Restrictions Ease- Hunting & Fishing Seasons Slow Roll Out, Covid-19 Update

Update of currently impacted state turkey hunting and fishing seasons. Some states are now slowly easing up restrictions. States with 14 Day Non Resident Quarantines are showing little progress in lifting the restriction at this time.

Alaska– current 14-day mandatory quarantine order is extended to May 19, 2020 link Gov. Mike Dunleavy rescinded the cancellation of all spring bear hunts in Alaska Thursday, saying that spring bear hunts will be open to Alaskan hunters, but not available to those non-residents and anyone from outside the state. link Limited Fishing Charters, Camping and Lodging link Added 5/5

Arkansas- Buffalo National River closure includes angling, turkey hunting. link added 4/18 added 5/5

California– Hunting, fishing on base is suspended until further notice. link Edwards Air Force Base -restricted to mission-essential personnel only. link Fort Hunter Liggett- All 2020 Fishing and 2019-20 Hunting permits sales have been suspended. link

Arizona– San Carlos Apache Reservation turkey hunts canceled  link

Colorado– all playgrounds, campgrounds, dispersed camping and camping facilities (including yurts and cabins) at Colorado’s state parks as well as camping at State Wildlife Areas are closed. Spring turkey hunters now are able to return their license for a refund at any time before the opening day of turkey season. link San Juan County-all public lands closed Fort Carson- hunting is NOT available on Fort Carson or Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, USAF Academy “official business only”. Fishing the 5 lakes closed link Yuma County delaying spring turkey season to 5/2/20, Gunnison county banning any visitors until further notice. link

Delaware–  All out-of-state residents traveling into Delaware to immediately self-quarantine for 14 days  link

Florida– 30-day stay-at-home order. those who fly or drive into Florida from states with substantial community spread to self-isolate in Florida for 14 days or the duration of their trip, whichever is shorter. Some resources are closed link

Georgia– Fort Benning- Restricted to Authorized personnel only link Fort Gordon- Open to recreation if you have access link Added 5/5 The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests is temporarily shutting down all dispersed camping corridors, day-use areas, trailhead facilities and other recreation sites on the Blue Ridge Ranger District  link

Hawaii– All arriving residents and visitors will immediately go into a 14-day quarantines upon entering the state link Added 5/5 Lana‘i Axis Deer Hunt Canceled link

Idaho– The purchase of non-resident black bear, fishing and turkey tags is no longer available link If you already had an agreement with an outfitter for a spring black bear hunt before the April 4th suspension, you may still obtain your tags and go on the hunt.

Illinois– DNR to Reopen Select Sites for Limited Activities May 1 link added 4/28

Kansas – travel quarantine from the following: International– China, South Korea, Japan, Italy and Iran States- California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts(new). New Jersey, New York. Rhode Island (new) Washington  Massachusetts and Rhode Island are new to the list, while California, Florida and Washington have been removed link updated 5/5 Kansas has an “explicit ” call out of quarantine of 14 days before you can hunt link

Kentucky- All Fort Campbell iSportsman activities including hunting, fishing and general outdoor recreation are now open, Spring Turkey Season has been extended through 17 May 2020 link updated 5/5 People traveling to Kentucky from out-of-state will now be placed under quarantine for 14 days due to an executive order link suspending sale of non-resident turkey-hunting permits- 2020 spring turkey season link

Massachusetts – All travelers arriving in the Commonwealth are instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days, link Joint Base Cape Cod/Camp Edwards controlled turkey hunt canceled link

Maine– all travelers coming to Maine quarantine for 14 days link Maine regular turkey season open two days early, on May 2. The youth season has also changed from May 2 to April 25 and adding a additional day, April 27. Turkey hunters will not be required to register their birds at tagging stations. Changes are temporary for 2020 only.  link

Maryland– strict w/penalty stay at home directive. recreational boating is banned. Subsistence hunting and fishing — limited hunting and limited recreational fishing and crabbing for sustenance only. No permits for fishing tournaments, Commercial fishing deemed essential link

Michigan– charter fishing and guide operations are not permitted, possible opening- 5/15 link updated 5/5 DNR-managed boating access sites that were open for the season and remained open during the stay-at-home order will remain open. The addition of various amenities, such as the placement of courtesy piers and the reopening of bathrooms at boating access sites. State harbors and marinas are closed through at least June 9 link updated 5/5

Missouri– Fort Leonard Wood – Restricted to Authorized personnel only link

Montana– travelers arriving from another state or country to Montana for non-work-related purposes undergo a 14-day self-quarantine. The Directive follows the governor’s prior travel advisory and last week’s Stay at Home Directive link FWP has suspended all spring turkey and spring black bear seasons through at least April 24th for non-resident nonresident spring turkey and bear seasons resumed, April 25 link updated 5/5

Nebraska– suspended the sale of nonresident spring turkey hunting permits immediately. link

New Hamshire– no longer issuing kid’s fishing derby permits or any bass tournament permits. Online sales only for licenses and permits link 

New Jersey: Starting May 2, All state parks and forests will re-open to “passive recreation,” that includes fishing and hunting link updated 5/5

New York– West Point, Outdoor Recreation= Round Pond Recreation Area – Permitted Fishing and Passive Recreation Only, 9AM-5PM link Boat launches, marinas allowed to open updated 5/5

North Carolina– multiple boat access, camping, public land closures see: link Dare County- Resident only travel. Non-Resident Property Owners who have a valid entry permit with matching government issued ID according to the schedule below:

  • Monday, May 4 at 6:00 a.m. – Entry is ongoing for non- resident property owners whose last name begins with A – I
  • Wednesday, May 6 at 6:00 a.m. – Entry begins and is ongoing for non- resident property owners whose last name begins with J – R
  • Friday, May 8 at 6:00 a.m. – Entry begins for non-resident property owners whose last name begins with S – Z link updated 5/5

North Dakota– All travelers arriving to North Dakota from international locations and states with widespread coronavirus outbreaks must quarantine immediately for 14 days link

Ohio– People traveling into Ohio to self-quarantine for 14 days. link non-resident hunting and fishing licenses suspended link

Oklahoma– order requiring travelers from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Louisiana and Washington to undergo a 14-day quarantine. link

Oregon– Washington and Oregon Departments of Fish and Wildlife open Chinook fisheries along Columbia River on limited days in May link updated 5/5 Non-residents can fish and hunt in Oregon again beginning May 5 link updated 5/5

Pennsylvania- will reopen marinas and allow guided fishing trips again. Private campgrounds will also reopen. State parks and public campgrounds remain closed. link added 4/28

Rhode Island–  all out-of-state travelers will be stopped at the border and told to quarantine for 14 days if they intend to stay in the state. Order extended to all states because of the rate of infection in other areas, mentioning New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and New Hampshire by name link Fishing system in place-staggers the days when licensed anglers can fish. Those with last names beginning with A through M can only fish on even numbered calendar days, and those with last names beginning with N through Z can only fish on odd numbered calendar days. link

South Carolina– Exec order- self-quarantine for 14-days for travelers lifted. link All dates all SCDNR Lottery hunts on WMA properties have been canceled. Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge hunts remain open unless a “Stay Home” order is declared. link Fishing events link updated 5/5

Texas– Joint Base San Antonio – Hunting closed until further notice link 14 Day travel quarantine from the following: flying into Texas from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and the city of New Orleans, driving from the cities of Miami, Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta. Also included in the order are the states of Washington and California. link Texas Attorney General Says Gunnison County’s Temporary Nonresident Ban Is Unconstitutional link

Utah– All recreational travel by nonresidents of San Juan County is prohibited link

Vermont– 14 Day travel quarantine from any state link

Virginia– Langly AFB outdoor recreation canceled link Marine Corps Base Quantico- outdoor recreation canceled link

Washington-  Hunting for turkey and spring bear open on May 5. Spring turkey season will end on May 31, as originally scheduled. All freshwater fishing and some saltwater fishing and shellfishing now permitted link updated 5/5 Spring bear special permit seasons will be extended until June 30. Spring bear hunters who would normally travel outside their local areas to hunt may wait to see how travel guidance evolves, or seek a permit refund link added 4/28

West Virginia– 14 Day travel quarantine from the following: Louisiana, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Italy, and China link

WisconsinNo Motors in Michigan Boundary Waters link Wisconsin State Parks And Forests To Reopen on May 1 link updated 5/5

Wyoming– all travelers coming to Wyoming quarantine for 14 days link nonresident fishing licenses has been suspended until April 30 link updated 5/5

Canada– inaugural New Brunswick spring turkey season canceled link  US Border currently closed to all non-essential travel

Not listed, check your state of interest as many have their park buildings and camping and restroom facilities either closed altogether or not taking reservations until later this summer. Also noted that some states are banning overnight camping on public lands or designated primitive sites.

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