Pheasant is the species where the clock matters as much as the date: several states set fixed shooting hours instead of tying them to sunrise and sunset. The earliest opener we track is Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington pheasant season | Aug 1, 2026 | Falconry — upland game birds | Mar 15, 2027 | Opened Aug 1, 2026 |
| California pheasant season | Aug 15, 2026 | Falconry | Feb 28, 2027 | Opened Aug 15, 2026 |
| New Mexico pheasant season | Sep 1, 2026 | Falconry — combined with grouse | Feb 28, 2027 | Opened Sep 1, 2026 |
| Maine pheasant season | Sep 26, 2026 | Pheasant season (release-site hunting only — no wild population) | Dec 31, 2026 | Opens in 10 days |
| New York pheasant season | Sep 26, 2026 | Youth pheasant hunt — Zone A | Feb 28, 2027 | Opens in 10 days |
| South Dakota pheasant season | Sep 26, 2026 | Youth pheasant (ages 12–17) | Jan 31, 2027 | Opens in 10 days |
| Michigan pheasant season | Oct 10, 2026 | Regular season — Zone 1 | Jan 1, 2027 | Opens in 24 days |
| Minnesota pheasant season | Oct 10, 2026 | Regular season | Jan 3, 2027 | Opens in 24 days |
| Oregon pheasant season | Oct 10, 2026 | Rooster pheasant — general season | Dec 31, 2026 | Opens in 24 days |
| Pennsylvania pheasant season | Oct 10, 2026 | Junior/Mentored Special Season | Feb 28, 2027 | Opens in 24 days |
| Massachusetts pheasant season | Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant season, segment 1 | Dec 31, 2026 | Opens in 31 days |
| Wisconsin pheasant season | Oct 17, 2026 | Regular season | Jan 3, 2027 | Opens in 31 days |
| Iowa pheasant season | Oct 24, 2026 | Youth rooster pheasant | Jan 10, 2027 | Opens in 38 days |
| Missouri pheasant season | Oct 24, 2026 | Youth pheasant | Jan 15, 2027 | Opens in 38 days |
| Nebraska pheasant season | Oct 24, 2026 | Youth pheasant, quail and partridge | Jan 31, 2027 | Opens in 38 days |
| Ohio pheasant season | Oct 24, 2026 | Youth small game (pheasant, rabbit, quail) | Jan 10, 2027 | Opens in 38 days |
| Utah pheasant season | Oct 31, 2026 | Youth pheasant hunt | Dec 6, 2026 | Opens in 45 days |
| Indiana pheasant season | Nov 1, 2026 | Regular season (cock only) | Dec 15, 2026 | Opens in 46 days |
| Illinois pheasant season | Nov 7, 2026 | Regular season — North Zone | Jan 15, 2027 | Opens in 52 days |
| Kansas pheasant season | Nov 7, 2026 | Youth and Disability | Jan 31, 2027 | Opens in 52 days |
| Maryland pheasant season | Nov 7, 2026 | General season (licensed hunters locate birds on their own) | Feb 28, 2027 | Opens in 52 days |
| New Jersey pheasant season | Nov 7, 2026 | Pheasant (roosters, projected 2026-27 dates) | Feb 15, 2027 | Opens in 52 days |
| Colorado pheasant season | Nov 14, 2026 | Season 1 | Jan 31, 2027 | Opens in 59 days |
| Kentucky pheasant season | Nov 20, 2026 | Pheasant quota hunt (drawn permit, put-and-take pen-reared birds) | Dec 6, 2026 | Opens in 65 days |
| Oklahoma pheasant season | Dec 1, 2026 | Regular pheasant (cocks-only) | Jan 31, 2027 | Opens in 76 days |
| Texas pheasant season | Dec 5, 2026 | Regular pheasant (cocks-only) | Jan 3, 2027 | Opens in 80 days |
“Opens” is the earliest date anywhere in that state, and “First segment” names what that date belongs to — a youth weekend and the general opener are usually a week or more apart. 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
Fixed hours instead of legal light. Iowa runs 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; South Dakota opens at 10:00 a.m. Central Time and hunts to sunset — and applies that Central Time opener statewide, including its Mountain Time counties.
Roosters only in most of the range, though not everywhere: Pennsylvania permits both sexes in all Wildlife Management Units, while the plains states hold a strict cocks-only rule.
A habitat stamp or fee commonly sits on top of the hunting licence, and youth and resident-only windows usually open a week or more before the general season.
03 — FAQ
When does pheasant season start?
Most pheasant seasons open in late October or the first half of November, with youth weekends ahead of that. The table above lists each state with its earliest date.
When does pheasant season end?
Pheasant seasons typically close in January, several running to the end of February. The state page carries the closing date for each segment.
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 pheasant 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 26 states was 2026-08-27. Season dates carry legal weight — confirm against the agency's own regulations before you hunt.