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Small game
New York Ruffed Grouse hunting, 2026-27
New York grouse seasons and rules for 2026-27.
Photo: Under the same moon… (CC BY 2.0)
This guide follows the 2026-27 DEC regulations for ruffed grouse: the first legal day is Sep 20, 2026 and the last is Feb 28, 2027, with every row and its source.
Ruffed Grouse at a glance
- Bag: 4/day
- Dates and gear: Sept. 20-Feb. 28 (N + 7A); Oct. 1-Feb. 28 elsewhere upstate; LI closed.
- Notes: Spruce grouse protected.
DEC guide page (as of Aug 24, 2026), checked October 27, 2026.
GearHeading out for small game season? Small game gear checklist →
When ruffed grouse are open in New York
These are the 2026-27 grouse rows; refuges, Fort Drum and state parks can add their own permits.
| Segment | Where | Units | Legal methods | First day | Last day | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting | Northern Zone and 7A | 15 WMUs | Shotgun, bow, crossbow, air gun, dogs, falconry | Sep 20, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 162 | |
| Hunting | Rest of upstate | 74 WMUs | Same | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 151 | |
| Closed | Long Island and NYC | 3 WMUs | – | Not offered |
Fine print for ruffed grouse
- Sunrise to sunset. Spruce grouse (endangered) occur in 5C, 5F, 6F, 6J.
From DEC guide page, checked October 27, 2026.
Ruffed Grouse by WMU
The guide reads WMU by WMU for ruffed grouse; this table turns the season maps into lists.
| Hunting window | Trapping window | Number | WMUs |
|---|---|---|---|
Oct 1–Feb 28 | 74 | 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, 5R, 5S, 5T, 6P, 6R, 6S, 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, | |
Sep 20–Feb 28 | 15 | 5A, 5C, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5J, 6A, 6C, 6F, 6G, 6H, 6J, 6K, 6N, | |
Closed | 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 grouse rules
Not every grouse rule is statewide; here are the groups.
| Grouse class | WMUs | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Opens Sept. 20 | 15 | 5A, 5C, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5J, 6A, 6C, 6F, 6G, 6H, 6J, 6K, 6N, |
| Closed | 3 | 1A, 1C, |
Endangered; occurs in WMUs 5C, 5F, 6F, 6J; do not confuse with ruffed grouse. Spruce grouse
guide small game maps, checked October 27, 2026.
Ruffed Grouse on WMAs, state forests and refuges
Every public tract below lists ruffed grouse in a WMU where the season is open; filter by name or county.
| Public land | Kind | Acres | County | WMU | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Five Ponds & Pepperbox | Forest Preserve Wilderness | 157,632 | Hamilton · +2 | ruffed grouse | |
| Ferris Lake | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 147,936 | Hamilton · +1 | ruffed grouse | |
| Wilcox Lake | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 127,860 | Warren · +2 | ruffed grouse | |
| Debar Mountain | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 88,354 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Saranac Lakes | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 80,651 | Essex · | 5F, | ruffed grouse |
| Lake George | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 76,871 | Warren · | ruffed grouse | |
| Chazy Highlands | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 47,589 | Clinton · | ruffed grouse | |
| Hammond Pond | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 46,850 | 5G, | ruffed grouse | |
| Pharaoh Lake | Forest Preserve Wilderness | 46,814 | Essex · | ruffed grouse | |
| Sargent Ponds | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 43,793 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Perkins Clearing & Speculator Tree Farm Conservation Easement Tracts | Conservation Easement Tract | 40,476 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Taylor Pond | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 39,698 | Clinton · +1 | ruffed grouse | |
| Sable Highlands | Conservation Easement Tract | 28,926 | Clinton · | ruffed grouse | |
| Aldrich Pond | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 26,586 | Herkimer · +1 | ruffed grouse | |
| Bombay & Brasher | State Forest | 22,508 | Franklin · | ruffed grouse | |
| Kushaqua | Conservation Easement Tract | 19,419 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Grass River | Forest Preserve Unit | 14,179 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Sugar Hill | State Forest | 9,213 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Perch River | Wildlife Management Area | 8,050 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Northern Montezuma | Wildlife Management Area | 7,738 | Cayuga · +1 | ruffed grouse | |
| High Tor | Wildlife Management Area | 6,937 | Ontario · | ruffed grouse | |
| Mongaup Valley | Wildlife Management Area | 6,416 | Orange · | ruffed grouse | |
| Rattlesnake Hill | Wildlife Management Area | 5,138 | Allegany · | ruffed grouse | |
| Partridge Run | Wildlife Management Area | 4,592 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Fish Creek | Wildlife Management Area | 4,556 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Chateaugay | State Forest | 4,047 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Wilson Hill | Wildlife Management Area | 4,036 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Cedarlands | Conservation Easement Tract | 3,953 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Vernooy Kill | State Forest | 3,721 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Birdseye Hollow | State Forest | 3,496 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Stave Mill | State Forest | 3,128 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Leonard Hill & High Knob | State Forest | 2,981 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area and | Multiple Use Area | 2,979 | 9M, | ruffed grouse | |
| Erwin | Wildlife Management Area | 2,770 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Klipnocky | State Forest | 2,711 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Albert J. Woodford Memorial | State Forest | 2,649 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Keyserkill | State Forest | 2,431 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Elm Ridge | Forest Preserve Wild Forest | 2,380 | 3A, | ruffed grouse | |
| Rome Sand Plains | Unique Area | 2,361 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Rural Grove State Forest & Yatesville Falls | State Forest | 1,999 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Exeter | State Forest | 1,966 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Flat Rock | State Forest | 1,930 | ruffed grouse | ||
| West Osceola | State Forest | 1,897 | 6K, | ruffed grouse | |
| Plainfield | State Forest | 1,862 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Lutheranville | State Forest | 1,803 | Otsego · | ruffed grouse | |
| Bear Swamp | State Forest | 1,748 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Wagner Farm & General Jacob Morris | State Forest | 1,649 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Cherry Valley | State Forest | 1,565 | ruffed grouse | ||
| South Mountain | State Forest | 1,499 | Greene · | ruffed grouse | |
| Scott Patent | State Forest | 1,415 | Albany · | ruffed grouse | |
| R. Milton Hick Memorial | State Forest | 1,396 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Lewis Preserve | Wildlife Management Area | 1,326 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Arnold Lake | State Forest | 1,253 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Texas School House | State Forest | 1,252 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Hartwick | State Forest | 1,242 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Dutton Ridge | State Forest | 1,229 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Conesus Inlet | Wildlife Management Area | 1,142 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Bates | State Forest | 1,137 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Macomb | State Forest | 1,057 | ruffed grouse | ||
| Hickok Brook | Multiple Use Area | 1,036 | ruffed grouse |
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.
Ruffed Grouse bag and license table
The grouse limits, followed by license prices for residents and nonresidents.
| Bag row | What it allows |
|---|---|
| Ruffed grouse | 4 per day. |
Ruffed Grouse license costs
| License | Who | Category | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting License | resident | Annual, ages 16-69 | $22 |
| Hunting License | nonresident | Annual, ages 16+ | $100 |
| Junior Hunting License | resident | Ages 12-15 | $5 |
DEC guide bag limits and the license fee table, checked October 27, 2026. New York hunting license guide.
Ruffed Grouse regulations to know
When to shoot ruffed grouse
For ruffed grouse, the day starts at sunrise and stops at sunset.
Ruffed Grouse and Sundays
Sundays count as normal days for ruffed grouse statewide.
Orange or pink for ruffed grouse
DEC suggests blaze for small game hunters, including anyone after ruffed grouse, but the rule with a penalty attached is for big game guns.
Grouse baiting rules
Baiting is illegal for ruffed grouse: the guide bars hunting upland game birds and turkeys with bait or over a baited area.
Harvest reporting for ruffed grouse
Ruffed grouse are not on the DEC reporting list.
Hunting ruffed grouse with dogs
Ruffed grouse may be hunted over dogs; off-season training is limited to the guide windows.
shooting hours, orange and pink rule, Sunday hunting, baiting rules, tagging and reporting, checked October 27, 2026. Legal shooting hours · Hunting laws.
Ruffed Grouse: legal gear and penalties
| Rule | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Small game | Shotgun, rifle, handgun, bow, crossbow, air gun (.17+, 600 fps) for squirrel, rabbit, hare, grouse, furbearers, unprotected species. | Rifles/handguns for pheasant and migratory birds; air guns for waterfowl, pheasant, turkey, big game; crossbows with dogs in the Northern Zone (except coyote). |
| Semiautomatics (all hunting) | Semiautomatics holding 6 or fewer rounds; .22/.17 rimfire autoloaders. | Silencers, automatic firearms, autoloaders with capacity over 6 (ECL 11-0931(1)). |
Taking ruffed grouse: the method rules
- Baiting: No hunting big game, upland game birds, turkey or waterfowl with bait or over a baited area; no feeding deer/bear any time.
- 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.
Ruffed Grouse: common questions
Can you hunt ruffed grouse after sunset?
For ruffed grouse, the day starts at sunrise and stops at sunset.
What are the Sunday rules for ruffed grouse?
Sundays count as normal days for ruffed grouse statewide.
Is blaze needed for grouse hunting?
DEC suggests blaze for small game hunters, including anyone after ruffed grouse, but the rule with a penalty attached is for big game guns.
Is it legal to bait ruffed grouse?
Baiting is illegal for ruffed grouse: the guide bars hunting upland game birds and turkeys with bait or over a baited area.
Do you have to report ruffed grouse in New York?
Ruffed grouse are not on the DEC reporting list.
What public land has ruffed grouse?
Five Ponds and Pepperbox Wildernesses, Ferris Lake Wild Forest, Wilcox Lake Wild Forest and Debar Mountain Wild Forest lead the 87 public tracts that list ruffed grouse.
What guns and bows work for ruffed grouse?
Small game: Shotgun, rifle, handgun, bow, crossbow, air gun (.17+, 600 fps) for squirrel, rabbit, hare, grouse, furbearers, unprotected species. Not legal: Rifles/handguns for pheasant and migratory birds; air guns for waterfowl, pheasant, turkey, big game; crossbows with dogs in the Northern Zone (except coyote).
Can hounds be used on ruffed grouse?
Ruffed grouse may be hunted over dogs; off-season training is limited to the guide windows.
Where do spruce grouse live?
Endangered; occurs in WMUs 5C, 5F, 6F, 6J; do not confuse with ruffed grouse.
When is grouse season in New York this year?
Ruffed grouse open Sep 20, 2026 with the hunting row; the final day anywhere is Feb 28, 2027.
What is the bag limit for ruffed grouse in New York?
4 per day.
Which license covers grouse hunting in New York?
Prices for 2026-27: Hunting License (resident) $22; Hunting License (nonresident) $100; Junior Hunting License (resident) $5. Buy online, by phone or from a license-issuing agent.
Other photos on this page: gurdonark (CC BY 2.0); SquireSnapsalot (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); fishhawk (CC BY 2.0).