This is a Preview of Rhode Island Hunting Regulations.
For The complete Rhode Island Hunting Regulations Summary Guidebook Click Here
This is a preview of Rhode Island hunting Information and Regulations. For the Rhode Island state rules and regulations guidebook Click link above.
You can also access each individual state regulation guidebook by clicking the links below to the main state Regulations page. There you will find the official State regulation Guidebooks for Rhode Island and the other 50 states and lower canadian providences.
These are just the overviews of the official state regulations.
The Actual state Rhode Island hunting regulation guidebooks are accessible by clicking on the state you would like to see from the home page map then clicking on the Rhode Island state hunting regulations books. There you will find the Hunting rules and Hunting laws overviews for Rhode Island
They are also accessible by clicking on the Rhode Island Hunting reg. books below and accessing the Rhode Island Hunting regs link in the Rhode Island Guidebooks listed below.
The complete Rhode Island Hunting Laws and Rhode Island Hunting rules are available at the pertinent government agencies and at most state libraries. Enjoy be safe and have a great time exploring the site and remember to check back often to keep updated on all the new laws, rules, and Rhode Island regulations pertaining to the hunting, Hunting, trapping, and wildlife sports. Also remember Rhode Island hunting Licenses, hunters education Information, hunting maps and much more are available at the Rhode Island Home Page.
Sample of the Rhode Island Hunting Regulations.
Hunter Safety Course Requirements & Licensing
Persons applying for a hunting license or archery permit for the
first time or not having been a member of the armed forces must
complete a course in safe hunting or archery practices and have
been issued a Certificate of Proficiency to obtain a license. Applicants
must present a valid hunter safety card from Rhode Island
or other state, or possess a previous RI hunting license. A
list of hunter safety instructors, dates, and locations of classes is
available from the Hunter Safety Office: (401) 789-4828
Special Permits
Special Hunting Permits are available at no extra fee through
DEM Division of Fish & Wildlife, Great Swamp Field Headquarters,
277 Great Neck Rd, W. Kingston, RI 02892 (401) 789-0281.
Beaver trapping permit
Burlingame North Camp hunting permit
Early Canada Goose Hunting permit – The facsimile duck stamp
on the permit is your temporary duck stamp until Oct. 1
Fisher trapping permit
Francis Carter Cooperative deer permit
Great Swamp Waterfowl Impoundment hunting permit
Grills Preserve hunting permit
Late Season Canada goose hunting permit
Northwest Cooperative Hunting Area deer permit
South Shore Mgt Area goose hunting permit
State lands trapping permit
Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP)
The HIP program was designed to aid state and wildlife
agencies and the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS)
better information on managing our nation’s migratory bird
resources. All migratory bird hunters need to obtain a permit
and answer a small survey. HIP permits are available
through all license vendors and DEM.
Legal Shooting Hours
Small Game: Sunrise until Sunset (7:00 on
opening day)
Deer Hunting: 1/2 hour before Sunrise to 1/2 hour
after Sunset
Coyote: 1/2 hour before Sunrise to 1/2 hour
after Sunset
Raccoon: 6:00PM 10/1/09 until Midnight 2/28/10
Waterfowl: 1/2 hour before Sunrise until Sunset
Spring Turkey: 1/2 hour before Sunrise until 1:00PM
Fall Turkey: 1/2 hour before Sunrise until Sunset
Dove (1st segment): Noon to Sunset
Dove (2nd –3d segment): Sunrise to Sunset
Woodcock: 1/2 hour before Sunrise until Sunset
Prohibited Activities
1. No loaded rifles or shotguns in or on vehicles (RIGL 20-13-8).
2. No shooting at, hunting, or pursuing game along, upon, or across a
public highway (RIGL 20-13-9).
3. No hunting while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs
(RIGL 20-13-10).
4. It is a violation of law, punishable by a fine and imprisonment, to
fire “into” land for which one does not have landowner permission.
5. No hunting on posted land or state parks, removing or defacing
posters thereon, or doing willful damage to property (RIGL 11-
44-4,5).
6. No more than five persons to hunt in unison (RIGL 20-13-11).
7. Target or trap shooting on state lands is only allowed on provided
ranges (RIGL 32-2-4).
9. Shooting at any animal at anytime while such animal is on a telephone
or electric line, pole, or tower or any communication device
(RIHR 15.8).
10. Casting of Rays prohibited from October 1 – January 31, 2009
Shooting Restrictions
1. The use of laser sights or night vision on any firearm or bow
while hunting is illegal (Regulation 14.11).
2. No lead shot larger than No. 2 at any time, except shotgun season
for deer (RIGL 20-13-13).
3. No rifles larger than .22 caliber rimfire at any time; however,
from Apr. 1 to Sept. 30, (both dates inclusive), centerfire rifles
no larger than .229 caliber may be used during daylight
hours (RIGL 20-13-13).
4. Discharge of a firearm, including crossbows, within 500 feet of
an occupied dwelling without written permission.
5. Archery deer hunting, within 200 feet of an occupied dwelling.
Wildlife Restrictions
1. The importation, exportation, possession, liberation, or sale of any mute
swan and/or eggs thereof, or live pen-reared or hybrid wild turkey
and/or eggs thereof (Regulations 14.2, 14.3).
2. Importing of live birds or animals without permit (RIGL 20-17-9).
3. Taking of birds by any method other than shotgun, bow and arrow,
or falconry without permit (RIGL 20-14-17).
4. The sale of game, except as provided (RIGL 20-13-14).
5. Spotlighting for wild animals and birds is prohibited on both Prudence
Island & Patience Island, from October 1 – January 4,
and at all times on Block Island.
6. Spotlighting is prohibited on the mainland from Oct. 1-Jan. 31.
Important Laws and Regulations Pertaining to Wildlife
The Lacey Act of 1900, the first federal game law, regulates interstate and
international commerce in wildlife. The term “wildlife”, for the purposes of
the act, means any wild animal, wild bird, amphibian, reptile, mollusk, or
crustacean, or their dead bodies, parts, eggs, or offspring, but does not include
migratory birds for which protection is afforded under the Migratory
Bird Treaty Act. Briefly, action can be taken against anyone who transports,
ships, or sells wildlife in interstate or foreign commerce contrary to state or
foreign laws, or transports any package not properly labeled or tagged.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, signed in 1918, includes agreements
between the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Mexico, Japan, and Russia
for the protection of migratory bird populations. Migratory birds are
protected by the federal government with provisions allowing state regulation.
All birds, their parts, nests, and eggs are protected, except as provided
by open hunting seasons. Refer to Rhode Island waterfowl abstract for more
information.
Deer Hunting Methods
1. Shotgun: limited to 10, 12, 16, and 20 gauges, plugged to 5 shell
maximum. Buckshot is limited to 00 buck or larger and is prohibited
in 20 gauges. No other shot but buckshot, sabot rounds, or rifled slug
shall be carried or had in possession by any person while hunting deer.
Muzzleloader may be used in shotgun season with a valid shotgun deer
permit
2. Muzzleloader: Firearms are limited to single or double barrel flintlock,
caplock, inline ignition system muzzle-loading shotgun or rifle
only. Muzzle-loading rifles are limited to .45 caliber or larger.
Smoothbore firearms limited to .50 caliber or 20 gauge or larger.
Ammunition is limited to single lead projectile of the same caliber as
the firearm. Sabot rounds either lead or jacketed permitted on .43
caliber or larger. Powder limited to black powder or approved substitutes.
A muzzleloader is considered unloaded when cap or pan powder
is removed.
3. Archery: Archers must use a long bow, recurve or compound bow
capable of not less than forty (40) pounds at peak draw weight. Only
broadhead tipped arrows with at least two (2) metal cutting edges are
allowed. All broadheads must be 7/8th or greater at the widest point.
Mechanical broadheads are allowed provided that 1.) bow minimum
draw weight is 50 pounds and 2.) mechanical broadhead when open is
7/8th wide minimum. Mechanical devices for drawing or releasing the
arrow are not allowed for general archery deer hunting (see crossbow/
aid below). A bow string release whereby the bow is hand held, hand
drawn, and finger released is permitted.
4. Crossbow and Adaptive Aid permit: RIGL 20-15-2 states that
crossbow or adaptive aid permits for conventional bows, may be issued
to those persons who have a permanent physical impairment due
to injury or disease, congenital or acquired, which renders them so
severely disabled as to be unable to use a conventional bow and arrow
device. For those 65 and older, the use of adaptive aids for conventional
bows is permitted without permit. Applications require a doctor’s
note certifying permanent disability as well as copies of photo id,
hunting license, hunter safety course and Bowhunter education course.
Crossbow hunters from the previous year must reapply, but do not
require a doctor’s note. Applications can be obtained from the DEM
Division of Licensing. Return applicants must submit a copy of
their hunting license and a photo ID.
5. Crossbow Equipment: Must use a minimum draw of one hundred
fifty (150) pounds, minimum width of 24 inches. Expandable broadheads
meeting the specifications outlined above in archery equipment
are permitted.
6. Only one firearm or bow may be possessed in the field per individual
hunter while hunting deer. Check local ordinances, for there may be
other restrictions in specific towns.
This was a Preview of Rhode Island Hunting Regulations.
For The complete Rhode Island Hunting Regulations Summary Guidebook Click Here

Enjoy be safe and have a great time exploring the site and remember to check back often to keep updated on all the new laws, rules, and Rhode Island regulations pertaining to the hunting, Hunting, trapping, and wildlife sports. Also remember Rhode Island hunting Licenses, hunters education Information, hunting maps and much more are available at the Rhode Island Home Page.