Thanksgiving Hunting 2026: What's Open

Thanksgiving week is one of the best hunting windows of the year in the Southeast. Most of us have a few days off, family is in town, and the woods are open in almost every state. Thanksgiving Day falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026, and the first duck split opens the weekend before. If you're planning a hunt in Florida, Georgia, Alabama or South Carolina, here's what's open, what's changed and what to watch out for.

Always check the official regulations for your exact zone, county or WMA before you go. Dates below come from each state's wildlife agency, and they can change.

Quick Answer: What's Open Thanksgiving Week 2026

Florida: Zone D Gets Its Thanksgiving Weekend

Florida is the state where Thanksgiving week matters most, because each zone runs on its own calendar. According to the FWC season dates page:

• Zone A: General gun season opens Nov. 21 and runs through Jan. 3. Fall turkey runs on the same dates.
• Zone B: Muzzleloader season runs Nov. 21–Dec. 4. A youth deer weekend is set for Nov. 28–29.
• Zone C: General gun season has been open since Nov. 7 and runs through Jan. 24.
• Zone D: General gun season is open Thanksgiving weekend only, Nov. 26–29. It reopens Dec. 12. Fall turkey is also open Nov. 26–29.

If you hunt the Panhandle (Zone D), those four days are short and popular, so scout early and have a backup spot. On public land, Florida law requires every deer hunter, and anyone with them, to wear at least 500 square inches of fluorescent orange as an outer garment. That rule is on the FWC general hunting regulations page. Each WMA also has its own dates, quota permits and rules. Read your area's brochure on the FWC WMA brochure page before you drive out.

Want every Florida date for the full season, not just the holiday? See our Florida hunting season dates for 2026–2027 by zone.

Georgia: Check Your Doe Days

Georgia's statewide firearms season opened Oct. 17 and runs through Jan. 10 for most of the state, according to Georgia Wildlife Resources Division. Nine southwest counties get an extended season to Jan. 15: Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Early, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole and Thomas.

The detail that trips people up is doe days. Georgia sets antlerless days by county color zone, so a doe may be legal in one county and illegal one county over. Pull up the Georgia doe day map and table and find your county before opening morning.

Hunters and anyone with them must wear at least 500 square inches of fluorescent orange or blaze pink above the waist during firearms season. Details are in the Georgia hunter orange and pink rules.

Thanksgiving week also lines up with the rut in much of Georgia and Alabama. Check the peak dates for your county in our Southeast deer rut dates 2026 guide.

Alabama: Gun Opener Is the Weekend Before

Alabama's gun season opens Saturday, Nov. 21 across most of the state, so Thanksgiving week is the first full week of rifle hunting in many zones. Zones D and E opened earlier, on Nov. 7. The official dates are in Alabama's 2026–2027 hunting season rule. For every zone, youth day and closing date, see our Alabama deer season 2026–27 guide.

• Zones C and D, private land: Bucks and does are legal Nov. 21–29, then antlered bucks only from Nov. 30 through Dec. 11.
• Public land: Rules differ by WMA and open-permit area. Check Outdoor Alabama's deer season page for your area.

Alabama's hunter orange rule is different from Florida and Georgia. You need 144 square inches of orange above the waist or a full orange hat. You don't need it in a stand 12 feet or higher, in an enclosed box stand or in an enclosed vehicle. See the Alabama deer hunting regulations.

South Carolina: Open Through New Year's

South Carolina has the longest deer seasons in the region. Private-land gun hunting is open in all four game zones during Thanksgiving week, and every zone runs through Jan. 1. Zone 3 in the Lowcountry has been open since Aug. 15. Zone and WMA dates are on the SCDNR deer page.

WMA hunting runs on its own schedule. If you're hunting public ground, confirm your WMA's still-gun dates and rules before you go.

Ducks Over Thanksgiving

For a lot of Southeast hunters, Thanksgiving means the first duck split. Most states take a break after the holiday and reopen in December:

• Florida: Nov. 21–29 and Dec. 12–Jan. 31, six ducks per day. In Leon County and on Lake Miccosukee, hunting is limited to Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus Nov. 26–27. See the FWC migratory bird regulations.
• Georgia: Nov. 21–29 and Dec. 12–Jan. 31. See the Georgia migratory bird seasons.
• Alabama: Just two days, Nov. 27–28, then Dec. 5–Jan. 31. See the Outdoor Alabama waterfowl season page.
• South Carolina: Nov. 21–28 and Dec. 12–Jan. 31. There's no Sunday hunting on WMA lands. See the South Carolina migratory bird seasons.

Remember that you need a federal duck stamp and your state's waterfowl or migratory bird permits on top of your hunting license.

Public Land Crowds on Holiday Weekends

Holiday weekends bring more hunters, more trucks at the gate and more pressure on the easy spots. A few things help:

• Go in early or go in far. Most people hunt within a few hundred yards of the parking area. A longer walk often means fewer people.
• Hunt the middle of the day. On busy weekends, pressured deer move when other hunters walk out for lunch.
• Have a plan B and a plan C. If someone is already parked at your spot, move on instead of setting up close.
• Read the WMA rules. Quota hunts, check-in stations and sign-out sheets are common on holiday weekends.

Tree Stand Safety Before the Big Meal

Tree stand falls are the leading cause of hunting injuries in Alabama, according to Outdoor Alabama's tree stand safety guide. Georgia DNR reported that tree stands caused 18 of the state's 24 hunting incidents last season, including two deaths, in its tree stand safety review.

• Wear a full-body harness and stay connected from the time you leave the ground until you're back down.
• Use a haul line for your gun or bow. Never climb with it.
• Check straps, chains and ladder sections, especially on stands that sat out all year.
• Tell someone where you're hunting and when you'll be back. On Thanksgiving, that's usually easy.

Bringing a Deer Home to Florida

A lot of Florida hunters spend Thanksgiving with family in Georgia or Alabama. If you kill a deer out of state, be careful what you bring back. Florida bans bringing in whole carcasses and high-risk parts of deer from anywhere outside the state to help stop chronic wasting disease. That rule is on the FWC chronic wasting disease page.

You can bring back:

• Deboned meat
• Finished taxidermy mounts
• Clean hides and antlers
• Skulls, skull caps and teeth with all soft tissue removed

The only exception is a deer taken on Georgia or Alabama property that is split by the Florida line and has the same owner on both sides. Plan to debone before you head home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you deer hunt on Thanksgiving Day in Florida?

Yes. General gun season is open on Thanksgiving Day in Zones A, C and D, and muzzleloader season is open in Zone B. Zone D's gun season runs only Nov. 26–29 before it reopens Dec. 12. Check the FWC season dates and your WMA brochure.

Is duck season open over Thanksgiving in the Southeast?

Yes. Florida and Georgia are open Nov. 21–29, South Carolina Nov. 21–28 and Alabama Nov. 27–28. All four reopen in December.

Do I need hunter orange on private land?

It depends on the state. Georgia and Alabama require it during gun season on private and public land, with Alabama exempting elevated and enclosed stands. Florida requires it for deer hunters on public land. Always check your state's current rules.

Can I bring a Georgia or Alabama deer back to Florida whole?

No, except for property split by the Florida line under the same owner. Bring back deboned meat, clean antlers, clean skull caps, clean hides or a finished mount.

However you spend the holiday, take a minute to be thankful for the land, the hunt and the people around the table. Trust the process. Trust the hunt. And when the sun's going down, hunt one more.

Keep Reading on Camp Talk

• Georgia Deer Season 2026–27: Either-Sex Days and When It Ends
• Alabama Deer Season 2026–27: Dates by Zone
• Southeast Deer Rut Dates 2026: When the Rut Peaks in Florida, Georgia, Alabama & South Carolina
• Florida Hunting Season Dates 2026–2027: Deer & Turkey by Zone
• Florida Spring Turkey Season 2027: Dates, Bag Limits and Rules
• Late-Season Whitetail Hunting Strategies

This article is for general information only. Season dates and rules can change, so always confirm current regulations with your state's wildlife agency before you hunt.