Rabbit Hunting Season in New York: Dates, Limits, and Rules for Cottontails and Hare
October 31, 2026
Rabbit hunting season in New York opens on October 1 across most of upstate, yet Long Island hunters have to wait a full month. That gap is only one of several zone-based wrinkles that can trip up a hunter who relies on last year’s notes.
Cottontail and snowshoe hare seasons run for months, which makes them a favorite for beginners and for anyone who wants steady small game action through the cold season. This article walks you through dates, species, limits, licenses, methods, shooting hours, and safety rules so you can plan a legal hunt.
New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) publishes final season dates each license year. Use this article to understand how the rules work, then confirm your exact Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) dates in the current DEC guide before you go.
Important Note: Sources found for this article describe the 2025-26 license year in the most detail. Dates, limits, and zone boundaries can change from year to year, so check the DEC Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide for the 2026-27 license year before every trip.
Rabbit Hunting Season Dates in New York
New York splits rabbit season by region. According to the New York State DEC, cottontail rabbit season began on Oct. 1 in Upstate New York and on Nov. 1 in New York City and Long Island for the 2025-26 license year.
Snowshoe hare, which DEC calls varying hare, follows a different calendar. For 2025-26, DEC’s season announcement listed Oct. 1 through March 15, 2026, in the Northern Zone, with a later start in some Southern Zone WMUs.
The closing date for cottontails depends on where you hunt. As of the 2025-26 season, one hunting-season roundup listed a March 15 close for some map areas and a Feb. 28 close for others, which matches DEC’s use of different map zones for rabbits. Another guide describes upstate cottontail season as running from Oct. 1 through the last day of February, so the map for your WMU is the final word.
| Region | Cottontail Opener | Snowshoe Hare |
|---|---|---|
| Upstate New York | October 1 | Oct. 1 to Mar. 15 in the Northern Zone (2025-26) |
| New York City and Long Island | November 1 | Not listed in sources |
| Some Southern Zone WMUs | Check DEC map | Later start than Northern Zone |
Pro Tip: Late season is often the best time to hunt. By January and February, leaves are off the trees and cover thins out, so rabbits are easier to spot and flush, according to Huntwise.
Which Rabbit and Hare Species You Can Hunt in New York
You have two legal quarry choices in New York: the cottontail and the snowshoe hare. Both are managed as small game, and each lives in different habitat.
The eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) is the bread-and-butter rabbit across upstate farmland, brushy edges, and overgrown fields. It is the animal most people mean when they say rabbit hunting in New York. One regional guide points to hedgerows, thickets, brush piles, swamp edges, and regenerating timber cuts as the best places to look.
The snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), also called varying hare, lives in the northern forests. One New York rabbit hunting guide places good snowshoe habitat in the Adirondacks and the Tug Hill Plateau. These hares turn white in winter, so a dusting of snow can make them easier or harder to see depending on the ground.
The New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis) is a separate species that lives in parts of eastern New York. DEC has asked hunters in certain eastern counties to help with distribution surveys, so learn to tell the two cottontails apart and report what you see. DEC also runs a Furbearer Sighting Survey where you can report varying hare observations, as noted on the DEC Small Game Seasons page.
Rabbit Hunting Bag and Possession Limits in New York
Bag limits keep rabbit numbers healthy, and New York sets them separately for cottontails and hare. Based on the sources found, the daily cottontail limit is six rabbits.
A Hunting Locator small game guide (published in 2026) lists the standard cottontail limit as around six per day, and an older regional season report listed a daily bag limit of six for cottontails. That older report also listed a daily limit of two for snowshoe hare during a January window, which reflects the older, shorter hare season. Because hare limits and dates have changed over time, verify the current figure on DEC’s varying hare page before you hunt.
- Cottontail rabbit: six per day, according to multiple sources
- Snowshoe hare: check the current DEC varying hare table, since the older limit of two applied to a shorter season
- Possession limit: not clearly stated in the sources found, so confirm it in the regulations guide
Common Mistake: Hunters often rely on a number remembered from a past season. Seasons and limits are reissued every license year, so treat any limit in an article, including this one, as a starting point and check the DEC guide.
Licenses and Permits Required to Hunt Rabbits in New York
You need a valid New York hunting license to hunt rabbits. One summary of state rules says a hunting license is required for anyone aged 16 and older.
Hunters born on or after Sept. 1, 1957, must complete a hunter education course before buying a first license in New York, which is a standard requirement for new hunters. I could not confirm that figure in the sources gathered for this article, so verify it with DEC if you are a new hunter. Out-of-state hunters should also review non-resident license costs and requirements before booking a trip.
Rabbits do not require a big game tag or a migratory bird stamp, since they are small game. You only add those extra permits if you also plan to hunt deer, bear, or waterfowl on the same trip. If you want to branch out, see our guides to deer hunting season in New York and turkey hunting season in New York.
Legal Hunting Methods and Weapons for Rabbits in New York
New York allows several ways to take rabbits. A season overview from AskHunting lists shotgun, rimfire where legal, bow, crossbow, and air gun as the weapons used for rabbit and hare.
A shotgun is the classic choice because it handles fast, close shots in thick brush. A .22 caliber rifle also works well for rabbits and squirrels, and one Northern New York outfitter lists a shotgun or .22 as the standard gear. Rimfire rules vary by area, so confirm that your chosen firearm is legal where you plan to hunt.
Many hunters pair a small-bore shotgun with a beagle or other rabbit dog. Dogs push cottontails out of heavy cover in a slow circle, which gives you a better shot. Check DEC rules before using dogs on public land, since some areas limit when and where you can run them.
- Pick a weapon that is legal for your zone and land type.
- Confirm any equipment limits in the current regulations guide.
- Practice at a range so your first shot of the season is clean.
Shooting Hours and Sunday Hunting Rules for Rabbit Hunting in New York
Cottontail hunting hours are sunrise to sunset. An older regional season listing gave the cottontail shooting hours as sunrise to sunset, and that matches how DEC treats most small game.
Sunday hunting is generally allowed in New York during open seasons, according to AskHunting’s New York overview. The same source warns that local discharge laws and site-specific rules still apply, so a town ordinance or a rule posted at a state forest can override the general rule.
Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to hunt. Rabbits feed during cooler periods and often rest in the sun at midday in winter, which is why many hunters start at first light.
Pro Tip: Check county and town rules on firearm discharge before you hunt near homes, especially on Long Island and in suburban areas.
Hunter Orange and Public Land Rules for Rabbit Hunting in New York
New York requires big game hunters to wear blaze orange or blaze pink, and DEC encourages small game hunters to do the same. According to NEWS10, bright colors help prevent other hunters from mistaking a person for an animal.
Even when it is not required for rabbits, wear it anyway. Rabbit hunting often puts several hunters in the same cover, and your orange hat or vest is cheap insurance.
Public land gives you plenty of room. DEC notes that squirrel and rabbit opportunities are available throughout the state, including on many public lands. Good starting points named in the sources include state forests in the Southern Zone, Oak Orchard and Tonawanda, Long Island public hunting areas, and the St. Lawrence State Forests in the north.
Rules on public land can differ from private property, so read posted signs and the area’s unit management plan. If you are planning a fall road trip that includes other game, see our guides to bear hunting season in New York and dove hunting season in New York. For a neighboring state comparison, read about deer hunting season in New Jersey.
Rabbit season gives you months of hunting, low costs, and a great way to bring a new hunter into the woods. Learn your zone, carry the right license, wear orange, and confirm every date and limit in the current DEC guide before you go.