Vermont Predator Hunting Season<\/a> \u2014 coyote and other predator opportunities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nFrequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhen does gray squirrel season open in Vermont for 2026?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Gray squirrel season runs September 1 \u2013 December 31, 2026, with a daily bag limit of 4 and a possession limit of 8. It’s the earliest-opening small game season in Vermont, giving hunters a head start before the rest of the small game seasons begin. Confirm final dates with Vermont Fish & Wildlife before heading out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How much does a non-resident Vermont small game license cost?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A non-resident small game license costs $50.00, while a standard non-resident hunting license starts around $102.00. If small game is your only target for the trip, the small game license is the more economical choice \u2014 weigh it against what else you plan to hunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do you need hunter education to hunt small game in Vermont?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Yes. You must be 16 or older and have completed a Hunter Education Course to purchase a hunting license in Vermont. Courses completed in other states are accepted, so out-of-state hunters don’t need to retake a course they’ve already finished elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are there extended rabbit and hare seasons in any Vermont WMUs?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Yes. While the general rabbit and hare season runs September 26, 2026 \u2013 March 14, 2027, Wildlife Management Units D and E stay open through March 31, 2027. WMUs are geographic zones that govern certain season extensions and regulations across the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is the daily bag limit for ruffed grouse in Vermont?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The ruffed grouse (partridge) daily bag limit is 4, with a possession limit of 8. The season runs September 26 \u2013 December 31, 2026. Confirm final limits with Vermont Fish & Wildlife before your hunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How can I find private hunting land to lease in Vermont?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Browse verified Vermont lease listings on Hunting Locator, which connects you directly with landowners offering detailed terrain, game, and lease-term information. It’s worth booking ahead of the September opener to lock in access before the season starts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Final Shot<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Vermont’s 2026 small game season offers four months of squirrel hunting, a long rabbit and hare run with WMU extensions, and upland action on grouse and pheasant, backed by accessible licensing for residents, non-residents, and youth. Combined with the state’s mix of public WMAs and leasable private ground, there’s a lot of ground to cover this fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Confirm your dates, secure your license, lock down your land, and gear up. Take a final pass through Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s official regulations before you head afield, since dates and limits can shift from year to year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hunting Locator can help close the gap between planning and hunting by connecting you with land access. Check the current Vermont lease listings and the rest of our resources to get the 2026 small game season locked in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This Vermont small game season guide covers confirmed 2026 dates, license costs, and places to hunt.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":8080,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[68,10,16,187,190],"class_list":["post-8070","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hunting-seasons","tag-hunting","tag-hunting-seasons","tag-season-dates","tag-small-game","tag-squirrel"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8070"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8070\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8081,"href":"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8070\/revisions\/8081"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"Vermont](\"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/f0978110-431e-4b8f-9260-401fcbdd1448.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Vermont](\"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cd4b290c-9795-4fb7-8e65-4163e402430d.jpeg1_.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Vermont](\"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/056b4f25-749d-408f-95d5-56cf3d864313.jpeg1_.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Vermont](\"https:\/\/huntinglocator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2f4627ad-89e9-4bbb-9659-03a8eddf6692.jpeg1_.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n