Hunting seasons · 2026/2027 · Updated
Hunting seasons in Scotland
Scotland: the open seasons for every game species, class by class, and where they differ from the dates that hold everywhere in the United Kingdom. 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 | Stag1 | All year |
| Hind | – | |
| Calf | – | |
| Japanese sika deer | Stag1 | All year |
| Hind | – | |
| Calf | – | |
| Fallow deer | Buck1 | All year |
| Doe | – | |
| Calf | – | |
| Roe deer | Buck1 | All year |
| Doe | – | |
| Fawn | – |
Small game
| Species | Sex / age class | Open season |
|---|---|---|
| Red grouse | Both sexes | – |
| Rock ptarmigan | Both sexes | – |
| Black grouse | Both sexes | – |
| Grey partridge | Both sexes | – |
| Red-legged partridge | Both sexes | – |
| Common pheasant | Both sexes | – |
| Mallard | Both sexes2 | – |
| Eurasian teal | Both sexes2 | – |
| Eurasian wigeon | Both sexes2 | – |
| Gadwall | Both sexes2 | – |
| Northern pintail | Both sexes2 | – |
| Northern shoveler | Both sexes2 | – |
| Common pochard | Both sexes2 | – |
| Tufted duck | Both sexes2 | – |
| Common goldeneye | Both sexes2 | – |
| Canada goose | Both sexes2 | – |
| Greylag goose | Both sexes2 | – |
| Pink-footed goose | Both sexes2 | – |
| Greater white-fronted goose | Both sexes3 | No open season |
| Eurasian coot | Both sexes | – |
| Common moorhen | Both sexes | – |
| European golden plover | Both sexes | – |
| Common snipe | Both sexes | – |
| Eurasian woodcock | Both sexes | – |
| European hare | Both sexes | – |
| European rabbit | Both sexes | All year |
| Common wood pigeon | Both sexes4 | No open season |
| Mountain hare | Both sexes3 | No open season |
| Western capercaillie | Both sexes3 | No open season |
Predators and other game
| Species | Sex / age class | Open season |
|---|---|---|
| Red fox | Both sexes | All year |
| Carrion crow | Both sexes4 | No open season |
| Eurasian magpie | Both sexes4 | No open season |
| Rook | Both sexes4 | No open season |
| Western jackdaw | Both sexes4 | No open season |
| Hooded crow | Both sexes4 | No open season |
| European badger | Both sexes3 | No open season |
| Eurasian otter | Both sexes3 | No open season |
| European wildcat | Both sexes3 | No open season |
Where Scotland differs from the rest of the United Kingdom
Compared with the dates that hold everywhere in the United Kingdom:
- Red deer (Stag): All year · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Red deer (Hind): – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Red deer (Calf): – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Japanese sika deer (Stag): All year · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Japanese sika deer (Hind): – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Japanese sika deer (Calf): – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Fallow deer (Buck): All year · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Fallow deer (Doe): – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Fallow deer (Calf): – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Roe deer (Buck): All year · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Roe deer (Doe): – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Roe deer (Fawn): – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Red grouse: – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Black grouse: – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Grey partridge: – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Red-legged partridge: – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Common pheasant: – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Greater white-fronted goose: No open season · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Common snipe: – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Eurasian woodcock: – · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
- Mountain hare: No open season · everywhere in the United Kingdom: –
Openings and closings by month
January
- Closes
- Canada goose ·
- Common goldeneye ·
- Common moorhen ·
- Common pochard ·
- Common snipe ·
- Eurasian coot ·
- Eurasian teal ·
- Eurasian wigeon ·
- Eurasian woodcock ·
- European golden plover ·
- European hare ·
- Gadwall ·
- Greylag goose ·
- Mallard ·
- Northern pintail ·
- Northern shoveler ·
- Pink-footed goose ·
- Tufted duck ·
February
- Closes
- Common pheasant ·
- Grey partridge ·
- Red-legged partridge ·
- Fallow deer (Doe, Calf) ·
- Japanese sika deer (Hind, Calf) ·
- Red deer (Hind, Calf) ·
March
- Closes
- Roe deer (Doe, Fawn) ·
August
- Opens
September
- Opens
- Canada goose ·
- Common goldeneye ·
- Common moorhen ·
- Common pochard ·
- Eurasian coot ·
- Eurasian teal ·
- Eurasian wigeon ·
- Eurasian woodcock ·
- European golden plover ·
- Gadwall ·
- Grey partridge ·
- Greylag goose ·
- Mallard ·
- Northern pintail ·
- Northern shoveler ·
- Pink-footed goose ·
- Red-legged partridge ·
- Tufted duck ·
October
- Opens
- Common pheasant ·
- European hare ·
- Fallow deer (Doe, Calf) ·
- Japanese sika deer (Hind, Calf) ·
- Red deer (Hind, Calf) ·
- Roe deer (Doe, Fawn) ·
December
- Closes
Notes
- No close season for male deer in Scotland since October 2023.
- Inland; below the high-water mark (foreshore) until 20 February.
- Protected species; no open season.
- No open season: may only be shot under a general licence, for the purposes it lists (such as preventing crop damage).
- Source
- BASC / legislation.gov.uk
- Legal basis
- Deer Act 1991; Game Act 1831; Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; Deer (Close Seasons) (Scotland) Order 1984, as amended 2023; Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985
- Published
Scotland'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
HunTracker opens on the country you are in, shows what is open today, and keeps every hunt in your journal.