Hunting seasons · 2026/2027 · Updated
Hunting seasons in Estonia
The open seasons for every game species in Estonia, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Moose | Bull134 | – |
| Cow234 | – | |
| Calf234 | – | |
| Red deer | Stag534 | – |
| Hind634 | – | |
| Calf634 | – | |
| Roe deer | Buck734 | – |
| Doe834 | – | |
| Fawn834 | – | |
| Wild boar | Both sexes934 | All year |
| Brown bear | Both sexes124 | No open season |
Small game
| Species | Sex / age class | Open season |
|---|---|---|
| European hare | Both sexes19 | – |
| Mountain hare | Both sexes19 | – |
| Common pheasant | Both sexes22 | – |
| Mallard | Both sexes23 | – |
| Eurasian wigeon | Both sexes23 | – |
| Gadwall | Both sexes23 | – |
| Eurasian teal | Both sexes23 | – |
| Northern shoveler | Both sexes23 | – |
| Common scoter | Both sexes23 | – |
| Common goldeneye | Both sexes23 | – |
| Greylag goose | Both sexes25 | – |
| Bean goose | Both sexes25 | – |
| Greater white-fronted goose | Both sexes25 | – |
| Canada goose | Both sexes25 | – |
| Barnacle goose | Both sexes25 | – |
| Eurasian woodcock | Both sexes26 | – |
| Great cormorant | Both sexes26 | – |
| Grey partridge | Both sexes27 | – |
| Common wood pigeon | Both sexes28 | – |
| Rock dove | Both sexes2930 | – |
Predators and other game
| Species | Sex / age class | Open season |
|---|---|---|
| Grey wolf | Both sexes104 | – |
| Eurasian lynx | Both sexes114 | – |
| Grey seal | Both sexes134 | – |
| Red fox | Both sexes14 | – |
| Golden jackal | Both sexes15 | – |
| Raccoon dog | Both sexes16 | All year |
| American mink | Both sexes16 | All year |
| European pine marten | Both sexes17 | – |
| Stone marten | Both sexes17 | – |
| European polecat | Both sexes17 | – |
| European badger | Both sexes18 | – |
| Eurasian beaver | Both sexes20 | – |
| Muskrat | Both sexes21 | – |
| Mew gull | Both sexes23 | – |
| European herring gull | Both sexes23 | – |
| Gulls | Both sexes2324 | – |
| Hooded crow | Both sexes29 | – |
Openings and closings by month
January
February
- Closes
- Red deer (Stag) ·
- Common pheasant ·
- Eurasian lynx ·
- European badger ·
- European hare ·
- Golden jackal ·
- Grey wolf ·
- Mountain hare ·
- Muskrat ·
March
- Closes
April
- Opens
- Closes
June
- Opens
- Roe deer (Buck) ·
July
- Opens
- Hooded crow ·
- Rock dove ·
August
- Opens
- Common wood pigeon ·
- Eurasian beaver ·
- Eurasian woodcock ·
- Great cormorant ·
- Red fox ·
- Red deer (Hind, Calf) ·
- Common goldeneye ·
- Common scoter ·
- Eurasian teal ·
- Eurasian wigeon ·
- European herring gull ·
- Gadwall ·
- Gulls ·
- Mallard ·
- Mew gull ·
- Northern shoveler ·
September
- Opens
- European badger ·
- Grey partridge ·
- Red deer (Stag) ·
- Roe deer (Doe, Fawn) ·
- Moose (Bull) ·
- Barnacle goose ·
- Bean goose ·
- Canada goose ·
- Greater white-fronted goose ·
- Greylag goose ·
October
- Opens
- Common pheasant ·
- European hare ·
- European pine marten ·
- European polecat ·
- Golden jackal ·
- Moose (Cow, Calf) ·
- Mountain hare ·
- Muskrat ·
- Stone marten ·
- Closes
November
- Opens
- Closes
December
- Opens
- Closes
Notes
- Ambush, stalking and decoy hunting 15 September to 15 December; driven hunts and hunting with dogs only from 1 October.
- Cows and calves may be hunted only from 1 October to 15 December (ambush, stalking, decoy, driven hunt or dogs); never before 1 October.
- Shot only within the cull quota agreed for your hunting district for the hunting year (1 March to the end of February).
- A big-game shooting test certificate is required for big-game hunting; dogs of FCI group 6 taller than 52 cm at the withers may not be used on moose, red deer or wild boar.
- Ambush, stalking and decoy hunting 1 September to 15 February; driven hunts and dogs from 1 October.
- Hinds and calves: ambush, stalking and decoy hunting 15 August to 31 January; driven hunts and dogs from 1 October.
- Ambush, stalking and decoy hunting 1 June to 31 January; driven hunts and dogs (FCI groups 3 and 4, and small FCI 6 dogs) from 1 October.
- Does and kids: ambush or stalking from 1 September to 31 January; driven hunts and dogs (FCI groups 3 and 4) from 1 October.
- Ambush, stalking and driven hunts all year; hunting with dogs 1 October to 31 March. Environmental Board orders against African swine fever (quotas, special methods) can add rules, so check the current order.
- Cull quota set each year by the Environmental Board. Lure, ambush, stalking and driven hunts with flags and dogs.
- Cull quota set each year by the Environmental Board. Females with kittens may not be shot.
- Since 5 April 2026 the bear has no fixed hunting season; it may be shot only under a special Environmental Board permit (damage areas or danger to people).
- Ambush and stalking 15 April to 31 December, within the annual quota set by the Environmental Board.
- Lure, ambush and stalking 1 August to 31 March; den hunting, driven hunts and dogs from 1 October.
- Since 5 April 2026 the season starts 1 October (before 1 September). Lure, ambush, stalking and driven hunts; dogs from 1 October.
- Lure, ambush and stalking all year; den hunting, driven hunts and dogs from 1 October.
- Ambush and stalking from 1 October to 31 March, as well as box traps and trap irons from a tree or building; dogs until the end of the hunting year.
- Ambush and stalking from 1 September; den hunting and dogs from 1 October. Den hunting is banned at setts with more than 10 entrances.
- From 1 October to the end of the hunting year, with dogs; the April 2026 amendment also allows driven, search, stalking and ambush hunting (FCI group 5 dogs excluded).
- Ambush and stalking 1 August to 15 April; traps, nets and dogs 1 August to 15 March. Year-round with an Environmental Board permit for damage; banned all year on Võrtsjärv, Emajõgi and some rivers without a permit.
- Hunted with traps, nets, ambush or stalking.
- Search, ambush or stalking hunt, or with dogs (not FCI group 6), from 1 October to the end of the hunting year.
- Open 20 August to 31 October; at sea, on the Narva reservoir, Võrtsjärv and lakes Peipsi and Pihkva the season runs to 30 November.
- Law names black-headed, common, herring and great black-backed gulls; the group entry covers black-headed and great black-backed gulls.
- Open 20 September to 30 November. In spring (15 March to 31 May) only with an Environmental Board permit in crop-damage areas for white-fronted, Canada and barnacle geese.
- Open 1 August to 30 November; hunted by search, ambush or stalking, also with FCI group 7 and 8 dogs.
- Search hunting with FCI group 7 and 8 dogs only.
- Decoy, ambush and stalking; since April 2026 also with FCI group 7 and 8 dogs.
- Decoy, stalking and ambush, also crow traps.
- The law names the domestic (feral) pigeon; it is recorded here under rock dove.
- Source
- Kliimaministeerium (Ministry of Climate) / Keskkonnaamet (Environmental Board)
- Legal basis
- Jahieeskiri (Keskkonnaministri 28. mai 2013. a määrus nr 32, RT I, 29.05.2013, 51), terviktekst RT I, 12.03.2024, 15, muudetud Kliimaministri määrusega (jõustus 5. aprillil 2026: karu jahiaeg kaotatud, šaakali jahiaja algus 1. oktoober); jahiseaduse (vastu võetud 25.04.2013, RT I, 16.05.2013) alusel
- Published
Season information in the app is for guidance only. Always check current legislation and local rules before you hunt.
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