Know before you go

Rules and species ID.

Every state sets its own seasons, limits, protected species, land rules and safety zones. Learning and following them is on you, whether you hunt, fish or just watch.

Know before you go

Know what you're looking at, and the rules where you are.

Every state sets its own seasons, limits, protected species, land rules and safety zones. Learning them and following them is your responsibility, whether you're hunting, fishing or just watching. These official pages are a good place to start.

Tell look-alikes apart

Some protected species look almost the same as ones that can be hunted. If you can't be sure what it is, don't shoot.

Cottontails: the New England cottontail is protected and is nearly impossible to tell from the eastern cottontail in the field; only a lab test is certain. New Hampshire allows cottontail hunting only in certain units, with closed areas where New England cottontails live. Maine has no open cottontail season.

New England vs eastern cottontailYoung Forest Project: size, forehead spot, ear edges
New England cottontail in New HampshireNH Fish and Game species profile
Snowshoe hare vs cottontailMaine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Snowshoe hareNH Fish and Game: feet, coat change, sign
Spruce grouse vs ruffed grouseSpruce grouse have no open season in NH or Maine and are endangered in Vermont
Black duck vs hen mallardDucks Unlimited waterfowl ID
Turkey hens vs gobblers, and bearded hensNH Fish and Game

State rules

Seasons and limits change every year. Check the current rules for the state and zone you're in before you go.

New Hampshire hunting digestOfficial digest published for NH Fish and Game · fishing
Vermont hunting regulationsVermont Fish and Wildlife · fishing
Maine hunting laws and rulesMaine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Massachusetts hunting regulationsMassWildlife
Connecticut hunting and trappingCT DEEP
Rhode Island hunting guideOfficial guide published for RI DEM
New York hunting and trapping guideNY DEC
New Jersey huntingNJ Fish and Wildlife
Pennsylvania hunting digestPA Game Commission · fishing (Fish and Boat Commission)

A spot is a map reading, not an invitation.

The apps never tell anyone to hunt, fish or go to a place. A ranked spot only means the map there fits what a species tends to use. Before you go, confirm the land is open to you for what you plan to do, get permission where it's needed, and follow that state's rules.