Utah Pheasant Season 2026: Opener, Limits, License

Q: What are pheasant shooting hours in Utah?

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources sets pheasant hours as 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset.

Q: What license do I need to hunt pheasants in Utah?

Residents: 365-day hunting license $40 (age 18 to 64), or 365-day combination license $44; no pheasant permit or stamp. Nonresidents: 365-day hunting license $144 (age 14 and up), or three-day nonresident small game license $89. Prices are as the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources lists them.

Q: Does Utah stock pheasants?

Yes. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources releases approximately 12,000 rooster pheasants. Release sites: WMAs, Walk-in Access properties and other public lands, shown on the pheasant release map; more near larger cities. Release timing: There is not a fixed schedule of when pheasants will be released, but birds are generally released for the season opener and weekends.

Nov 7

Opening day

Saturday

Dec 6

Last day

Sunday, 2026

2 roosters a day

Daily limit

6 in possession

Dates and limits

Utah pheasant season dates and bag limit

Utah's pheasant season opens Saturday, November 7, 2026, and closes December 6, 2026. The youth season comes first, Oct 31 to Nov 5. The daily limit is 2 roosters and 6 in possession. Only roosters may be taken.

UtahNov 7
Season, Nov 7 to Dec 6; Youth, Oct 31 to Nov 5

General season Youth huntsUtah, Nov 7 to Dec 6

General season: Saturday, November 7, 2026 to December 6, 2026
Youth season: Oct 31 to Nov 5
Daily limit: 2 roosters a day
Possession: 6 in possession
Which birds: Roosters only
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset

Commercial hunting areas (CHAs)Aug 31 to Mar 31licensed commercial hunting areas only; no hunting license needed there
Youth pheasant huntOct 31 to Nov 5statewide; youth 17 and under; birds released before the hunt
Ring-necked pheasant (general season)Nov 7 to Dec 6statewide; males only

• Daily bag limit: 2 male birds • Possession limit: 6 male birds • Note: Only males may be harvested.

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, read October 8, 2026. Read it at the source

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources regulations, read October 8, 2026.

Where to hunt

Public land and walk-in access in Utah

Walk-in Access program
“The Walk-in Access Program provides hunters, anglers and trappers access to privately owned land, streams, rivers, ponds or reservoirs.”
Open the atlas Program page

Wild and released birds

Utah pheasant stocking

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources releases approximately 12,000 rooster pheasants. Release sites: WMAs, Walk-in Access properties and other public lands, shown on the pheasant release map; more near larger cities. Release timing: There is not a fixed schedule of when pheasants will be released, but birds are generally released for the season opener and weekends.

A: Yes. The division releases approximately 12,000 rooster pheasants for the youth and general-season hunts. There is not a fixed schedule of when pheasants will be released, but birds are generally released for the season opener and weekends.

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, read October 8, 2026. Read it at the source

License

What it takes to hunt pheasants in Utah

Residents: 365-day hunting license $40 (age 18 to 64), or 365-day combination license $44; no pheasant permit or stamp
Nonresidents: 365-day hunting license $144 (age 14 and up), or three-day nonresident small game license $89

Every Utah license, resident and nonresident, with what each costs, is on the Utah hunting license page.

Utah pheasant questions

When does pheasant season open in Utah?

What is the pheasant limit in Utah?

What are pheasant shooting hours in Utah?

What license do I need to hunt pheasants in Utah?

Where can I hunt pheasants on public land in Utah?

Does Utah stock pheasants?

A brown speckled hen pheasant walking through rows of young green wheat with old stubble between them — A hen in a South Dakota wheat field. Hens carry next year’s birds, so the bag in the wild bird states is written for roosters only, and the brown bird that gets up beside a rooster is the one to let fly. “NRCSSD03010 - South Dakota (6147)(NRCS Photo Gallery)”, Dennis Larson, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Public domain

Utah read October 8, 2026 from Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, every source linked above. An agency can move a date or close an area between the printed regulations and opening day, so its page is the one that governs. Every state is on the pheasant season calendar.