Hunting in Rhode Island: 5 Animals To Hunt in the Spring

Spring is a slow time for hunting in Rhode Island. The land may be thawing and temperatures warming, but the hunting season hasn’t picked up. In fact, only two animals have spring seasons.

However, there are several other animals the state allows you to hunt year-round, many of which are considered nuisance animals or non-native species that pose a threat the state’s native wildlife and vegetation. If you’re open to hunting smaller game, you’ll find several opportunities to bag birds and small animals during the spring in Rhode Island.

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According to Rhode Island’s Hunting and Trapping Regulation Guide, you can legally hunt the following animals in the spring.

Wild Turkey
The spring season for turkeys begins in April. The spring gobbler season begins in late April and lasts through late May, while the junior hunting season and the quadriplegic hunting season occur for two days in late April. Hunters may bag one bearded turkey for the entire spring season. You may not use dogs, live decoys, or calling devices to hunt turkeys. To participate in the junior turkey hunting weekend, minors must be between the ages of 12 and 14 and be accompanied by a licensed hunter at least 21 years old. Hunters must attach a tag to each turkey they bag immediately after killing it.

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Crow
The hunting season for crow ends in mid-April. You can hunt only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. When hunting migratory game birds such as crow, federal law prohibits hunters from using shotguns that can hold more than three shells.

Animals With No Closed Season
There are few species you can hunt any time of the year in Rhode Island, so if you’re seeking additional hunting opportunities consider one of these: coyote, monk parakeet and rock dove. Coyotes, for example, are considered nuisance animals and can be hunted year-round on private land, according to the Coyote Smarts website. Neither the monk parakeet nor the rock dove, also known as a wild pigeon, are protected by state or federal law. You may hunt both all year and throughout the state but may not hunt the rock dove in the John L. Curran State Park/Management Area.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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