Elk is the species where the tag decides more than the calendar: most states allocate through a draw, and the season you may actually hunt follows from the licence you drew. The earliest opener we track is California on August 1, 2026. Every state below links to its own page with the full segment table, bag limits and legal light.
01 — Opening dates, earliest first
| State | Opens | First segment | Through | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California elk season | Aug 1, 2026 | Archery | Jan 3, 2027 | Opened Aug 1, 2026 |
| Kansas elk season | Aug 1, 2026 | Firearm, 1st segment (over-the-counter) | Mar 15, 2027 | Opened Aug 1, 2026 |
| Nebraska elk season | Aug 1, 2026 | Early Antlerless | Jan 31, 2027 | Opened Aug 1, 2026 |
| Nevada elk season | Aug 1, 2026 | Archery — Antlerless | Jan 31, 2027 | Opened Aug 1, 2026 |
| Oregon elk season | Aug 1, 2026 | General Season Antlerless Elk Damage Tag (OTC, no draw) | Mar 31, 2027 | Opened Aug 1, 2026 |
| Utah elk season | Aug 1, 2026 | General-season private-lands-only any bull elk (elk-damage permit) | Jan 31, 2027 | Opened Aug 1, 2026 |
| Washington elk season | Aug 1, 2026 | Modern Firearm — Eastern WA (Master Hunter Permit Program only, antlerless) | Jan 31, 2027 | Opened Aug 1, 2026 |
| Colorado elk season | Sep 1, 2026 | Plains rifle (either-sex, OTC, eastern-plains units) | Jan 31, 2027 | Opened Sep 1, 2026 |
| New Mexico elk season | Sep 1, 2026 | Archery (bow-only draw hunts) | Feb 10, 2027 | Opened Sep 1, 2026 |
| South Dakota elk season | Sep 1, 2026 | Archery Elk | Dec 31, 2026 | Opened Sep 1, 2026 |
| Kentucky elk season | Sep 12, 2026 | Archery/crossbow (either sex, drawn permit) | Jan 6, 2027 | Opened Sep 12, 2026 |
| Minnesota elk season | Sep 12, 2026 | Season A — either-sex (1 license) | Oct 4, 2026 | Opened Sep 12, 2026 |
| Pennsylvania elk season | Sep 12, 2026 | Archery | Jan 17, 2027 | Opened Sep 12, 2026 |
| Michigan elk season | Sep 23, 2026 | Hunt Period 1 — any legal weapon (bow, crossbow or firearm) | Dec 15, 2026 | Opens in 7 days |
| Tennessee elk season | Sep 26, 2026 | Archery only | Oct 16, 2026 | Opens in 10 days |
| Oklahoma elk season | Oct 1, 2026 | Elk Archery | Jan 31, 2027 | Opens in 15 days |
| Arkansas elk season | Oct 3, 2026 | Youth hunt (antlerless only) | Oct 30, 2026 | Opens in 17 days |
| Virginia elk season | Oct 10, 2026 | Managed lottery hunt (bull-only, drawn license) | Oct 16, 2026 | Opens in 24 days |
| Missouri elk season | Oct 17, 2026 | Archery | Dec 20, 2026 | Opens in 31 days |
| Wisconsin elk season | Oct 17, 2026 | Bull elk — archery, crossbow or firearm | Dec 13, 2026 | Opens in 31 days |
| North Carolina elk season | Oct 1, 2027 | Bull-only hunt (raffle permit, NC residents only) | Nov 1, 2027 | Opens in 380 days |
“Opens” is the earliest date anywhere in that state, and “First segment” names what that date belongs to — an archery opener in September and a fourth rifle season in November share one licence year. States split seasons into segments with closed weeks between them, so read the state page before you plan a date.
02 — What changes from state to state
Draw or over-the-counter is the first question, not the date. Archery is widely available over the counter to residents in some states while non-residents draw for the same hunt, and muzzleloader is frequently draw-only outright.
Weapon seasons run in sequence rather than overlapping. Archery opens in early September, muzzleloader follows mid-month, and the rifle seasons run as numbered blocks from October into November.
Unit systems are the real geography. A state can hold well over a hundred game management units, each with its own quota and antler rules, so a statewide date is an orientation rather than an answer.
03 — FAQ
When does elk season start?
Archery seasons generally open in early September, with the rifle seasons following from mid-October. The table above lists the earliest opener per state.
When does elk season end?
Most numbered rifle seasons close in November. Where a state runs a separate plains or late season, it can extend into January — the state page carries the segment dates.
Do I need a license as well as a tag?
Yes — every state requires a hunting license, and most add a species tag, permit or stamp on top of it. Costs and age rules sit on each state's license page, linked from its elk season page.
04 — Elsewhere in the almanac
Each state page is read from that state's own wildlife agency and carries the date it was checked. The most recent verification across these 21 states was 2026-08-17. Season dates carry legal weight — confirm against the agency's own regulations before you hunt.