Late September is an unusual point in the U.S. deer calendar because seasons are opening at very different times. In some states, archery hunters are already in the field, while neighboring states are still days away from their first deer opportunity. On September 24, 2026, the states below have at least one legal deer season open somewhere within their boundaries. Exact dates, hunting methods, licenses, units, and bag limits can vary, so hunters should verify the rules for the specific area before going afield.
1. Florida
Florida already has deer hunters in the field, although the opportunity depends heavily on the hunting zone. Zone C opened archery season on Sept. 19 and continues through Oct. 18, while its crossbow season runs through Oct. 23. Zone A also has a general gun season from Sept. 19-Oct. 18, giving hunters there a firearm opportunity right now. The state’s 2026-27 regulations divide deer hunting into four zones, so simply having a Florida license does not make every method legal everywhere. Hunters must match their weapon and dates to the applicable zone and management unit before hunting.
2. Georgia
Georgia’s 2026-27 deer season is already underway through statewide archery hunting, which began Sept. 12. That gives bowhunters an early opportunity before the state’s later firearms periods arrive. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources reported that about 87,000 archery hunters harvested approximately 42,000 deer during the previous season, showing how significant the archery segment can be. Archery equipment can be used throughout the entire 2026-27 deer season, although individual areas can have additional regulations. Hunters should therefore check the county, wildlife management area, and current license requirements rather than relying only on the statewide opening date.
3. Kentucky
Kentucky’s deer season has been open since Sept. 5, when statewide archery season began. The archery opportunity continues through Jan. 18, 2027, giving hunters one of the longer continuous windows available this fall. Crossbow hunting began Sept. 19, while a special CWD surveillance-zone antlerless season runs Sept. 25-28 in qualifying counties. The latter begins tomorrow, so hunters in those areas face a separate set of rules. Kentucky’s regular modern-gun season does not begin until Nov. 14. For now, hunters need to pay particular attention to archery, crossbow eligibility, and the specific CWD-zone provisions.
4. Maine
Maine currently has deer hunting available through its Expanded Archery season, which opened Sept. 12 in designated areas and continues through Dec. 12. This is not a statewide opening, however, and hunters must be inside an approved Expanded Archery area. The annual basic limit is 1 antlered deer, with additional opportunities possible under specific permits and exceptions. Regular archery season does not begin statewide until Oct. 3, followed by the firearm season on Nov. 2. Maine therefore illustrates why hunters cannot simply look at a state’s overall season calendar; the exact Wildlife Management District and type of deer permit can determine whether hunting is legal on a particular day.
5. Minnesota
Minnesota’s statewide archery deer season opened Sept. 19 and runs through Dec. 31, giving bowhunters a substantial window that stretches well beyond the state’s firearms seasons. The Minnesota DNR specifically lists the 2026 archery dates as Sept. 19-Dec. 31 statewide. Deer hunting is available on many types of public land, including wildlife management areas and state and national forests, while private land requires appropriate permission or must meet the state’s access conditions. Because Minnesota divides deer hunting into permit areas and zones, hunters still need to check their exact location for weapon rules, licenses, and harvest limits before hunting.
6. Missouri
Missouri’s 2026 archery deer season opened Sept. 15, putting bowhunters in the field right now. The first segment runs through Nov. 13, followed by a second segment from Nov. 25 through Jan. 15, 2027. Residents may take up to 2 antlered deer across the combined archery and firearms seasons, but only 1 antlered deer may be taken during the first archery segment. Nonresidents using regular nonresident permits face a combined limit of 1 antlered deer. Archery permits also allow deer of either sex subject to the state’s specific limits, making permit type an important detail for anyone planning a September hunt.
7. Montana
Montana is already in its 2026 archery deer season, which runs from Sept. 5 through Oct. 18. That gives hunters several weeks of opportunity before the general deer season begins Oct. 24. The state’s long season structure is particularly important because archery and general seasons use different dates and equipment rules. Montana also has license and permit requirements that can vary by species, hunting district, and opportunity. A hunter planning a September trip therefore needs more than a general Montana deer license: the specific hunting district, license type, and legal equipment must all match the intended hunt before entering the field.
8. North Carolina
North Carolina currently has deer hunting available through archery seasons in parts of the state, although the exact dates depend on the county and applicable hunting zone. The 2026-27 regulations also introduced special early opportunities in several counties within the state’s CWD management area. In Cumberland, Forsyth, Sampson, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes, and Yadkin counties, an early season ran Aug. 22-23, while extended antlerless gun opportunities were approved in 9 western mountain counties. Because North Carolina’s deer calendar is divided by county and season type, hunters should check the exact county and Wildlife Management Area regulations rather than assuming a statewide date applies.
9. Ohio
Ohio’s 2026-27 archery deer season is already open statewide, beginning Sept. 26 under the standard statewide schedule, while a disease-surveillance area has an earlier opening beginning in mid-September. The Ohio regulations set the statewide archery season from the last Saturday of September through the first Sunday of February, with a special earlier schedule inside the designated surveillance area. The state allows a maximum of 6 deer per license year, with no more than 1 antlered deer. Because the special disease area has different dates, hunters should identify whether their hunting location falls inside that boundary before relying on the general statewide calendar.
10. Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s deer archery and crossbow opportunity is open now, with the state’s extended archery and crossbow season continuing through Jan. 31, 2027. The long season gives hunters considerable flexibility before and after the traditional November firearm period. Wisconsin’s deer regulations can vary by management zone and license type, so hunters still need to verify the rules applying to their specific hunting area. The state’s 2026 calendar is particularly useful for bowhunters who want a longer season rather than waiting for the November firearm hunt. As with every state on this list, having an open season does not by itself establish eligibility, legal equipment, or a harvest limit.
