Hunting seasons · 2026/2027 · Updated
Hunting seasons in North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia: the open seasons for every game species, class by class, and where they differ from the dates that hold everywhere in Germany. The HunTracker app carries the same dates, opens on the country you are in and shows what is open today.
North Rhine-Westphalia's own seasons: the national dates with the area's main deviations. The area's regulation in force prevails.
Big game
| Species | Sex / age class | Open season |
|---|---|---|
| Red deer | Calf | – |
| Yearling stag | – | |
| Heifer | – | |
| Stag | – | |
| Hind | – | |
| Fallow deer | Calf | – |
| Yearling buck | – | |
| Heifer | – | |
| Buck | – | |
| Doe | – | |
| Japanese sika deer | Calf | – |
| Yearling stag | – | |
| Heifer | – | |
| Stag | – | |
| Hind | – | |
| Roe deer | Fawn | – |
| Yearling doe | – | |
| Doe | – | |
| Buck | – | |
| Wild boar | Both sexes | – |
| Moose | Both sexes1 | No open season |
| European bison | Both sexes1 | No open season |
| Alpine ibex | Both sexes1 | No open season |
| Chamois | Buck | – |
| Doe | – | |
| Kid | – | |
| Mouflon | Ram | – |
| Ewe | – | |
| Lamb | – |
Small game
| Species | Sex / age class | Open season |
|---|---|---|
| European hare | Both sexes | – |
| European rabbit | Both sexes | – |
| Grey partridge | Both sexes | – |
| Common pheasant | Cock | – |
| Wild turkey | Cock | – |
| Hen | – | |
| Common wood pigeon | Both sexes | – |
| Eurasian collared dove | Both sexes | – |
| Mute swan | Both sexes | – |
| Greylag goose | Both sexes | – |
| Greater white-fronted goose | Both sexes | – |
| Bean goose | Both sexes | – |
| Brent goose | Both sexes | – |
| Canada goose | Both sexes | – |
| Mallard | Both sexes | – |
| Eurasian wigeon | Both sexes | – |
| Eurasian teal | Both sexes | – |
| Northern pintail | Both sexes | – |
| Greater scaup | Both sexes | – |
| Tufted duck | Both sexes | – |
| Common pochard | Both sexes | – |
| Velvet scoter | Both sexes | – |
| Common scoter | Both sexes | – |
| Eurasian woodcock | Both sexes | – |
| Eurasian coot | Both sexes | – |
| Protected grouse | Both sexes1 | No open season |
Predators and other game
| Species | Sex / age class | Open season |
|---|---|---|
| European pine marten | Both sexes | – |
| Stone marten | Both sexes | – |
| European polecat | Both sexes | – |
| Least weasel | Both sexes | – |
| European badger | Both sexes | – |
| Eurasian lynx | Both sexes1 | No open season |
| European wildcat | Both sexes1 | No open season |
| Eurasian otter | Both sexes1 | No open season |
| Harbour seal | Both sexes1 | No open season |
| Red fox | Both sexes2 | – |
| Stoat | Both sexes | – |
| Gulls | Both sexes | No open season |
Where North Rhine-Westphalia differs from the rest of Germany
Compared with the dates that hold everywhere in Germany:
- Red deer (Calf): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Red deer (Yearling stag): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Red deer (Heifer): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Fallow deer (Calf): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Fallow deer (Yearling buck): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Fallow deer (Heifer): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Japanese sika deer (Calf): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Japanese sika deer (Yearling stag): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Roe deer (Fawn): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Roe deer (Yearling doe): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Roe deer (Doe): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Roe deer (Buck): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Wild boar: – · not open everywhere in Germany
- European hare: – · everywhere in Germany: –
- European rabbit: – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Grey partridge: – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Common pheasant (Cock): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Wild turkey (Cock): – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Common wood pigeon: – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Eurasian collared dove: – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Mute swan: – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Eurasian coot: – · everywhere in Germany: –
- European pine marten: – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Stone marten: – · everywhere in Germany: –
- European polecat: – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Least weasel: – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Red fox: – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Stoat: – · everywhere in Germany: –
- Gulls: No open season · everywhere in Germany: –
Openings and closings by month
January
- Closes
- Bean goose ·
- Brent goose ·
- Canada goose ·
- Common pheasant (Cock) ·
- Common pochard ·
- Common scoter ·
- Eurasian teal ·
- Eurasian wigeon ·
- Eurasian woodcock ·
- European hare ·
- Greater scaup ·
- Greater white-fronted goose ·
- Mallard ·
- Northern pintail ·
- Tufted duck ·
- Velvet scoter ·
- Wild turkey (Hen) ·
- Fallow deer (Heifer, Buck, Doe) ·
- Japanese sika deer (Heifer, Stag, Hind) ·
- Mouflon (Ram, Ewe, Lamb) ·
- Red deer (Heifer, Stag, Hind) ·
- Roe deer (Yearling doe, Doe) ·
February
- Closes
- Common wood pigeon ·
- Eurasian collared dove ·
- Eurasian coot ·
- Mute swan ·
- European pine marten ·
- European polecat ·
- Fallow deer (Calf, Yearling buck) ·
- Japanese sika deer (Calf, Yearling stag) ·
- Least weasel ·
- Red deer (Calf, Yearling stag) ·
- Roe deer (Fawn) ·
- Stoat ·
- Stone marten ·
March
- Opens
- Wild turkey (Cock) ·
May
- Opens
- Roe deer (Yearling doe, Buck) ·
- Closes
- Wild turkey (Cock) ·
June
- Opens
- Red deer (Yearling stag, Heifer) ·
July
- Opens
- Fallow deer (Yearling buck, Heifer) ·
- Japanese sika deer (Yearling stag, Heifer) ·
August
- Opens
- Chamois (Buck, Doe, Kid) ·
- European badger ·
- European polecat ·
- Greylag goose ·
- Least weasel ·
- Mouflon (Ram, Ewe, Lamb) ·
- Red deer (Calf, Stag, Hind) ·
- Closes
September
- Opens
- Fallow deer (Calf, Buck, Doe) ·
- Grey partridge ·
- Japanese sika deer (Calf, Stag, Hind) ·
- Mallard ·
- Roe deer (Fawn, Doe) ·
- Stoat ·
- Eurasian coot ·
October
- Opens
- Common pheasant (Cock) ·
- Common pochard ·
- Common scoter ·
- Eurasian teal ·
- Eurasian wigeon ·
- European hare ·
- Greater scaup ·
- Northern pintail ·
- Tufted duck ·
- Velvet scoter ·
- Wild turkey (Hen) ·
- Eurasian woodcock ·
- European pine marten ·
- Stone marten ·
- Closes
- Roe deer (Buck) ·
- European badger ·
November
December
- Closes
- Chamois (Buck, Doe, Kid) ·
- Grey partridge ·
Notes
- Species with year-round closed season under federal law; no hunting season is open.
- Young animals all year; parent animals needed for rearing stay protected.
- Source
- Deutscher Jagdverband (DJV) / BMEL
- Legal basis
- Bundesjagdgesetz (BJagdG) § 22, Verordnung über die Jagdzeiten (JagdzeitV 1977)
- Published
North Rhine-Westphalia's own regulations prevail: they can add closures, quotas or restrictions not shown here. 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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