New York black bear season 2027-28 Open
Black bear season in New York is open now, last season closes Dec 6, 2026.
Dates only. Bag limits, legal methods, licences and zone boundaries: NYSDEC. Read yesterday.
| Season | Zone | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Bowhunting | Northern Zone: Western Periphery (WMUs 6A, 6G, 6K, 6N) | Sep 19, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Early Bowhunting | Northern Zone: Western Periphery (WMUs 6A, 6G, 6K, 6N) | Sep 18, 2027 to Oct 22, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 308 days |
| Early Bowhunting | Southern Zone | Oct 1, 2026 to Nov 20, 2026 | Open open, closes in 6 days |
| Early Bowhunting | Southern Zone | Oct 1, 2027 to Nov 19, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 321 days |
| Late Bowhunting and Muzzleloading | Southern Zone | Dec 14, 2026 to Dec 22, 2026 | Upcoming opens in 30 days |
| Late Bowhunting and Muzzleloading | Southern Zone | Dec 13, 2027 to Dec 21, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 394 days |
| Early Muzzleloading | Northern Zone: Western Periphery (WMUs 6A, 6G, 6K, 6N) | Oct 17, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Early Muzzleloading | Northern Zone: Western Periphery (WMUs 6A, 6G, 6K, 6N) | Oct 16, 2027 to Oct 22, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 336 days |
| Early Firearms (some WMUs) | Southern Zone | Sep 11, 2027 to Sep 26, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 301 days |
| Regular | Northern Zone: Adirondacks (WMUs 5A, 5C, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5J, 6C, 6F, 6H, and 6J) | Sep 19, 2026 to Dec 6, 2026 | Open open, closes in 22 days |
| Regular | Northern Zone: Adirondacks (WMUs 5A, 5C, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5J, 6C, 6F, 6H, and 6J) | Sep 18, 2027 to Dec 5, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 308 days |
| Regular | Northern Zone: Western Periphery (WMUs 6A, 6G, 6K, 6N) | Oct 24, 2026 to Dec 6, 2026 | Open open, closes in 22 days |
| Regular | Northern Zone: Western Periphery (WMUs 6A, 6G, 6K, 6N) | Oct 23, 2027 to Dec 5, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 343 days |
| Regular | Southern Zone | Nov 21, 2026 to Dec 13, 2026 | Opens soon opens in 7 days |
| Regular | Southern Zone | Nov 20, 2027 to Dec 12, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 371 days |
Black bear hunting in New York runs from Sep 19, 2026 (Early Bowhunting) to Dec 21, 2027 (Late Bowhunting and Muzzleloading) in the 2026-27 season, and is open now, last season closes Dec 6, 2026.
Dates differ by zone or unit (Northern Zone: Adirondacks (WMUs 5A, 5C, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5J, 6C, 6F, 6H, and 6J), Northern Zone: Western Periphery (WMUs 6A, 6G, 6K, 6N) and Southern Zone); check the zone column before you plan.
Source: NYSDEC, NYSDEC Future Big Game Hunting Seasons (rule, resolved) (page). Read yesterday.