Furbearers
Hunting Red Fox in New York this season
The fox rules for New York, row by row.
Photo: cazalegg (CC BY 2.0)
New York sets 4 dated rows for red foxes in 2026-27, from Oct 25, 2026 to Feb 25, 2027. Dates by WMU or zone, limits, licenses, public land and the field rules are all here.
How the guide sums up red foxes
- What you may keep: No limit
- Dates in brief: Same as raccoon.
DEC guide page (as of Aug 24, 2026), checked October 27, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
Red Fox season dates for 2026-27
Filter the fox rows by zone, WMU group or method.
| Season | Zone or area | WMUs | Methods | Opens | Closes | Days | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting | All areas except Long Island and NYC | 89 WMUs | Handgun, shotgun, rifle (by area), bow, crossbow, air gun; calls incl. electronic | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | 114 | |
| Trapping | Upstate (all WMUs except Long Island/NYC) | 89 WMUs | Legal traps (trapping license) | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | 114 | |
| Hunting | Long Island and NYC | 3 WMUs | No rifles on Long Island | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 25, 2027 | 117 | |
| Trapping | Long Island and NYC | 3 WMUs | Legal traps | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 25, 2027 | 117 |
Red Fox season notes
- After sunrise on opening day, then any hour day or night. No bag limit.
- No bag limit. Adirondack bait restriction for land body-gripping traps when fisher/marten closed. No traps set before 7:00 AM on opening day.
From DEC guide page, DEC guide page, checked October 27, 2026.
Find your WMU for red foxes
Most fox dates follow WMU lines drawn on roads and rivers. Use the WMU map before hunting near a boundary.
| Open to hunting | Open to trapping | Units | Which WMUs |
|---|---|---|---|
Oct 25–Feb 15 | Oct 25–Feb 15 | 89 | 3A, 3C, 3F, 3G, 3H, 3J, 3K, 3M, 3N, 3P, 3R, 3S, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4F, 4G, 4H, 4J, 4K, 4L, 4O, 4P, 4R, 4S, 4T, 4U, 4W, 4Y, 4Z, 5A, 5C, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5J, 5R, 5S, 5T, 6A, 6C, 6F, 6G, 6H, 6J, 6K, 6N, 6P, 6R, 6S, 7A, 7F, 7H, 7J, 7M, 7P, 7R, 7S, 8A, 8C, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8M, 8N, 8P, 8R, 8S, 8T, 8W, 8X, 8Y, 9A, 9C, 9F, 9G, 9H, 9J, 9K, 9M, 9N, 9P, 9R, 9S, 9T, 9W, 9X, |
Nov 1–Feb 25 | Nov 1–Feb 25 | 3 | 1A, 1C, |
WMU lists read from the 2026-27 guide season maps and DEC WMU layer, checked October 27, 2026. All 92 WMUs.
Lines that set fox rules
Find the area that covers your WMU.
Southern Zone sets for red foxes need a daily check; Northern Zone WMUs 5C, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5J, 6F, 6J and 6N allow 48 hours.
Southern Zone: once every 24 h. Northern Zone WMUs 5C, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5J, 6F, 6J, 6N: every 48 h. WMUs 5A, 6A, 6C, 6G, 6H, 6K: water sets and land body-grippers 48 h, restraining traps 24 h.
guide trapping maps, checked October 27, 2026.
Where to hunt red foxes on public ground
145 properties list furbearers in their game lists, largest first, the first 60 shown.
| Property | Type | Acres | Counties | WMU | Listed as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferris Lake | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 147,936 | Hamilton · +1 | furbearers | |
| Wilcox Lake | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 127,860 | Warren · +2 | furbearers | |
| Vanderwhacker Mountain | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 96,577 | Essex · +1 | furbearers | |
| Debar Mountain | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 88,354 | furbearers | ||
| Lake George | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 76,871 | Warren · | furbearers | |
| Allegany | State Park | 64,160 | furbearers | ||
| Slide Mountain | Forest Preserve Wilderness | 50,718 | furbearers | ||
| Jessup River | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 48,456 | furbearers | ||
| Sargent Ponds | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 43,793 | furbearers | ||
| Hoffman Notch | Forest Preserve Wilderness | 38,529 | furbearers | ||
| Sundown | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 30,768 | Sullivan · | 3A, | furbearers |
| Delaware | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 29,590 | Delaware · +1 | furbearers | |
| Aldrich Pond | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 26,586 | Herkimer · +1 | furbearers | |
| Raquette Boreal | Forest Preserve Unit | 25,638 | 6F, | furbearers | |
| Hunter-West Kill | Forest Preserve Wilderness | 24,549 | Greene · | furbearers | |
| Sterling Forest | State Park | 19,487 | furbearers | ||
| Indian Head | Forest Preserve Wilderness | 17,439 | Greene · | furbearers | |
| Bog River | Forest Preserve Unit | 17,058 | Franklin · +1 | 5F, | furbearers |
| Windham-Blackhead Range | Forest Preserve Wilderness | 17,024 | furbearers | ||
| Willowemoc | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 15,534 | Sullivan · | 3A, | furbearers |
| Grass River | Forest Preserve Unit | 14,179 | furbearers | ||
| Watson's East Triangle | Forest Preserve Unit | 13,461 | Herkimer · | furbearers | |
| Iroquois | National Wildlife Refuge | 10,810 | Genesee · | furbearers | |
| Dry Brook Ridge | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 9,539 | furbearers | ||
| Kaaterskill | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 8,099 | Greene · | furbearers | |
| High Tor | Wildlife Management Area | 6,937 | Ontario · | furbearers | |
| Stewart | State Forest | 6,653 | furbearers | ||
| Moreau Lake | State Park | 6,640 | Saratoga · | furbearers | |
| Neversink River | Unique Area | 6,583 | furbearers | ||
| Mongaup Valley | Wildlife Management Area | 6,416 | Orange · | furbearers | |
| Taconic | State Park | 6,183 | Columbia · | furbearers | |
| Shandaken | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 6,114 | Greene · | 3A, | furbearers |
| Rattlesnake Hill | Wildlife Management Area | 5,138 | Allegany · | furbearers | |
| Halcott Mountain | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 4,934 | furbearers | ||
| Partridge Run | Wildlife Management Area | 4,592 | furbearers | ||
| Fish Creek | Wildlife Management Area | 4,556 | furbearers | ||
| Beebe Hill & Harvey Mt. | State Forest | 4,012 | 4U, | furbearers | |
| Rusk Mountain | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 3,907 | furbearers | ||
| Vernooy Kill | State Forest | 3,721 | furbearers | ||
| Lakeview | Wildlife Management Area | 3,444 | furbearers | ||
| Leonard Hill & High Knob | State Forest | 2,981 | furbearers | ||
| Erwin | Wildlife Management Area | 2,770 | furbearers | ||
| Honeoye Inlet | Wildlife Management Area | 2,763 | furbearers | ||
| Grafton Lakes | State Park | 2,612 | furbearers | ||
| John Boyd Thacher | State Park | 2,475 | furbearers | ||
| Canadaway Creek | Wildlife Management Area | 2,190 | furbearers | ||
| Hall Island | State Forest | 2,120 | furbearers | ||
| Sampson | State Park | 2,047 | furbearers | ||
| Huckleberry Ridge | State Forest | 1,948 | furbearers | ||
| Whetstone Gulf | State Park | 1,903 | furbearers | ||
| West Osceola | State Forest | 1,897 | 6K, | furbearers | |
| Plainfield | State Forest | 1,862 | furbearers | ||
| Darien Lakes | State Park | 1,844 | furbearers | ||
| Lutheranville | State Forest | 1,803 | Otsego · | furbearers | |
| Bear Swamp | State Forest | 1,748 | furbearers | ||
| Coles Creek | State Park | 1,731 | furbearers | ||
| Mount Tom | State Forest | 1,725 | furbearers | ||
| Hither Hills | State Park | 1,665 | furbearers | ||
| Wagner Farm & General Jacob Morris | State Forest | 1,649 | furbearers | ||
| Gilbert Lake | State Park | 1,590 | furbearers |
Game lists from DEC, USFWS, USFS, State Parks and NYC DEP pages in our land data, retrieved 2026-10-27. All public land · Wildlife Management Areas.
Limits and licenses for red foxes
Bag and possession rules for red foxes, and what each license costs through DECALS.
| Covers | Limits |
|---|---|
| Coyote, raccoon, foxes, skunk, opossum, weasel, bobcat | No bag limits (hunting or trapping). |
What a fox hunter buys
| License | Who | Category | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting License | resident | Annual, ages 16-69 | $22 |
| Hunting License | nonresident | Annual, ages 16+ | $100 |
| Trapping License | resident | Ages 16-69 | $20 |
| Trapping License | nonresident | Ages 16+ | $275 |
DEC guide bag limits and the license fee table, checked October 27, 2026. New York hunting license guide.
Rules that apply to red foxes
Legal time for red foxes
After sunrise on the opener, night hunting for red foxes is legal for the rest of the season, using lights, night vision or thermal.
Fox hunting on Sundays
No Sunday closure applies to red foxes; check state land rules for a particular property.
Fluorescent color for red foxes
Fluorescent orange or pink is recommended, not required, while hunting red foxes; the legal requirement covers deer and bear firearm hunting.
Is bait legal for red foxes?
Cover carcass bait completely at foothold sets for red foxes; the Adirondack body-grip restriction applies when fisher and marten seasons are closed.
Red Fox: tag and report
No harvest report is required for red foxes.
Red Fox: dog rules
Hunting red foxes with dogs is legal, and training windows are July 1-Apr. 15 for raccoon, fox, coyote and bobcat and Aug. 15-Apr. 15 for other small game.
shooting hours, orange and pink rule, Sunday hunting, baiting rules, tagging and reporting, checked October 27, 2026. Legal shooting hours · Hunting laws.
Weapons and methods for red foxes
| Season | Lawful | Unlawful |
|---|---|---|
| Furbearer hunting | Handgun, shotgun, muzzleloading rifle, bow, crossbow, air gun; rifles per deer-season rule; spotlights, night vision, thermal, lasers. | Hunting from any motor vehicle incl. ATV/snowmobile. |
| Rifle restrictions | Rifles allowed where the legal implements map shows orange. | Any rifle afield in Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk; rifles larger than .22 rimfire during deer seasons in shotgun-only areas; Northern Zone: rifles over .22 rimfire, slug/buckshot loads or crossbows when hunting with a dog (except coyote). |
Red Fox method rules
- Spotlighting: Lights may be used to observe wildlife only if no implement is ready (cased, taken down, locked in trunk, or a handgun) and not within 500 ft of a home or farm building without permission when looking for deer/bear.
- Trap rules: Name/address or DEC ID on traps; foothold max 5-3/4 in. on land (7-1/4 in. in water during beaver/otter), pan tension and covered if >4 in. on land; no teeth; no snares; no traps before 7 AM opening day; not within 100 ft of house/school/playground/church without permission; land body-grippers not within 100 ft of public trails (except WMAs); 15 ft from beaver dams/lodges with exceptions; 5 ft from muskrat houses.
- Trap checks: Southern Zone every 24 h; Northern Zone 24-48 h by WMU and trap type.
- Dogs: Dogs may hunt small game (not spring turkey); no dogs for big game except licensed leashed tracking dogs; dog training on raccoon, fox, coyote, bobcat July 1-Apr. 15, other small game Aug. 15-Apr. 15.
From the DEC guide and ECL Articles 11 and 71 on the NY Senate site, checked October 27, 2026. New York hunting laws.
Questions about red foxes
Is there a season limit on red foxes?
No bag limits (hunting or trapping).
What is the first legal day for red foxes in New York?
The earliest 2026-27 row opens Oct 25, 2026 (Hunting, All areas except Long Island and NYC) and the last closes Feb 25, 2027.
What hours apply to fox hunting in New York?
After sunrise on the opener, night hunting for red foxes is legal for the rest of the season, using lights, night vision or thermal.
What license do you need for red foxes in New York?
Prices for 2026-27: Hunting License (resident) $22; Hunting License (nonresident) $100; Trapping License (resident) $20; Trapping License (nonresident) $275. Buy online, by phone or from a license-issuing agent.
Does the orange or pink rule cover red foxes?
Fluorescent orange or pink is recommended, not required, while hunting red foxes; the legal requirement covers deer and bear firearm hunting.
Can you hunt red foxes on Sunday in New York?
No Sunday closure applies to red foxes; check state land rules for a particular property.
What paperwork follows a fox harvest?
No harvest report is required for red foxes.
Can bait be used for fox hunting?
Cover carcass bait completely at foothold sets for red foxes; the Adirondack body-grip restriction applies when fisher and marten seasons are closed.
Which state lands list red foxes?
The biggest areas listing furbearers are Ferris Lake Wild Forest, Wilcox Lake Wild Forest, Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest and Debar Mountain Wild Forest, out of 145.
What are the trap-check rules for red foxes?
Southern Zone sets for red foxes need a daily check; Northern Zone WMUs 5C, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5J, 6F, 6J and 6N allow 48 hours.
Can you use a rifle for red foxes?
Furbearer hunting: Handgun, shotgun, muzzleloading rifle, bow, crossbow, air gun; rifles per deer-season rule; spotlights, night vision, thermal, lasers. Not legal: Hunting from any motor vehicle incl. ATV/snowmobile.
Other photos on this page: Under the same moon… (CC BY 2.0); Kristof Zyskowski & Yulia Bereshpolova (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); btrentler (CC BY 2.0).