Deer Season – Southern Zone – Muzzleloading

Name: Deer Season – Southern Zone – Muzzleloading
Start: 2023-12-12
End: 2023-12-20

December 12, 2023 December 20, 2023

Event created by nywaw

NY Hunting Seasons

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Deer Hunting Seasons

REMINDER: Recently Adopted Deer and Bear Hunting Opportunities and Requirements Continue

1. Antlerless-only deer season in mid-September (9/9 - 9/17/2023) using firearms, crossbows, and vertical bows in WMUs 3M, 3R, 8A, 8F, 8G, 8J, 8N, 9A, and 9F, and using only vertical bows in WMUs 1C, 3S, 4J, and 8C. DMPs and DMAP tags only.

2. Daily hunting hours for deer and bear are now 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset.

3. Bear season in the Adirondacks is simplified by extending the regular season to cover the full hunting period.

4. 12- and 13-year old hunters may hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow in counties that passed a local law to participate in the opportunity. See Junior Big Game Hunting for a map of participating counties.

5. Holiday Deer Hunt is an extension of the late bow and muzzleloader season from December 26 - January 1 in the Southern Zone. Hunters and other recreationists are encouraged to Share the Snow.

Important Links

View Future Big Game Season Dates to plan for future hunting seasons.
See Rifle, Shotgun, and Bow Areas for where these implements are allowed.
Check out the Crossbow Hunting page for license and training requirements and details about hunting with a crossbow.
Be aware of Rules for Importing Big Game into New York - protect NY deer and moose from Chronic Wasting Disease.

Deer Hunting Seasons

Note: Hunters using a crossbow during the last 10 days of the early bow season in the Northern Zone are not subject to the antlered deer-only requirement of the early muzzleloader season in WMU 6N, despite the overlap in season dates.

2023 Deer Hunting Season Dates

Deer Hunting Season Dates
Area	Early Antlerless	Bowhunting	Crossbow	Regular Season	Muzzleloading	Special Late Firearms Season
Northern Zone		Sept. 27 - Oct. 20 Dec. 4 - Dec. 10 (WMUs 5A, 5G, 5J, 6A, 6C, 6G, 6H only)	Oct. 11 -Oct. 20	Oct. 21 - Dec. 3	Oct. 14 - Oct. 20 Dec. 4 - Dec. 10 (WMUs 5A, 5G, 5J, 6A, 6C, 6G, 6H only)
Southern Zone	Sept. 9 - 17 WMUs 3M, 3R, 8A, 8F, 8G, 8J, 8N, 9A, 9F (firearms, bows, crossbow) WMUs 4J, 8C (bowhunting only)	Oct. 1 - Nov. 17 Dec. 11 - Dec. 19 Dec. 26 - Jan. 1	Nov. 4 - Nov. 17 (Not in WMUs 4J or 8C)	Nov. 18 - Dec. 10	Dec. 12 - Dec. 20 (except bowhunting only WMUs 4J and 8C) Dec. 26 - Jan. 1 (except bowhunting only WMUs 4J and 8C)
Westchester County (WMU 3S)	Sept. 9 - 17 (bowhunting only)	same as Regular Season		Oct. 1 - Dec. 31 (bowhunting only)
Suffolk County (WMU 1C)	Sept. 9 - 17 (bowhunting only)	same as Regular Season		Oct. 1, 2023 - Jan. 31, 2024 (bowhunting only)		Jan. 7 - Jan. 31, 2024 (Special Permit Required)

Antler Restriction Program

An antler restriction is in place to reduce harvest of young bucks in a portion of the Catskills in southeastern New York. The antler restriction REQUIRES that bucks taken in the antler restriction units have at least one antler with 3 points (or more) which are at least one inch long. This restriction applies to the archery, regular and muzzleloading seasons. Hunters aged 12-16 years are exempt from this restriction. For more information see Antler Restrictions in New York.