The state of Vermont is home to over 73 000 resident hunters and approximately 133 000 white-tailed deer. Vermont offers a first-class deer hunting experience due to its green mountainous terrain, public and private lands open to harvesting, and its annual limit of four deer.
If you’re planning on hunting white-tailed deer in Vermont, we’ve taken the time to scope all of Vermont’s deer hunting regulations and will take you through everything that there is to know!
Season Dates
There are five(5) main deer seasons in Vermont; Muzzleloader Antlerless, Regular, Youth/Novice Weekend, Archery, and Muzzleloader. Hunters are only to use hunting devices and methods for the specified season. Below are the season dates for hunting white-tailed deer in Vermont.
| Deer Season Vermont | Date (start-end) |
|---|---|
| Archery | October 1st- December 15th, 2023, except closed during the regular November season |
| Youth Weekend | October 21st- October 22nd, 2023 |
| Novice Weekend | October 21st- October 22nd, 2023 |
| Deer: Regular Season | November 11th – November 26th, 2023 |
| Muzzleloader | December 2nd – December 10th, 2023 |
| Muzzleloader Antlerless | October 26th-October 29th, 2023 |
Licensing and Tag Fees
Anyone interested in hunting white-tailed deer in the state of Vermont is required by law to purchase a hunting license. Hunting licensing is classified into two groups, residents and nonresidents of Vermont. Licenses are available for one year, five years, or a lifetime and can be purchased online from a district office.
Resident License
| License | Fees |
|---|---|
| Hunting License | $28.00 |
| Youth Hunting (age 17 or younger) | $8.00 |
| Combination Hunting & Fishing License | $47.00 |
| Youth Combination (age 17 or under) | $12.00 |
| Archery-Deer (hunting license needed) | $23.00 |
| Muzzleloader-Deer (hunting license needed) | $23.00 |
| Permanent Resident (66 years or older) | $60.00 |
Any resident landowner in Vermont, his or her spouse, and minor children are allowed to hunt within the boundary of their land without a license within a season. Unless their right to obtain a license is suspended or for seasons that require a special tag.
Non-resident
| License | Fees |
|---|---|
| Hunting license | $102.00 |
| Youth Hunting (age 17 or younger) | $25.00 |
| Combination Hunting/ Fishing | $143.00 |
| Youth Combination (age 17 or younger) | $30.00 |
| Archery- deer (in addition to a hunting license) | $38.00 |
| Archery- only- deer (no hunting license required) | $75.00 |
| Muzzleloader- deer (in addition to hunting license) | $40.00 |
A buck tag is included with every hunting license that is sold in the State of Vermont, except for non-resident small game licenses. Hunters are required to purchase additional deer tags for each deer harvested.
Bag Limits and Hunting Hours
The state of Vermont is divided into 21 different Wildlife Management Units (WMU). Each Wildlife Management Unit follows the same deer season dates for the four deer hunting season types.
Deer hunters in Vermont are restricted to a four-deer annual limit; only one of the four is allowed to be a legal buck (male.) Regardless of the type and number of permits purchased, only Youth/ Novice hunters may harvest one legal buck during Youth season and another buck during any other season.
Vermont’s Fish and Wildlife department specifically restricts any hunter from harvesting a deer, from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
What Weapons Can You Hunt Deer With In Vermont?
Hunting white-tailed deer in Vermont is limited to three different classifications of weaponry; archery, muzzleloader, and regular. Each classification is regulated and has its own specifications and dimensions. Below is a list of weapons and their specifications for hunting White-tailed deer in Vermont:
- Crossbows
- Compound bows
- Muzzleloaders
- centerfire rifle
- Handgun
- Shotgun
Firearms:
| Weapon | Details |
|---|---|
| Rifles | To legally use a rifle, it must be a .22 calibre using rimfire cartridges. |
| Shotguns | Are permitted when hunting deer in the Regular season. |
| Handguns | Are allowed to be used wherever rifles are permitted. |
| Prohibited Weapons | Any machine gun or autoloading rifle with a magazine capacity of over 6 cartridges is prohibited. |
Bow and Arrow:
| Weapon Specifications | Details |
|---|---|
| Arrows | No restrictions |
| Broadheads | Must be 7-8 inches at the widest point with two cutting sides. |
| Bow characteristics | No restrictions |
Crossbow:
| Weapon Specifications | Details |
|---|---|
| Crossbow draw weight | No restrictions. |
| Arrows/ bolts | No restrictions. |
| Broadheads | Must be 7-8 inches at the widest point with two cutting sides. |
Muzzleloading Rifle and Pistol:
| Weapon Specifications | Details |
|---|---|
| Powder | black powder or suitable non-smokeless black powder substitute only. |
| Calibre | Single-shot, smoothbore or single-barrel rifle with a minimum barrel length of 20 inches or a single-shot pistol with a minimum barrel length of 10 inches. Both rifle and pistol must have a minimum bore diameter of 0.43 inches and must be incapable of being loaded from the breach without tools. |
| Legal projectile | A single ball or bullet. |
| Ignition | Modern or traditional flintlock ignition system, matchlock, in-line, caplock or a wheel-lock style. |
What types of Deer are popular in Vermont?
White-tailed deer are the only native species of deer found in Vermont. These deer are fairly common throughout the US and are known as the species of deer that prefers to inhabit the forest’s edge.
White-tailed deer are noticeable by their reddish-brown or tan-colored hides. The underbelly of their hide and tail is white; when their tails are raised, it resembles a white flag from the rear. Only the male white-tailed deer produce antlers, while the females are antlerless.
What Else is Popular to Hunt in Vermont?
Vermont has a proud history and tradition of hunting. It was the first state in the US with a constitutional language that protected residents’ rights to hunt. The diverse landscape of green mountainous areas and farmlands offers more than just pristine white-tailed deer hunting conditions.
Vermont’s wilderness hunting grounds provide a large selection of small and big game to hunt, including:
- Black Bear
- Moose
- Wild Turkey
- Waterfowl
- Snowgoose
- Gray Squirrel
- Snowshoe Hare
Looking for information on deer hunts. I am currently a non-resident and I do have a disability license in my home state of Arkansas. My wife and I are looking around for a place to come hunt, but without being aware of where we could go really limits what we could do.