*The season schedules have been updated on September 25, 2025.
Rhode Island is the smallest state in the United States, covering only about 1,214 square miles. However, this compact state has diverse landscapes and abundant wildlife, making it a great spot for outdoor enthusiasts.
The cool, fresh and beautiful landscape of Rhode Island will provide you with an unforgettable hunting experience. The diversity of wildlife offers a fantastic chance for hunters of every skill level. Soon, it will be time to prepare for the upcoming 2025 Rhode Island hunting season.
In this article, we will guide you through the opening seasons for various game species, the hunting licenses, and the hunting rules that are necessary for advance planning.
When Does Hunting Season Start In Rhode Island?
The hunting seasons in Rhode Island are different yearly, based on different wildlife species.
The peak hunting period in Rhode Island is from September to December. Throughout this period, you have the opportunity to harvest different types of animals, such as White-tailed deer, Turkey, Pheasant, Quail, Coyote, Fox, Rabbit, Squirrel, Raccoon, Ducks, and more.
For some particular games like Turkey, the hunting season begins in April during the Spring and continues to open in September during the Fall. Furthermore, certain hunting seasons in Rhode Island will be extended to February of next year.
Now, let’s check out the breakdown of each hunting season as follows.
Rhode Island Deer Hunting Seasons
In 2025, the RI hunting season dates are different than last year. The following are the details, and make sure to mark your calendar:
RI Deer Archery Season
- Zone 1: September 15 – January 31, 2026; and September 13 – 14 (Youth only)
- Zone 2: October 1 – January 31, 2026; and September 27 – 28 (Youth only)
- Zone 3: November 1 -January 31, 2026; and October 25 – 26 (Youth only)
- Zone 4: October 16, 17, 20 – 24, 27 – 31
RI Muzzleloader Season
- Zones 1 and 2: November 1 – 30
- Zones 1 and 2: December 26 – January 2, 2026 (Private land only, antlerless deer only)
- Zones 1 and 2: October 25 – 26 (Youth only)
RI Shotgun Season
- Zone 1: December 6 – 21
- Zone 2: December 4 – 14
- Zones 1 and 2: December 26 – January 2, 2026 (Private land only, antlerless deer only)
Archery, Muzzleloader & Shotgun (Zone 4)
- November 3 – 7, 10, 12 – 14, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25
- December 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 – 12, 15, 16, 18, 19
- January 2, 5 – 9, 12 – 16, 20 – 23, 26 – 30, 2026
- February 2 – 6, 9 – 13, 2026
Special Season for Disabled Hunters
- Zone 3: October 28–31
The hours for hunting deer legally are from half an hour before sunrise to thirty minutes after sunset.
A hunter can only harvest a maximum of two (2) antlered deer in total across all deer seasons. Nevertheless, only one (1) antlered deer is allowed to be harvested in Zone 3. For Antlerless deer, it has a different bag limit rule. Here are the specifics:
- Zone 1: Three Antlerless deer
- Zone 2 and Zone 3: Two Antlerless deer
- Zone 4: Unlimited Antlerless deer
Hunting Zone Scopes
Zone 1 includes the following towns:
Barrington; Bristol; Central Falls; Charlestown; Cranston; Cumberland; East Greenwich; East Providence; Jamestown; Johnston; Lincoln; Middletown; Narragansett; Newport; North Kingstown; North Providence; North Smithfield; Pawtucket; Providence; Smithfield; South Kingstown; Warren; Warwick; West Warwick; Westerly; and Woonsocket.
Zone 2 includes the following towns:
Burrillville; Coventry; Exeter; Foster; Glocester; Hopkinton; Little Compton; Portsmouth (excluding Prudence and Patience Islands); Richmond; Scituate; Tiverton; and West Greenwich.
Zone 3 includes Patience and Prudence Islands.
Zone 4 includes New Shoreham (Block Island).
Rhode Island Turkey Seasons 2025 – 2026
Turkey season in Rhode Island for 2025–2026 has already been released. It gives hunters a clear window to chase spring and fall birds across the state.
Each turkey season is short but well-managed, with set dates, bag limits, and zone rules you need to know before heading out. Below is a quick breakdown of RI turkey hunting seasons and what to expect each time of year.
- Paraplegic Spring Season: April 26 – 27, 2025; and April 20 – 26, 2026
- Youth Season: April 21 – 27, 2025; and April 20 – 26, 2026
- Statewide Spring Season: April 24 – May 18, 2025; and April 30 – May 24, 2026
- Fall Archery Season: October 1 to October 31, 2025
For the Youth and Spring turkey seasons, the bag limit is two (2) bearded turkeys. However, in the Fall turkey season, you can only hunt one turkey of either sex.
The legal hunting time is also different for different turkey seasons. Spring season shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise to 1:00 P.M. While Fall season shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise until sunset.
Rhode Island Migratory Bird Seasons
Dove Season
- September 1 – 30, 2025
- October 18 – December 16, 2025
Shooting hours are half an hour before sunrise until sunset.
The daily bag limit is fifteen (15) in total, including the mourning doves and Eurasian collared-doves.
Rail Season
Date: September 1 to November 9, 2025
The daily bag limits are one King rail (Rallus elegans)&clapper rail and three Sora and Virginia rails.
Shooting hours are one half (1/2) hour before sunrise until sunset.
Snipe Season
Date: September 1 to November 9, 2025
The daily bag limit is five (5).
Woodcock Season
Date: October 18 to December 1, 2025
The daily bag limit is three (3).
Crow Season
- August 8 to September 28, 2025 (Fri, Sat, Sun Only)
- October 18 through to December 8, 2025
- December 19 extending until April 4, 2026 (Fri, Sat, Sun Only)
No daily bag limit for crow.
For the above Migration Birds, the possession limit is three times the daily bag limit.
Rhode Island Waterfowl Season
Canada Goose Seasons
Regular Season:
- November 23 – November 30, 2025
- December 6 – January 25, 2026
- Daily bag limit: 2
Early Season: September 1 – 30, 2025; Daily bag limit: 15
Late Season: January 31 – February 14, 2026; Daily bag limit: 5
Ducks, Coots, and Mergansers Seasons
- October 10 – October 13, 2025
- November 26 – November 30, 2025
- December 6 – January 25, 2026
Ducks – The daily bag limit is six (6)
Coots – The daily bag limit is fifteen (15)
Mergansers– The daily bag limit is five (5)
Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days
- October 25 – 26, 2025
Rhode Island Small Game Seasons
Season Schedules
Raccoon Season:
- October 1 – February 28, 2026
- No bag limit. You can hunt as many as you can and fully enjoy the activities.
Coyote:
- September 15 – February 28, 2026; and April 30 – May 24, 2026 (State Land)
- Year-round (Private Land)
Cottontail Rabbit: October 1–February 28, 2026
Gray and Red Squirrel: September 13–February 28, 2026
Pheasant, Bobwhite Quail, and Red, Gray Fox: October 18–February 28, 2026
Youth Pheasant: October 11–13
Hunting Limits
It’s important to know that the hunting limits vary for various game animals.
You can hunt up to 2 pheasants daily, and 3 rabbits and quails. If you’re after squirrels, you can take up to 5 of them.
The best part is that there are no limits on coyotes, raccoons, and foxes, so feel free to pursue them as you want.
The limit might change differently each year. Always check local regulations to ensure compliance and promote sustainable hunting practices!
Rhode Island Hunting License Costs
There are different types of hunting licenses for residents and non-residents. Licenses can be bought on the Official Website or at any DEM office.
This year, the license fees have been increased a bit. Please check the cost details of each type.
Licenses For Residents
| Resident Hunting License (must be 15 years old)1 | $24.00 |
| Resident Combination License (Hunting & Fishing) | $43.00 |
| Resident Junior Hunting License (12-14 years old)1 | $14.00 |
| Permanent Resident Combination License (over 65 or disabled) | Free |
| Resident Trapping License | $20.00 |
| Active Military Personnel Hunting License | $24.00 |
| Resident All Outdoors Deer Package Permit | $78.00 |
| Resident Deer Permit | $14.00 |
| Resident Turkey Permit | $9.00 |
| RI Game Bird Permit | $18.50 |
| State Waterfowl Stamp | $9.00 |
| Migratory Bird (H.I.P) Permit | Free |
Licenses For Non-Residents
| Non-Resident Hunting License (must be 15 years old) | $65.00 |
| Non-Resident Tourist Hunting License (3-day) | $20.00 |
| Non-Resident Junior Hunting License (12 -14 years old) | $40.00 |
| Non-Resident Trapping License | $75.00 |
| Non-Resident Deer Permit | $27.50 |
| Non-Resident Turkey Permit | $23.00 |
Rhode Island Hunting Laws
- Upon completion of the hunt, the hunter must attach the tag to the deer. Write the month, day, and hour of the deer kill on the tag and then securely fasten the tag onto the deer.
- Reporting is required for deer hunting. The Department of Environmental Management must be notified of all deer harvested in twenty-four (24) consecutive hours
- Hunters can use a single dog to track down an injured deer that is lost or not retrieved.
- Hunter Orange is required for all hunters with at least 200 – 500 square inches of bright orange clothing.
- The use of electronic calls for hunting deer is prohibited at all times.
- Small game hunting is restricted to using a rimfire rifle no bigger than .22 caliber, shotgun, bow and arrow, muzzleloader, crossbow, and air rifle.
- The legal methods to hunt upland game birds include using a shotgun and a bow and arrow. Using crossbows for hunting turkeys is not allowed.
- No baiting, cooperative drive(s), or electric calling devices for taking turkey. Non-electric turkey calls can be used.
- Using electronic calls to lure turkeys is prohibited.
- Every hunter must have a valid Rhode Island hunting license and a valid turkey hunting permit. You must buy a different turkey permit for every hunting season.
📌Official Resources: Rhode Island Hunting Abstract.
Common FAQs About Hunting In Rhode Island
When are the main deer and turkey seasons in Rhode Island?
What license, permits, or hunter-education do I need to hunt in RI?
Do I have to get permits or report harvested deer or turkeys?
Can I hunt on public WMAs or do I need landowner permission?
Can I hunt with a rifle in Rhode Island?
Conclusion
Above is the detailed summary of the Rhode Island hunting season for 2025 – 2026. If you enjoy hunting deer, waterfowl, or wild turkeys, Rhode Island’s varied terrains and plentiful wildlife make it a perfect place for all hunting lovers.
When going on a hunting trip, always follow the rules, show respect for the environment, and focus on safety so you can fully enjoy the excitement of the hunt.
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