Hunting seasons · 2026/2027 · Updated
Hunting seasons in Bulgaria
The open seasons for every game species in Bulgaria, species by species and class by class. With Pro, the HunTracker app sends a notification on the day the main seasons open or close.
Big game
| Species | Sex / age class | Open season |
|---|---|---|
| Red deer | Stag12 | – |
| Yearling stag12 | – | |
| Calf12 | – | |
| Hind12 | – | |
| Heifer12 | – | |
| Fallow deer | Buck12 | – |
| Yearling buck12 | – | |
| Calf12 | – | |
| Doe12 | – | |
| Heifer12 | – | |
| Roe deer | Buck12 | – |
| Doe12 | – | |
| Yearling doe12 | – | |
| Fawn12 | – | |
| Wild boar | Both sexes45 | All year |
| Mouflon | Ram123 | – |
| Ewe12 | – | |
| Ewe lamb12 | – | |
| Lamb12 | – | |
| European bison | Bull24 | All year |
| Cow24 | – | |
| Calf24 | – | |
| Alpine ibex | Buck625 | – |
| Doe625 | – | |
| Kid625 | – | |
| Brown bear | Both sexes22 | No open season |
| Chamois | Both sexes23 | No open season |
Small game
| Species | Sex / age class | Open season |
|---|---|---|
| European hare | Both sexes1712 | – |
| Western capercaillie | Cock626 | – |
| Wild turkey | Both sexes7 | – |
| Common pheasant | Both sexes171013 | – |
| Helmeted guineafowl | Both sexes71013 | – |
| Grey partridge | Both sexes71014 | – |
| Rock partridge | Both sexes714 | – |
| Chukar partridge | Both sexes71014 | – |
| Common quail | Both sexes7815 | – |
| European turtle dove | Both sexes7811 | – |
| Eurasian collared dove | Both sexes7816 | – |
| Common wood pigeon | Both sexes7916 | – |
| Greater white-fronted goose | Both sexes717 | – |
| Mallard | Both sexes71727 | – |
| Garganey | Both sexes717 | – |
| Eurasian teal | Both sexes717 | – |
| Eurasian wigeon | Both sexes717 | – |
| Northern shoveler | Both sexes717 | – |
| Tufted duck | Both sexes717 | – |
| Northern pintail | Both sexes717 | – |
| Eurasian coot | Both sexes7 | – |
| Eurasian woodcock | Both sexes7818 | – |
| Common snipe | Both sexes7818 | – |
| Common starling | Both sexes20 | All year |
Predators and other game
| Species | Sex / age class | Open season |
|---|---|---|
| European wildcat | Both sexes23 | No open season |
| Grey wolf | Both sexes21 | All year |
| Golden jackal | Both sexes21 | All year |
| Red fox | Both sexes21 | All year |
| Raccoon dog | Both sexes21 | All year |
| Stone marten | Both sexes | All year |
| European polecat | Both sexes | All year |
| European badger | Both sexes | – |
| Red squirrel | Both sexes719 | – |
| Muskrat | Both sexes719 | – |
| Nutria | Both sexes719 | – |
| Eurasian magpie | Both sexes | All year |
| Hooded crow | Both sexes | All year |
| Rook | Both sexes | All year |
| Western jackdaw | Both sexes | All year |
Openings and closings by month
January
- Closes
- Common pheasant ·
- Eurasian coot ·
- Eurasian teal ·
- Eurasian wigeon ·
- Fallow deer (Buck, Yearling buck, Calf) ·
- Garganey ·
- Greater white-fronted goose ·
- Helmeted guineafowl ·
- Mallard ·
- Mouflon (Ram, Ewe, Ewe lamb, Lamb) ·
- Northern pintail ·
- Northern shoveler ·
- Red deer (Stag, Yearling stag, Calf) ·
- Tufted duck ·
February
- Closes
April
- Opens
- Western capercaillie (Cock) ·
May
- Opens
- Roe deer (Buck) ·
- Closes
- Western capercaillie (Cock) ·
- Alpine ibex (Buck) ·
August
September
- Opens
- Alpine ibex (Buck, Doe, Kid) ·
- European bison (Cow, Calf) ·
- Fallow deer (Buck, Yearling buck, Calf) ·
- Mouflon (Ram, Ewe, Ewe lamb, Lamb) ·
- Red deer (Stag, Yearling stag, Calf) ·
- Roe deer (Doe, Yearling doe, Fawn) ·
October
- Opens
- Chukar partridge ·
- Common pheasant ·
- Eurasian coot ·
- Eurasian teal ·
- Eurasian wigeon ·
- European hare ·
- Fallow deer (Doe, Heifer) ·
- Garganey ·
- Greater white-fronted goose ·
- Grey partridge ·
- Helmeted guineafowl ·
- Mallard ·
- Northern pintail ·
- Northern shoveler ·
- Red deer (Hind, Heifer) ·
- Rock partridge ·
- Tufted duck ·
- Wild turkey ·
- Closes
- Roe deer (Buck, Doe, Yearling doe, Fawn) ·
November
- Opens
- Muskrat ·
- Nutria ·
- Red squirrel ·
- Closes
December
- Closes
- Alpine ibex (Doe, Kid) ·
- Eurasian collared dove ·
- European bison (Cow, Calf) ·
- European hare ·
- Fallow deer (Doe, Heifer) ·
- Red deer (Hind, Heifer) ·
- Red squirrel ·
Notes
- Hunting needs a valid hunting ticket and a written hunting permit for the hunting ground; individual hunting is allowed only from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset (wild boar and predators excepted).
- Individual stalking and hide hunting of big game is allowed on every day of the week.
- Trophy-mature rams may be taken all year; every other ram and all ewes and lambs only from 1 September to 31 January.
- Individual (selective) hunting is open all year; group hunts with dogs only from 1 October to the second Sunday of January (10 January 2027), on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
- In fenced hunting yards at intensive game bases, group hunts of boars and piglets run until the last day of February. During African swine fever outbreaks the Minister of Agriculture may by order change the wild boar seasons, extend group hunts or ban hunting in affected areas, so check the current orders.
- Only through organised hunting tourism or with a research permit from the Executive Forest Agency.
- Small game may be hunted on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, and waterfowl also on Wednesdays and after 1 January; in organised hunting tourism and leased game areas on no more than three of seven consecutive days.
- Opens on the second Saturday of August (8 August in 2026, 14 August in 2027).
- Opens on the second Saturday of August (8 August in 2026) and closes on the second Sunday of February (14 February in 2027).
- Farm-raised birds released under organised hunting tourism may be hunted longer: pheasants and guineafowl until 28 February, partridges and chukar until 31 January.
- Turtle dove may be hunted only on Saturdays and public holidays; daily bag three per hunter (15 in organised hunting tourism).
- Daily bag limit per hunter: one hare.
- Daily bag limit per hunter: two pheasants or guineafowl.
- Daily bag limit per hunter: four partridges or chukar.
- Daily bag limit per hunter: 15 quail (30 in organised hunting tourism).
- Daily bag limit per hunter: 10 wood pigeons or collared doves.
- Daily bag limit per hunter: three geese and five ducks.
- Daily bag limit per hunter: 10 woodcock or snipe.
- Daily bag limit per hunter: four squirrels, muskrats or nutria.
- Daily bag limit per hunter: 30 starlings.
- Group hunts of predators only from 1 October to 31 December, and of jackal outside forest land from 1 January to 28 February, while the predator cull plan is unfulfilled; individual hunting on every day of the week.
- Hunting brown bear is banned; the Minister of Agriculture may issue a cull permit only as an exception in special cases.
- Named in the law only as a strictly protected species that may be taken solely under an individual derogation permit; no open season.
- Males all year; females and calves from 1 September to 31 December.
- Males from 1 September to 31 May; females and young from 1 September to 31 December.
- Only male capercaillie may be taken, during the spring season.
- Wild and semi-wild mallard share the same season.
- Source
- Изпълнителна агенция по горите (ИАГ) към Министерството на земеделието и храните
- Legal basis
- Закон за лова и опазване на дивеча (обн., ДВ, бр. 78 от 26 септември 2000 г.; последно изм., бр. 102 от 8 декември 2023 г.), чл. 54, ал. 1 и приложение № 4 „Срокове за ловуване на дивеч“, и Правилник за прилагане на Закона за лова и опазване на дивеча (ПМС № 151 от 13 юни 2001 г., обн., ДВ, бр. 58 от 29 юни 2001 г.; последно изм., бр. 68 от 13 август 2024 г.), чл. 66, 68–71 и 74
- Published
Season information in the app is for guidance only. Always check current legislation and local rules before you hunt.
Every season in your pocket
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