Vermont’s archery deer season starts Oct. 1

Saturday, Oct.1 — STATEWIDE — The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Dept. says hunters are looking forward to Vermont’s upcoming Oct. 1- Nov. 11 and Nov. 28 – Dec. 15 archery deer hunting season.

A hunter may take up to four deer in Vermont’s two-part archery season if they do not shoot any deer in the other deer seasons. The purchase of an archery deer license and tag is required for each deer. No more than one of the deer taken during archery season may be a legal buck if no buck is taken in the other deer seasons. Antlerless deer hunting is allowed during archery season statewide this year.

In WMUs C, D1, D2, E1, E2, G, I, L, M, P, and Q a legal buck is any deer with at least one antler 3 inches or more in length.  In WMUs A, B, F1, F2, H, J1, J2, K, N, and O a legal buck is any deer with at least 1 antler with two or more antler points one inch or more in length.

Hunters must have a standard hunting license in order to purchase an add-on archery deer hunting license, except that nonresidents may purchase an “archery only deer license” costing $75.  Licenses may be quickly and easily purchased on Fish & Wildlife’s website (vtfishandwildlife.com).

Hunters planning a Vermont archery deer hunting trip will find it helpful to download a copy of the 2021 Deer Harvest Report from Fish & Wildlife’s website with this link: tinyurl.com/2fddm9x9. It has the number of deer taken in each town in last year’s deer hunting seasons.

For more information and a summary of regulations, download the 2021 Deer Seasons Guide from vtfishandwildlife.com, or pick up a free copy of the 2022 Hunting & Trapping Guide from any license agent.