Free legal shooting light widget for club and newspaper sites
Deer hunting hours run from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset in 28 of the 30 states this widget covers, by each state's wildlife agency (the others: Connecticut, half an hour before sunrise to sunset; South Carolina, an hour before sunrise to an hour after sunset); on Pennsylvania's regular firearms deer season opener, Saturday, November 28, 2026, that is 6:45 AM to 5:18 PM in Altoona (sunrise 7:15 AM, sunset 4:48 PM). Paste one block on a club, newspaper or extension site and it shows the start and end of legal light for up to 80 towns per state, today and the next six days.
Data updated October 2026. Each rule quoted from the state's wildlife agency or its regulation, read October 28 and 29, 2026; towns from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 Gazetteer and population estimates, each on its county's clock under the federal time zone boundaries (49 CFR Part 71).
Preview
How do I put it on my site?
Most sites (WordPress with a Custom HTML block, Squarespace with a Code block, Wix with Embed code, plain HTML): paste this where the card should show. The link inside it is plain HTML, so it shows even where scripts are blocked, and visitors can pick another town on the card.
<div data-filledtag-light data-state="pa" data-town="Altoona"><a href="https://www.filledtag.com/tools/legal-shooting-light/">Legal shooting light by FilledTag</a></div>
<script src="https://www.filledtag.com/embed/light.js" async></script>
If your site removes scripts (some free blog plans do), use the iframe version:
<iframe src="https://www.filledtag.com/embed/light/?state=pa&town=Altoona" title="Legal shooting light, Altoona, Pennsylvania" width="420" height="360" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy"></iframe>
<p><a href="https://www.filledtag.com/tools/legal-shooting-light/">Legal shooting light by FilledTag</a></p>
Is there a text version for a newsletter?
Yes. For an email newsletter, a printed bulletin or a social post, pick a start day and copy the week as plain text.
What are the deer hunting hours in each state?
The rule in each state, in its agency's words, and what it comes to on Saturday, November 21, 2026 in the state's largest town.
| State | Hours | In the agency's words | Legal light, Nov 21, 2026 | Source (read October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "It is illegal to: hunt 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, unless legally hunting furbearers." | 6:19 AM to 5:31 PM (Little Rock) | Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Hunting Guidebook 2026-27, General and Wildlife Regulations, PDF page 48 |
| California | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Hunting and shooting hours for big game, including but not limited to deer, antelope, elk, and bear shall be from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset." | 6:02 AM to 5:17 PM (Los Angeles) | 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, Shooting Hours on Big Game (T14 CCR § 352), page 36 |
| Colorado | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Legal hunting hours for big game are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, unless specifically restricted." | 6:21 AM to 5:09 PM (Denver) | 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, Legal Big-Game Hunting Hours, printed page 13 (PDF page 23) |
| Connecticut | half an hour before sunrise to sunset | "Hunting Hours: 1/2 hour before sunrise until sunset." | 6:18 AM to 4:29 PM (Bridgeport) | 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide, Deer Hunting: Archery Deer Season, page 27 (the same line under each deer season, pages 27-32) |
| Delaware | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "No person shall pursue, catch, take or kill any animal protected by the laws of this State except frogs, muskrats, raccoons, opossums, skunks, minks, otter and foxes between a half an hour after sunset of 1 day and a 1/2 before sunrise the following day." | 6:23 AM to 5:12 PM (Wilmington) | Delaware Code, Title 7, § 709, Hours for hunting |
| Georgia | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Legal hours for hunting are 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset, except alligators, raccoons, opossums, foxes, coyotes, bobcats and feral hogs which may be hunted at night." | 6:45 AM to 6:01 PM (Atlanta) | 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations and Seasons, Legal Hours, printed page 9 (PDF page 11) |
| Illinois | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset" | 6:18 AM to 4:55 PM (Chicago) | 2026-2027 Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, Deer Season Dates and Limits (Hours), PDF page 14 |
| Indiana | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Deer hunting hours: ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset." | 7:06 AM to 5:55 PM (Indianapolis) | Indiana Hunting & Trapping Seasons, April 2026 - March 2027, page 1 |
| Iowa | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Shooting hours for all deer seasons are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset." | 6:41 AM to 5:20 PM (Des Moines) | 2026-2027 Iowa Hunting & Trapping Regulations, 2026 Deer Hunting Seasons, page 6 |
| Kentucky | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Thirty minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset." | 7:00 AM to 5:56 PM (Louisville) | Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide 2026-27, Deer Hunting: Shooting Hours, page 11 (PDF page 13) |
| Louisiana | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset." | 6:00 AM to 5:31 PM (New Orleans) | 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting Regulations, Deer Hunting Schedules, page 14 |
| Michigan | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Legal hunting hours for deer (one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset) for Zone A are printed in the table." | 7:01 AM to 5:36 PM (Detroit) | 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary, Hunting hours |
| Minnesota | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Shooting hours for big game are ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset." | 6:49 AM to 5:09 PM (Minneapolis) | 2026 Minnesota Hunting & Trapping Regulations, Shooting hours, page 80 |
| Mississippi | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Legal shooting hours for resident game are one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to one-half (1/2) hour after sunset." | 6:06 AM to 5:28 PM (Jackson) | General Hunting Rules and Regulations: Legal Shooting Hours |
| Missouri | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset" | 6:38 AM to 5:30 PM (Kansas City) | 2026 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information, Archery Deer Season: Shooting Hours, page 20 (the same line under each firearms portion, pages 24-30) |
| New Hampshire | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Wild deer shall be taken only from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset during the open seasons for taking deer." | 6:16 AM to 4:47 PM (Manchester) | N.H. Code of Administrative Rules, Fis 301.03(b), Deer Season |
| New Jersey | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Hunting hours: half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset." | 6:21 AM to 5:04 PM (Newark) | 2026-27 White-tailed Deer Hunting Regulations (NJ Fish & Wildlife deer seasons sheet), page 1 |
| New Mexico | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Legal shooting hours for big game, furbearers, upland game and turkey are from one half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset, unless otherwise noted." | 6:17 AM to 5:27 PM (Albuquerque) | 2026-2027 New Mexico Hunting Rules and Info, Legal Shooting Hours, PDF page 9 |
| North Carolina | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Except as otherwise provided, game may only be taken between a half hour before sunrise and a half hour after sunset" | 6:34 AM to 5:44 PM (Charlotte) | N.C. General Statutes § 113-291.1(a), Manner of taking wild animals and wild birds |
| Ohio | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset." | 6:54 AM to 5:41 PM (Columbus) | 2026-27 Ohio Hunting & Trapping Regulations, White-tailed Deer Hunting: Hunting Hours, page 6 |
| Oklahoma | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "One-half hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset." | 6:41 AM to 5:50 PM (Oklahoma City) | 2026-27 Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations, Big Game Regulations: Shooting Hours, PDF page 37 (Big Game Regulations, which the deer section points to) |
| Pennsylvania | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Except as otherwise provided, wild birds and mammals may be hunted 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset as illustrated in Appendix G (relating to hunting hours)." | 6:23 AM to 5:10 PM (Philadelphia) | 58 Pa. Code § 141.4, Hunting hours |
| Rhode Island | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Legal shooting hours for hunting deer are one half (1/2) hour before sunrise to one half (1/2) hour after sunset." | 6:12 AM to 4:50 PM (Providence) | 250-RICR-60-00-9, Hunting and Trapping, § 9.7(F) (effective July 28, 2026) |
| South Carolina | an hour before sunrise to an hour after sunset | "Legal hunting time for deer is the time between one hour before official sunrise until one hour after official sunset (50-11-710)." | 5:56 AM to 6:16 PM (Charleston) | 2026-2027 South Carolina Hunting & Fishing Guide, Deer, PDF page 60 |
| Tennessee | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "All big game and small game species (except bullfrogs, raccoons, opossums, the chasing of foxes and rabbits, and coyote and bobcat during the night-time season) are daylight hours only (30 minutes before legal sunrise to 30 minutes after legal sunset)" | 6:00 AM to 5:06 PM (Nashville) | 2026-2027 Tennessee Hunting & Trapping Guide, Legal Hunting Hours, page 52 |
| Texas | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Legal shooting hours for all game animals and nonmigratory (upland) game birds: The period from one-half hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset." | 6:21 AM to 5:53 PM (Houston) | Texas Outdoor Annual, General Regulations: Definitions |
| Utah | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "You may take big game animals from 30 minutes before official sunrise until 30 minutes after official sunset." | 6:52 AM to 5:35 PM (Salt Lake City) | 2026 Utah Big Game Field Regulations Guidebook, Hunting hours (Utah Code § 23A-5-309 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-5-6), page 25 |
| Vermont | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Hunting hours are one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset." | 6:27 AM to 4:50 PM (Burlington) | 2026 Vermont White-tailed Deer Seasons, Hunting Hours, page 1 |
| West Virginia | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "You may hunt deer from 1/2 hour before sunrise until 1/2 hour after sunset." | 6:45 AM to 5:40 PM (Charleston) | West Virginia Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary 2026-27, Hunting Hours and Restrictions, PDF page 14 |
| Wyoming | half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset | "Big game, trophy game and small game animals may only be taken from one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to one-half (1/2) hour after sunset." | 6:24 AM to 5:06 PM (Cheyenne) | Wyoming Game and Fish Commission Chapter 2, General Hunting Regulation, Section 5(a), page 2-6 |
Which states are not in it yet?
A state goes in only when its rule has been quoted from its own wildlife agency, with a fixed number of minutes from sunrise and sunset and every county on a known clock. States where the agency's own table is the legal rule, where a county is split between time zones, or where the agency's site could not be read are left out until that is settled. Wisconsin, for one, sets hours by the DNR's zone tables; use the DNR's shooting hours tables there.
How are the times worked out?
Sunrise and sunset come from the position of the sun at the town's center, to within about a minute, on the town's own clock (so Memphis and Knoxville, an hour apart on the clock, each get their own). The agency's minutes before sunrise and after sunset are then added (in Connecticut, legal light ends at sunset). A town 13 miles east or west moves the times by about a minute, so pick the nearest one. These are planning times: where an agency prints a sunrise and sunset table, that table is the rule a wildlife officer goes by.
- No cookies and no tracking. The script sets no cookies, stores nothing on the visitor's device and makes no requests after it loads. Every rule and town is inside the one file.
- Fits any page. Its styles are sealed off, so your theme cannot break it and it cannot change your page.
- One plain link. The link to FilledTag sits in your own markup, where you can see it. Please keep it; it is how the card stays free.
Settings
| Attribute | Values |
|---|---|
| data-state | ar, ca, co, ct, de, ga, il, in, ia, ky, la, mi, mn, ms, mo, nh, nj, nm, nc, oh, ok, pa, ri, sc, tn, tx, ut, vt, wv, wy |
| data-town | A town in that state as the picker shows it, such as Altoona. Left out, the card opens on the first town in the list |
| data-theme | auto (the default), light or dark |
Colorado hunters can also look up legal shooting light by game management unit and date. For season dates on your own site, there is a season countdown widget. State pages: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming.