheasant	14-Oct	15-Oct	2
Youth Pheasant	21-Oct	29-Feb-24	2

Quail Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Bag Limit
Bobwhite Quail	21-Oct	29-Feb	3

Rabbit Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Bag Limit
Cottontail Rabbit	21-Oct	29-Feb	3

Squirrel Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Bag Limit
Gray and Red Squirrel	21-Oct	29-Feb	5, singly or in aggregate

Fox Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Bag Limit
Red, Gray Fox	21-Oct	29-Feb	unlimited

Grouse Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Bag Limit
Ruffed Grouse	Closed	Closed	N/A

RI Waterfowl Season

Youth Waterfowl Hunting Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates
Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days	28-Oct	29-Oct

Goose Season

Goose Season	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Daily Bag Limit
Early Season	1-Sep	30-Sep	15
Regular Season	18-Nov	26-Nov	2
Regular Season	2-Dec	21-Jan-24	2
Late Season	27-Jan-24	10-Feb-24	5
Snow Goose (Including Blue Goose)	7-Oct	25-Jan-24	21

Brant Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Bag Limit
Brant	23-Dec	21-Jan	1

Ducks Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Daily Bag Limit
Ducks	13-Oct	16-Oct	6
Ducks	22-Nov	26-Nov	6
Ducks	2-Dec	21-Jan-24	6
Harlequin Duck	Closed	Closed	N/A
Sea Ducks	13-Oct	16-Oct	6
Sea Ducks	22-Nov	26-Nov	6
Sea Ducks	2-Dec	21-Jan-24	6

Scaup Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Daily Bag Limit
Scaup	13-Oct	16-Oct	1
Scaup	22-Nov	26-Nov	1
Scaup	2-Dec	1-Jan-24	1
Scaup	2-Jan-24	21-Jan-24	2

Mergansers Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Daily Bag Limit
Mergansers	13-Oct	16-Oct	6
Mergansers	22-Nov	26-Nov	6
Mergansers	2-Dec	21-Jan-24	6

Coots Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Daily Bag Limit
Coots	13-Oct	16-Oct	6
Coots	22-Nov	26-Nov	6
Coots	2-Dec	21-Jan-24	6

Swans Season

Species	Hunting Dates
Swan	No Season

Migratory Shore and Upland Game Bird Seasons

Crow Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Daily Bag Limit
Crow	11-Aug	October 1 (Fri, Sat, Sun)	Unlimited
Crow	21-Oct	11-Dec	Unlimited
Crow	15-Dec	March 30, 2024 (Fri, Sat, Sun)	Unlimited

Rail Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Bag Limit
King/Clapper Rail	1-Sep	9-Nov	1
Sora/Virginia Rail	1-Sep	9-Nov	3

Snipe Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Bag Limit
Snipe	1-Sep	9-Nov	5

Dove Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Daily Bag Limit
Mourning Dove	9-Sep	8-Oct	Not specified
Mourning Dove	21-Oct	3-Dec	15
Mourning Dove	9-Dec	24-Dec	Not specified

Woodcock Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Bag Limit
Woodcock Season	21-Oct	4-Dec	3

Rhode Island Trapping Season

Species	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Season Bag Limit	Pelt Tagging
Mink	1-Nov	31-Jan-24	none	no
Muskrat	1-Nov	31-Jan-24	none	no
Skunk	1-Nov	31-Jan-24	none	no
Raccoon	1-Nov	31-Jan-24	none	no
Opossum	1-Nov	31-Jan-24	none	no
Weasel	1-Nov	31-Jan-24	none	no
Red Fox	1-Nov	31-Jan-24	none	no
Gray Fox	1-Nov	31-Jan-24	none	no
Rabbit	1-Nov	31-Jan-24	none	no
Coyote – Private	No closed season		none	no
Coyote – State Land	1-Nov	31-Jan-24	none	no
Beaver – Private*	1-Nov	14-Mar-24	20	yes
Beaver – State Land*	1-Dec	29-Feb-24
Fisher*	1-Dec	24-Dec	2	yes

RI Hunting License & Permits

All hunters are required to have valid hunting permits on their person at all times when hunting. In addition to the potential suspension or revocation of a hunting license for rule infractions, licensed hunters and trappers are also liable to having their gear inspected.

A valid hunting license acts as a permit for hunting in state management areas, as well as in select TNC and state co-op hunting areas; however, special licenses are required for shooting deer, waterfowl, and turkey on state lands between the months of October and February.

Licenses Cost

RI Hunting License Catagories	Fee (Agency)	Fees (Online)	Note
Resident Hunting License	$23.00	$21.00	Must be age of 15 or older. Rhode Island requires young hunters to be accompanied by a 21-year-old adult with a valid hunting license.
Resident Combination License	$40.00	$38.00	Hunting & Fishing
Resident Junior Hunting License	$17.00	$14.00	12-14 years old. 12-14-year-olds Rhode Island requires young hunters to be accompanied by a 21-year-old adult with a valid hunting license.
Permanent Resident Combination License	No Fee	No fee	over 65 or disabled. (If you are 65 or older, or if you have a permanent handicap, you may get a free permanent license at the DEM Office of Boat Registration and Licensing, from any licensing seller, or online.)
Resident Trapping License	$17.00	$15.00
Non-Resident Hunting License	$58.00	$55.00	Must be age of 15 or older. Rhode Island requires young hunters to be accompanied by a 21-year-old adult with a valid hunting license.
Non-Resident Tourist Hunting License	$23.00	$20.00	3-day
Non-Resident Junior Hunting License	$43.00	$40.00	12-14 years old. 12-14-year-olds Rhode Island requires young hunters to be accompanied by a 21-year-old adult with a valid hunting license.
Non-Resident Trapping License	$53.00	$50.00	if reciprocal privileges allowed
Active Military Personnel Hunting License	$23.00	$21.00

Permits Cost

RI Hunting Permit Catagories	Fee (Agency)	Fees (Online)	Note
Resident All Outdoors Package Permit	$81.00	$78.00	Two (2) antlered deer licenses and five (5) antlerless deer permits are included in the All Outdoors Deer Permit Package. These permits may be utilized in any combination during open deer seasons in Zones 1 and 2, up to the zone bag restrictions.
Resident Deer Permit	$13.50	$13.00	Permits for hunting deer vary by zone, allowed weapon, and gender.
Non-Resident Deer Permit	$27.50	$26.50	Permits for hunting deer vary by zone, allowed weapon, and gender.
Resident Turkey Permit	$8.50	$8.00
Non-Resident Turkey Permit	$22.50	$21.50
RI Game Bird Permit	$17.51	$17.00
State Waterfowl Stamp	$8.51	$8.00
Migratory Bird (H.I.P) Permit	No Fee	No fee

Note:

• Young hunters in Rhode Island must be accompanied by a 21-year-old adult with a valid hunting license.

• If you are 65 or older or have a permanent handicap, you may get a free permanent license through the DEM Office of Boat Registration and Licensing, any licensing provider, or online.

• Two antlered and five antlerless permits are included in the All Outdoors Deer Permit Package. In Zones 1 and 2, these permits may be used in any combination, subject to bag limitations.

• Each deer hunting license is specific to gender, weapon, and hunting location.

• Non-residents must pay a Game Bird Permit fee of $20.00 and a State Waterfowl Stamp fee of $10.00.

For Migratory Birds (HIP): The HIP certification and the survey are not optional for those who pursue migratory birds as a hobby. The online-platform, licensing providers, and DEM offices all provide free HIP permits. Better data gathering is one way that the HIP program is making a difference in the way that migratory bird resources are managed.

Enhanced Access Fee (EAF)

Full service providers charge an Enhanced Access Fee to assist cover the costs of maintaining the licensing infrastructure (EAF). The following is a breakdown of the costs:

Type	License	Permit
Resident	$2	$0.50
Non-Resident	$3	$1.00

Note: There is no EAF for Recreational Saltwater Fishing or No Cost Licenses and permits.

Hunting Regulations

Restrictions on Participation: Hunting with more than five people, target or trap shooting outside of designated ranges, hunting under the influence of intoxicating substances, spotlighting wild animals and birds from September 15th to the end of February, and shooting at animals on telephoto lenses are all illegal in Rhode Island. Furthermore, at no point is it acceptable to feed or bait wild animals.

The Control of Firearms: Outside of designated shooting times, it is prohibited to be in possession of a loaded weapon or archery equipment. In contrast, hunters have up to 15 minutes before their allotted shooting time to load their rifle or archery equipment before engaging in a shot within legal shooting hours. No. 2 lead shot or smaller may be used, and the use of laser sights or night vision equipment is forbidden. Centerfire rifles no bigger than.229 caliber may be used during daylight hours from April 1st to September 30th, but rimfire rifles of any caliber are prohibited. It’s illegal to shoot a gun or use an arrow when archery hunting within 500 or 200 yards of an inhabited building without authorization.

Conservation and Wildlife Laws: Any wild animal, bird, amphibian, reptile, mollusc, or crab, or their dead bodies, parts, eggs, or progeny, are covered under the Lacey Act of 1900, which governs the interstate and international commerce of wildlife (excluding migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act). Transferring, exporting, or selling animals in violation of state or international regulations, or transporting items without appropriate labeling or tagging, are all violations that may result in legal repercussions for the offenders. The federal government, with allowances for state control, enforces the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act, an international agreement to conserve migratory bird populations. Except for certain hunting seasons, the Act protects all birds and all of their parts, nests, and eggs.

Dress Code:  Fluorescent orange is the compulsory color for hunters to wear during hunting seasons. During shotgun deer seasons, all hunters and users of state management areas and undeveloped state parks are required to wear at least 200 square inches of orange, with the exception of those who are hunting small game, autumn turkeys, or deer with muzzleloaders. This orange requirement exemption applies to archery deer hunters in elevated stands during the muzzleloader season, as well as nighttime raccoon hunters, crow hunters over decoys, spring turkey hunters, first segment dove hunters, and waterfowl hunters in boats or blinds over water or fields with decoys. During the months of September through February and April through May, visitors to state management areas and undeveloped state parks are obliged to wear fluorescent orange clothing. In this case, fluorescent camouflage is insufficient.

Rhode Island Hunting Contacts

Phone Number:

(401) 222-2353

Email:

rulesregs@sos.ri.gov

FAQs related to RI Hunting Season

Can I hunt on private land in Rhode Island without permission?

Without the consent of the landowner, it is not permitted to hunt on private property in Rhode Island.

Are there any special requirements for hunting migratory birds in Rhode Island?

In order to legally hunt migrating birds in Rhode Island, each hunter must first get certified via the state’s Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) and complete an associated survey. The internet system, licensing providers, and DEM offices all provide free HIP permits.

Are there any requirements for other users of state management hunting areas in Rhode Island?

From the second Saturday in September until the last day in February and from the third Saturday in April until the last day in May, all other users of Rhode Island’s state managed areas, including hikers, bicyclists, and horseback riders, are required to wear 200 square inches of solid daylight neon orange. This regulation was put in place to enable hunters single out non-hunters in the region.

Are there any restrictions on the use of firearms while hunting in Rhode Island?

Yes, there are restrictions on the use of firearms while hunting in Rhode Island. For instance, it is against the law to have a rifle or shotgun that is loaded and mounted in a moving vehicle, and it is unlawful to fire a gun within 500 feet of an inhabited structure unless you have authorization to do so. Rifles bigger than.22 caliber rimfire are prohibited at all times, and only lead shot no larger than No. 2 may be used.

Are there any prohibited activities while hunting in Rhode Island?

In Rhode Island, there are a number of things you can’t do when out on a hunt. Target or trap shooting outside of designated ranges; hunting while under the influence of intoxicating substances; spotlighting wild animals and birds between September 15 and February 28; shooting at animals on telephone or electric lines; hunting in groups of more than five people; hunting in state parks (except in undeveloped ones); hunting on posted land without landowner permission; hunting in state parks (except in undeveloped ones); hunting in groups of more than five people;

Dates & Regulations Source: DEM Rhode Island