What dictates when a season opens state by state?

I know Slowbo is already at it in Maryland. I know New Hampshire is open Sept 15. New York doesn't open until Oct 1st, and up until last year, it was Oct 15th.

I figured the more north you go, the earlier it will open due to weather, but seems not to be the case.

Stop hunting! Wait for Oct 1st like I have to! hahahaha

Seasons are usually set by regulation and legislation. The State Department of Fish and Game, or Department of Natural Resources. The way most State laws are written is to allow the DNR to establish hunting and fishing seasons, with the exception of migratory species like ducks, then the Federal Government also has a say.

The DNR will base opening dates on many factors, scientific study of game, past season kill rates, population estimates of game animals, and bag limits.

Of course, they have to please everyone, from bowhunters, firearms hunters, small game and bird hunters, and everyone wants a piece of the pie.

We had been lobbying our State DNR for a Sept 1st opener for years. With the complaints about deer overpopulations, you would think a few extra weeks would be a gimme. But then small game hunters, fearing deer hunters would lease up the farms they hunt asked for the extra two weeks be taken away at the end of January, and of course, the anti hunters and equestrians were opposed as well.

But after years of trying, and with the help of our State Bowhunter Association, The Maryland Bowhunters Society, who endlessly approaches our DNR and legislature for more opportunities and more Sunday hunting we got an extra week.

If you want more opportunity, the best thing to do is become locally active and involved by joining in your State hunting organizations (numbers DO matter in politics, the more members a group has the better it is listened to at DNR and political meetings), and write your State Senators and other elected representatives and tell them so.

Ah, small game hunters. Its funny how i used to be an exclusive small game hunter up until a few yeara ago and i have already forgotten all about rabbit grouse pheasant. Makes sense.