Vermont Deer Hunting Season

Vermont deer hunting season

Vermont is a beautiful place with a hundred year tradition of hunting deer. What follows is a description of hunting deer in Vermont.

Species of deer available to hunt

Vermont is known for its white tailed deer, which live all over Vermont, The hunting grounds are vast.

Available hunting methods in Vermont for deer

In Vermont there are several ways to hunt deer. Depending on the time of season, you can hunt with the bow and arrow, a crossbow with special permit, a rifle, pistol, muzzle loading rifles, shotguns, trapping is allowed. Temporary tree stands and ground blinds are allowed from the third Saturday of October to the third Saturday of December

Required permits and hunting seasons

In Vermont both a valid license and tag are required to hunt deer. You’re required to get a license which may requires taking a hunting course first pending on your age and other requirements. A hunting license is $22 for a resident and $100 for a nonresident, a five-year hunting license is $104 for a resident and $494 for a nonresident, a youth hunting license for children under the age of 18 is $12 for residents and $30 for nonresidents, a combination is $35 for residents and $130 for nonresidents, a five-year combination is $169 for a resident and $644 for a nonresident, trapping licenses are $20 per resident and $300 per nonresident, a five-year trapping license is $94 per resident and $1494 per nonresident, a youth trapping license is $20 per resident and $35 per nonresident, an archery deer license is $20 per Resident and $35 per nonresident(hunting license required), archery only deer hunting license is $75 for nonresident(no hunting license required), muzzle loader deer license is $20 per resident and $40 per nonresident, permanent licenses available for those 65 or older for $36, a mentor hunting license is $10 per resident or nonresident. A special permit may be acquired for disabled people who need to use a crossbow.

The deer hunting season starts in October and runs through November ending in December. Starting with the bow and arrow season in October and then again early December moving onto a youth deer weekend in early November and then the regular season in November, followed by the muzzle loader season in early December, coinciding with the second bow and arrow season.

Other laws and regulations

In Vermont it’s legal to hunt from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset. It’s illegal to use laser sights to take prey. There are additional requirements for hunting with dogs. Using light near or around roads to trap or take prey is illegal. It’s illegal to bait deer or take deer that are in the water. There’s an annual three deer limit, only two of which are allowed to be full-grown bucks.

Places in Vermont where you are allowed to hunt

There are many places to hunt in Vermont from public parks to private property with the owner’s permission of course. There is extensive wildlife management areas designated for deer hunting. With many parks and trails that allow the use of motor vehicles. For more information about deer hunting and maps of available hunting locations visit www.vtfishandwildlife.com where you can also see the latest in deer hunting season dates and revised laws.