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Is deer season open in Rhode Island?

Every Rhode Island deer season we have read for 2026-27 from Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Division of Fish & Wildlife, open or closed on the day you pick, and when the next one opens.

Rhode Island deer seasons 2026-27

Rhode Island's Shotgun deer season opens Dec 5, 2026.

National wildlife refuges, co-op lands and some state lands such as Block Island's Black Rock and Rodman Hollow have their own permits, lotteries or shorter dates, and some towns restrict hunting.

On Sundays, private land is closed to hunting in Portsmouth, Little Compton, Middletown and Barrington. Check with the town for other local rules.

Youth Archery · Zone 1, Zone 2 · youth hunters ages 12-17 onlySep 12 to Sep 13
Archery · Zone 1, Zone 2Sep 15 to Jan 31, 2027
Special Season for Disabled Hunters · Zone 3 (Patience and Prudence Islands) · paraplegic and double amputee hunters with a special permit onlyOct 13 to Oct 16
Archery · Zone 4 (Block Island)Oct 15 to Oct 16 · Oct 19 to Oct 23 · Oct 26 to Oct 30
Youth Archery · Zone 3 (Patience and Prudence Islands) · youth hunters ages 12-17 onlyOct 17 to Oct 18
Archery · Zone 3 (Patience and Prudence Islands)Oct 19 to Jan 31, 2027
Youth Muzzleloader · Zone 1, Zone 2 · youth hunters ages 12-17 onlyOct 31 to Nov 1
Archery, Muzzleloader, Shotgun · Zone 4 (Block Island)Nov 2 to Nov 6 · Nov 9 to Nov 10 · Nov 12 to Nov 13 · Nov 16 to Nov 17 · Nov 19 to Nov 20 · Nov 23 to Nov 24 · Nov 30 to Dec 1 · Dec 3 to Dec 4 · Dec 7 to Dec 11 · Dec 14 to Dec 15 · Dec 17 to Dec 18 · Dec 21 to Dec 22 · Jan 4 to Jan 8 · Jan 11 to Jan 15 · Jan 19 to Jan 22 · Jan 25 to Jan 29 · Feb 1 to Feb 5 · Feb 8 to Feb 12

2 more seasons

Muzzleloader · Zone 1, Zone 2Nov 7 to Dec 4
Shotgun · Zone 1, Zone 2Dec 5 to Dec 31

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Division of Fish & Wildlife. 2026-2027 Rhode Island Hunting & Trapping Guide: Deer Hunting Seasons and Limits (eRegulations), checked November 2026.

Deer Season DatesRhode Island · 2026-27

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Which zone?

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Deer season · Rhode Island · Today

Season open

Yes. A deer season is open today in every Rhode Island zone. Pick yours above to see which.

National wildlife refuges, co-op lands and some state lands such as Block Island's Black Rock and Rodman Hollow have their own permits, lotteries or shorter dates, and some towns restrict hunting.

Youth Archery · 2 zones
Archery · 2 zones
Special Season for Disabled Hunters · Zone 3 (Patience and Prudence Islands)
Archery · Zone 4 (Block Island)
Youth Archery · Zone 3 (Patience and Prudence Islands)
Archery · Zone 3 (Patience and Prudence Islands)
Youth Muzzleloader · 2 zones
Archery, Muzzleloader, Shotgun · Zone 4 (Block Island)
Muzzleloader · 2 zones
Shotgun · 2 zones

OctNovDecJanFeb

Youth ArcheryYouth
Sep 12 to Sep 13
Zone 1, Zone 2, Youth hunters ages 12-17 only
Rhode Island's wording
"Archery (Zones 1 and 2) | September 12–13 (Youth only)"
ArcheryArcheryOpen
Sep 15 to Jan 31, 2027
Zone 1, Zone 2
Rhode Island's wording
"Archery (Zones 1 and 2) | September 15–January 31, 2027"
Special Season for Disabled HuntersOther
Oct 13 to Oct 16
Zone 3 (Patience and Prudence Islands), Paraplegic and double amputee hunters with a special permit only
Rhode Island's wording
"Special Season for Disabled Hunters: Patience & Prudence Islands (Zone 3) | October 13–16 | The taking of deer will be limited to paraplegic and double amputee hunters only."
ArcheryArchery
Oct 15 to Oct 16 · Oct 19 to Oct 23 · Oct 26 to Oct 30
Zone 4 (Block Island)
Rhode Island's wording
"Archery: Block Island (Zone 4) | October 15, 16, 19–23, 26–30 (Check local ordinance)"
Youth ArcheryYouth
Oct 17 to Oct 18
Zone 3 (Patience and Prudence Islands), Youth hunters ages 12-17 only
Rhode Island's wording
"Archery: Patience & Prudence Islands (Zone 3) | October 17–18 (Youth only)"
ArcheryArcheryOpen
Oct 19 to Jan 31, 2027
Zone 3 (Patience and Prudence Islands)
Rhode Island's wording
"Archery: Patience & Prudence Islands (Zone 3) | October 19–January 31, 2027"
Youth MuzzleloaderYouth
Oct 31 to Nov 1
Zone 1, Zone 2, Youth hunters ages 12-17 only
Rhode Island's wording
"Muzzleloader (Zones 1 and 2) | October 31–November 1 (Youth only)"
Archery, Muzzleloader, ShotgunOtherOpen
Nov 2 to Nov 6 · Nov 9 to Nov 10 · Nov 12 to Nov 13 · Nov 16 to Nov 17 · Nov 19 to Nov 20 · Nov 23 to Nov 24 · Nov 30 to Dec 1 · Dec 3 to Dec 4 · Dec 7 to Dec 11 · Dec 14 to Dec 15 · Dec 17 to Dec 18 · Dec 21 to Dec 22 · Jan 4 to Jan 8 · Jan 11 to Jan 15 · Jan 19 to Jan 22 · Jan 25 to Jan 29 · Feb 1 to Feb 5 · Feb 8 to Feb 12
Zone 4 (Block Island)
Rhode Island's wording
"Archery, Muzzleloader, Shotgun (Zone 4) | November 2–6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 30 | December 1, 3, 4, 7–11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22 | January 4–8, 11–15, 19–22, 25–29, 2027 | February 1–5, 8–12, 2027"
MuzzleloaderMuzzleloader
Nov 7 to Dec 4
Zone 1, Zone 2
Rhode Island's wording
"Muzzleloader (Zones 1 and 2) | November 7–December 4"
ShotgunFirearm
Dec 5 to Dec 31
Zone 1, Zone 2
Rhode Island's wording
"Shotgun (Zones 1 and 2) | December 5–31"

Sundays

On Sundays, private land is closed to hunting in Portsmouth, Little Compton, Middletown and Barrington. Check with the town for other local rules.

"Towns closed to Sunday hunting on private lands include Portsmouth, Little Compton, Middletown, and Barrington."

Source

Hunter orange

"All deer hunters must wear five hundred (500) square inches of daylight fluorescent orange, except archery hunters during the archery only portion of the season."

Source: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Division of Fish & Wildlife, 2026-2027 Rhode Island Hunting & Trapping Guide: Deer Hunting Seasons and Limits (eRegulations), checked November 2026.

Find a hunting outfitter

A guide to the dates each state printed for the year, not the regulations. Bag limits, permits, weapon rules and unit closures are in the state's own digest, which is the authority.

Each state's own dates, quoted
Your zone and your day
When the next season opens

Hunting in Rhode Island

16 outfitters, guides and lodges listed in Rhode Island. Legal shooting hours in Rhode Island today.

See Rhode Island outfitters

Common questions

Deer season questions

Rhode Island's Shotgun deer season opens Dec 5, 2026. National wildlife refuges, co-op lands and some state lands such as Block Island's Black Rock and Rodman Hollow have their own permits, lotteries or shorter dates, and some towns restrict hunting. Source: 2026-2027 Rhode Island Hunting & Trapping Guide: Deer Hunting Seasons and Limits (eRegulations).

Rhode Island's Archery season opens Sep 15, 2026 in the zones it covers. Source: 2026-2027 Rhode Island Hunting & Trapping Guide: Deer Hunting Seasons and Limits (eRegulations).

On Sundays, private land is closed to hunting in Portsmouth, Little Compton, Middletown and Barrington. Check with the town for other local rules. Rhode Island's rule says: "Towns closed to Sunday hunting on private lands include Portsmouth, Little Compton, Middletown, and Barrington."

Rhode Island's rule says: "All deer hunters must wear five hundred (500) square inches of daylight fluorescent orange, except archery hunters during the archery only portion of the season."

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