Washington Pheasant & Grouse Season 2026-27: Small Game Dates

Q: When does pheasant season open in Washington in 2026-27?

Pheasant: September 19, 2026 to January 18, 2027, varying by zone across 3 rows in the agency table. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife publishes it under that name, and the zone table on this page was read from its own page on September 19, 2026.

Q: When is grouse season in Washington?

Forest Grouse (Ruffed, Sooty, Dusky, and Spruce): September 15, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife publishes it under that name, and the zone table on this page was read from its own page on September 19, 2026.

Q: Does Washington have a quail season?

California (Valley) Quail and Northern Bobwhite: September 19, 2026 to January 18, 2027, varying by zone across 2 rows in the agency table. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife publishes it under that name, and the zone table on this page was read from its own page on September 19, 2026.

Q: Which small game zone am I in, in Washington?

Washington sets different dates by zone for at least one species, and the boundaries are the agency's own, drawn along interstates, highways and county lines. Your zone is determined from the agency's own map: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife publishes the official zone map and boundary descriptions, linked from this page.

Q: Where are the bag limits, legal methods and licence rules for Washington small game?

At Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, whose regulations page is linked on this page. Those rules are legally binding, change annually and vary by species, by zone and by land ownership. This page carries the season windows themselves, with source and read date attached.

Q: Can these Washington small game dates change?

Yes. Agencies amend season orders, add or drop zones, and occasionally correct their own published tables mid season. This page covers the 2026-27 season year with data as of September 19, 2026, says so in the copy, and links the exact Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife page it read on September 19, 2026. Treat the agency page as the final word on the morning you hunt.

This page covers the 2026-27 season year. Dates were read from the agency sources linked below, last checked September 19, 2026. Seasons change annually and agencies correct their own pages; confirm against the linked agency page before you hunt.

September 19, 2026 to January 18, 2027

Pheasant

published

September 19, 2026 to January 18, 2027

Quail

published

September 15, 2026 to January 15, 2027

Grouse

published

September 1, 2026 to March 15, 2027

Rabbit

published

units open year-round per the agency

Squirrel

published

3 zone rows

Zone structure

as the agency draws it

Five seasons, one state

Washington small game seasons, 2026-27

“When does small game season open” is five questions wearing one coat. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife dates ring-necked pheasant, California (valley) quail, northern bobwhite and mountain quail, forest grouse (ruffed, sooty, dusky and spruce), chukar, gray partridge, cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare; eastern gray and eastern fox squirrels are unclassified wildlife separately, so each species is below under the agency’s own name for it, with the zone rows exactly as the agency lists them.

Pheasant

published

Pheasant runs September 19, 2026 to January 18, 2027 across all zones.

Washington pheasant, as published by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Zone	Opens	Closes
Western Washington Regular Season	September 19, 2026	November 30, 2026
Western Washington Extended Season (Belfair, JBLM, Kosmos, Lincoln Creek, Scatter Creek, Skookumchuck, Green Diamond resource lands and Whidbey Island sites only)	December 1, 2026	December 15, 2026
Eastern Washington Regular Season	October 17, 2026	January 18, 2027

Dates read from 2026-2027 Washington Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet, WDFW, accessed 2026-09-19.

Washington runs two very different pheasant seasons. Western Washington's is a program of named sites that opens in mid September and closes at the end of November, with a two week December extension at listed sites only. Eastern Washington's wild bird season opens the third Saturday of October and runs into mid January. Both sides open early for youth hunters and for hunters 65 and older or with disabilities, which are under other seasons.

Opening day, the daily limit and the full season calendar are on the Washington pheasant season page.

California (Valley) Quail and Northern Bobwhite

published

California (Valley) Quail and Northern Bobwhite runs September 19, 2026 to January 18, 2027 across all zones.

Washington california (valley) quail and northern bobwhite, as published by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Zone	Opens	Closes	Notes
Western Washington	September 19, 2026	November 30, 2026
Eastern Washington Regular Season	October 3, 2026	January 18, 2027

Dates read from 2026-2027 Washington Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet, WDFW, accessed 2026-09-19.

The pamphlet dates California (valley) quail and northern bobwhite together. Western Washington opens September 19 and closes November 30 alongside its pheasant season; Eastern Washington opens the first Saturday of October and runs to January 18. Mountain quail is dated separately and is under other seasons, as is the Eastern Washington youth weekend.

Forest Grouse (Ruffed, Sooty, Dusky, and Spruce)

published

Forest Grouse (Ruffed, Sooty, Dusky, and Spruce) runs September 15, 2026 to January 15, 2027 across all zones.

Washington forest grouse (ruffed, sooty, dusky, and spruce), as published by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Zone	Opens	Closes	Notes
Statewide	September 15, 2026	January 15, 2027

Dates read from 2026-2027 Washington Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet, WDFW, accessed 2026-09-19.

Washington's forest grouse season covers ruffed, sooty, dusky and spruce grouse together on one statewide window from September 15 through January 15. The same table lists sage grouse, sharp-tailed grouse and ptarmigan as closed statewide.

Cottontail & Snowshoe Hare

published

Cottontail & Snowshoe Hare runs September 1, 2026 to March 15, 2027 across all zones.

Washington cottontail & snowshoe hare, as published by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Zone	Opens	Closes	Notes
Statewide	September 1, 2026	March 15, 2027

Dates read from 2026-2027 Washington Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet, WDFW, accessed 2026-09-19.

The Other Small Game Seasons table dates cottontail and snowshoe hare together on one statewide row from September 1 through March 15; the same row appears under other seasons for snowshoe hare. Jackrabbit and pygmy rabbit are closed statewide.

Eastern gray and Eastern fox squirrel (unclassified wildlife)

published

Washington eastern gray and eastern fox squirrel (unclassified wildlife), as published by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Zone	Opens	Closes	Notes
Statewide	Open year-round, per the agency		A hunting license is required

Dates read from 2026-2027 Washington Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet, WDFW, accessed 2026-09-19.

Washington has no dated squirrel season. The department's tree squirrel page states that the Eastern gray squirrel and Eastern fox squirrel are unclassified and may be trapped or killed year-round as long as you have a hunting license or when protecting private property. The native western gray squirrel is a state threatened species that cannot be hunted, and the red, Douglas and northern flying squirrels are protected.

Some rows above say “open year-round” rather than carrying a date. That is the agency’s own designation for those units.

Forest Grouse (Ruffed, Sooty, Dusky, and Spruce) Statewide Sept. 15 - Jan. 15

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, read September 19, 2026. Read it at the source

A rooster ring-necked pheasant with a red face, iridescent green head and white neck ring striding through dry pale crop stubble — A rooster in harvested crop stubble in North Dakota. Most pheasant openers land in October and November, once the fields are cut. Photo: Courtney Celley, USFWS. “Ring-necked pheasant (54120901581)”, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, Public domain

The rest of the calendar

Other Washington small game seasons the agency names

Beyond the five main species, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife dates 6 further seasons on the same small game pages. They are reproduced here under the agency’s own names, because a hunter reading a calendar needs to know which window a licence or stamp actually covers.

Youth Only

published

Youth Only runs September 12, 2026 to September 13, 2026 across all zones.

Washington youth only, as published by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Zone	Opens	Closes	Notes
Western Washington (pheasant)	September 12, 2026	September 13, 2026
Eastern Washington (pheasant, California quail and northern bobwhite, gray partridge and chukar)	September 12, 2026	September 13, 2026

Dates read from 2026-2027 Washington Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet, WDFW, accessed 2026-09-19.

A statewide youth only weekend the second weekend of September opens pheasant on both sides of the Cascades and quail, gray partridge and chukar in Eastern Washington ahead of the regular seasons.

Pheasant, Hunters 65 Years or Older, Hunters with Disabilities

published

Pheasant, Hunters 65 Years or Older, Hunters with Disabilities runs September 14, 2026 to September 18, 2026 across all zones.

Washington pheasant, hunters 65 years or older, hunters with disabilities, as published by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Zone	Opens	Closes	Notes
Western Washington	September 14, 2026	September 18, 2026
Eastern Washington	September 14, 2026	September 18, 2026

Dates read from 2026-2027 Washington Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet, WDFW, accessed 2026-09-19.

A five weekday pheasant window for hunters 65 and older and hunters with disabilities, between the youth weekend and the regular openers.

Quail (Mountain)

published

Quail (Mountain) runs September 19, 2026 to November 30, 2026 across all zones.

Washington quail (mountain), as published by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Zone	Opens	Closes	Notes
Western Washington	September 19, 2026	November 30, 2026	Closed throughout Eastern Washington

Dates read from 2026-2027 Washington Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet, WDFW, accessed 2026-09-19.

Mountain quail is open only in Western Washington, on the same dates as the western quail and pheasant seasons, and is closed throughout Eastern Washington.

Gray Partridge

published

Gray Partridge runs October 3, 2026 to January 18, 2027 across all zones.

Washington gray partridge, as published by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Zone	Opens	Closes	Notes
Eastern Washington	October 3, 2026	January 18, 2027

Dates read from 2026-2027 Washington Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet, WDFW, accessed 2026-09-19.

Gray partridge is an Eastern Washington season that opens and closes with the eastside quail season.

Chukar

published

Chukar runs October 3, 2026 to January 31, 2027 across all zones.

Washington chukar, as published by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Zone	Opens	Closes	Notes
Eastern Washington	October 3, 2026	January 31, 2027

Dates read from 2026-2027 Washington Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet, WDFW, accessed 2026-09-19.

Chukar opens with the eastside quail and partridge seasons on October 3 and stays open two weeks longer, to January 31.

Cottontail & Snowshoe Hare

published

Cottontail & Snowshoe Hare runs September 1, 2026 to March 15, 2027 across all zones.

Washington cottontail & snowshoe hare, as published by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Zone	Opens	Closes	Notes
Statewide	September 1, 2026	March 15, 2027

Dates read from 2026-2027 Washington Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet, WDFW, accessed 2026-09-19.

Snowshoe hare is dated on the same statewide row as cottontail, September 1 through March 15.

Rules

Washington small game hunting regulations

Season windows are carried here with their source and read date attached. Everything else a hunter is bound by is set by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and its regulations page is linked below.

Current Washington regulations

Bag and possession limits, legal methods, shooting hours, license and stamp requirements, and youth or special season rules for Washington are set by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, are legally binding and change annually. Its current regulations page is linked here.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: current regulations

Close view of an eastern cottontail rabbit in green grass, ears up, dark round eye and white chin catching the light — An eastern cottontail. Rabbit is usually the last small game season to close, running into February in most of the East and Midwest. Photo: Grayson Smith, USFWS. “Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (48935527872)”, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, Public domain

Small game season dates in other West states

Every state’s pheasant, quail, grouse, rabbit and squirrel dates are on the national small game season page.

A pair of northern bobwhite quail standing together in a carpet of purple violets, the male with a bold white throat and eye stripe, the female buff faced — A bobwhite pair. Quail seasons run from late autumn into winter across the South and Midwest; several western states date scaled, Gambel's and California quail on the same row. Photo: Steve Maslowski, USFWS. “Colinus virginianus USFWS”, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, Public domain

Washington pheasant seasonOpening day, the daily limit and the full Washington pheasant calendar, read from the same agency.Washington deer seasonArchery, firearms, muzzleloader and youth deer dates for 2026-27, under the same sourcing rules.Washington turkey seasonSpring and fall wild turkey windows for 2026-27, read from the same agency.Washington duck seasonDuck and goose season dates by zone and flyway, read from the same agency.Washington fall foliagePeak color and the first grouse and squirrel weeks overlap. Plan the same trip.

Washington small game season questions

When does pheasant season open in Washington in 2026-27?

When is grouse season in Washington?

Does Washington have a quail season?

Which small game zone am I in, in Washington?

Where are the bag limits, legal methods and licence rules for Washington small game?

Can these Washington small game dates change?

A fox squirrel with a grey back and rust orange belly crouched on a lichen covered branch against bare winter trees and blue sky — A fox squirrel in bare winter woods in Ohio. Squirrel is the earliest small game opener in many states, from mid August or September, and runs to January or February. “Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger vulpinus) (13255025953)” by Andrew C, CC BY 2.0

This page covers the 2026-27 season year with data as of September 19, 2026. Every season window is republished from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife page linked beside it, read on September 19, 2026; windows the agency had not yet published are labelled not yet published. Bag and possession limits, legal methods, shooting hours and licence rules are set by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, whose page is the final word on the day you hunt. See also the national small game season guide.