The Arizona Deer Association is raffling one elk hunt permit-tag valid for 365 days across Arizona. Tickets are $20 with no purchase limit, on sale through September 30, with 100% of proceeds supporting Arizona Game and Fish Department conservation projects.
A nine-and-a-half-day youth deer hunting season begins September 18 at noon Central time and closes September 27. Youth hunters must be under direct adult supervision, with orange clothing required for both hunters and mentors. The youth license is also valid during the regular deer gun season from November 6-22.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is offering a field day for students ages 12-17 who completed an online hunter education course on September 18 in Glasgow. The field day will cover firearm identification, safe handling, shot selection, and other hunting skills.
North Dakota's sandhill crane season runs September 19 through November 15 with daily limits of three cranes in unit 1 and two in unit 2. Hunters must obtain Harvest Information Program certification and respective crane permits from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, with shooting hours from 30 minutes before sunrise to 2 p.m., extended to sunset on Saturdays and Wednesdays.
By order of the Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission, Black Bear Management Unit 411 is closed to all black bear hunting for the remainder of the archery-only season, effective one-half hour after sunset on Saturday, September 12, 2026.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists report improved habitat conditions in southeastern Montana Region 7 for 2026. Elk populations remain strong in core areas, mule deer numbers improved 15 percent, and pronghorn counts reached their highest levels since 2006, prompting increased license availability.
The Michigan DNR launched a rebuilt MiHunt interactive map allowing hunters to customize which layers appear, including species management units, cover types, and special hunting areas. The new version, developed in-house by DNR's Wildlife and Forest Resources divisions, enables hunters to import their own spatial data and is accessible via web browser at Michigan.gov/MiHunt.
North Dakota's youth waterfowl season and special veteran and active military personnel waterfowl season are both set for September 19-20. Licensed youth hunters 15 and younger, and veterans and active duty military members may hunt ducks, geese, coots, and mergansers statewide with proper licensing and certifications.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources announced archery hunting season begins September 12 in Ohio's Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance area, with early gun hunting October 10-12. Mandatory CWD testing is required for deer harvested October 10-11 and November 30-December 1 at designated locations throughout the affected counties.
Michigan's Department of Natural Resources has released a 2026 deer hunting preview with regional information on deer populations, habitat conditions, fawn recruitment, antler development, and important regulation changes including antlerless hunting opportunities and December firearm seasons across the Upper Peninsula, northern Lower Peninsula, and southern Lower Peninsula.
Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department now allows hunters to report turkeys and some deer harvests online through their website. Turkeys and deer from muzzleloader and most archery seasons can be reported online or in-person, while deer from November 14-29 and bears must be reported in-person at regional stations.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks released the 2026 hunting forecast for northeast Montana (Region 6), reporting improved elk and mule deer populations following mild winters and increased precipitation. FWP adjusted license quotas for elk and mule deer, while white-tailed deer populations remain low due to recent EHD outbreaks. Pronghorn populations increased to their highest levels since 2003.
Michigan's Department of Natural Resources is hosting hunter appreciation events across the state this fall at multiple locations. Hunters can bring harvested deer for aging, collect free hunting swag, and connect with DNR staff and fellow hunters at events scheduled for September 14, November 16, and November 21.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will open archery hunting season for white-tailed and sika deer on September 11, 2026, running through January 31, 2027 with breaks for other seasons. The seventh annual Primitive Deer Hunt Days from February 1-3, 2027 offer additional opportunities for archers using vertical longbows and recurve bows.
Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission closed Black Bear Management Unit 700 to all black bear hunting for the remainder of the archery-only season, effective one-half hour after sunset on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
The Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission has closed Black Bear Management Unit 520 to all black bear hunting for the remainder of the archery-only season, effective one-half hour after sunset on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
New Jersey's Fall Bow Deer Season opens September 12 in select Deer Management Zones, with antlerless deer required through October 2 except for youth hunters. All zones open statewide October 3, and permits go on sale September 14.
Montana FWP reports stable to increasing elk populations in Region 5, while mule deer numbers remain below long-term averages despite improved fawn recruitment. Pronghorn populations show declines with adjusted licenses, and hunters are encouraged to submit harvested animals for CWD sampling at designated check stations.
FWP's Region 4 reports strong big game populations entering fall 2026, with elk, deer, and pronghorn in excellent body condition following improved spring and summer habitat conditions. Hunters have access to state and federal lands plus over one million acres enrolled in the Block Management Program, with varying opportunities for elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and pronghorn depending on district and landowner permissions.
MassWildlife highlights its Hunter Education Program, which provides free 12-hour courses for new hunters covering safety, laws, and ethics. The program announces Astrid Huseby as the new Hunter Education Program Leader, succeeding Susan Langlois, and seeks volunteer instructors to support over 250 existing educators across Massachusetts.