Small Game Hunting

Regulation Hunting in Rhode Island

Species	Dates	Daily Bag Limit
Coyote - State Land	September 15 - February 28, 2019 April 25 - May 19, 2019	unlimited
Coyote - Private Land	No closed season	unlimited
Raccoon	October 1 - February 28, 2019	unlimited
Youth Pheasant*	October 13 - 14	2
Pheasant	October 20 - February 28, 2019	2
Cottontail Rabbit	October 20 - February 28, 2019	3
Gray Squirrel	October 20 - February 28, 2019	5
Bobwhite Quail	October 20 - February 28, 2019	3
Red, Gray Fox	October 20 - February 28, 2019	unlimited
Ruffed Grouse	CLOSED	-

Management Area Check Stations

Small game hunters are required to check in and out of the state oper-ated check stations at Great Swamp, Arcadia, Durfee Hill, and Carolina Management Areas on the following dates: October 20 - 21, October 27 - 28 and November 3 - 4. Check station hours are ½ hour before sunrise to sunset, except during the first four days of deer muzzleloader season (Nov 3-6) when check stations will be open until 6:00PM. Hunters may be asked to produce harvested game for inspection.

Pheasant and Quail Hunting

A Gamebird Permit is Required to hunt ring-neck pheasant and bobwhite quail. The daily limit for pheasant is two (2) either sex birds and the daily bag limit for quail is three (3). Pheasants are stocked prior to opening day, then weekly through the end of December. Pheasant stocking does not occur in January and February. Stocked management areas are: Arcadia, Black Hut, Big River, Buck Hill, Carolina, Durfee Hill, Great Swamp, Nicholas Farm, Sapowet Marsh, Simmons Mill Pond and Eight Rod Farm.

Block Island Pheasant Hunting

Pheasant hunting is open on Block Island, with written landowner-permission, on November 21st and 28th, December 12th and 19th and January 2nd, 2019. Only male pheasants (roosters) may be taken from Block Island, daily bag limit 2 per day.

Additional Regulations

The small game hunting season will remain OPEN during the December shotgun deer season. This allows small game hunting on state manage-ment areas during the shotgun deer season.
Muzzle-loading rifles, no greater than .40 caliber with round ball and patch, may be used for hunting small game mammals during established seasons.
Night hunting of raccoons with shot larger than No. 4 or rifles larger than .22 cal. rimfire long-rifle is prohibited.
Archery hunters with a valid deer archery hunting permit may take raccoon during legal deer hunting hours beginning on the first day of October and ending on the last day of January.

Air Rifles

Air rifles are permitted to hunt the following small mammals: squirrels, woodchucks, and cottontail rabbits, provided that the air guns are a minimum of .177 caliber and not larger than .22; a minimum of 750 fps velocity with pellets 7.5 grains or larger.