DEM Reminds Hunters to Bring Harvested Deer to Check Stations at Opening of Muzzleloader and Shotgun Seasons

Published on Monday, October 28, 2024

PROVIDENCE, RI – The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is reminding deer hunters that all deer harvested during the first two days of the muzzleloader deer season – Saturday, Nov. 2, and Sunday, Nov. 3 – and the first two days of shotgun deer season – Saturday, Dec. 7, and Sunday, Dec. 8 – must be physically checked at one of six state-operated biological check stations. This includes deer taken with archery equipment. Exempt from this requirement are deer taken on Patience Island, Prudence Island, and Block Island; these must be reported using DEM's Rhode Island Outdoors (RIO) online licensing system. Hunters bringing their deer to a check station during these dates do not need to report their harvest online prior to going to the check station. Outside of these dates, hunters are required to report their deer harvest online within 24 hours of harvest. Deer must be tagged in the field, with a valid deer tag for the appropriate season, immediately upon taking. Those who do not have internet service or cellular data access may call DEM’s Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) at 401-789-0281 between 8:30 AM and 4 PM Monday through Friday to report their harvest.

Check stations allow biologists and volunteers to collect samples and take data that provides insight into the overall health of Rhode Island’s deer herd. The Durfee Hill Management Area check station is closed for renovations, but a new check station will be open nearby at George Washington Management Area. To help reduce hunter wait and travel times to and from check stations, an additional new check station will be open at the Smithfield Sportsman Club for this year’s muzzleloader and shotgun deer check station period.

Check Station Operating Hours:

November 2 and 3: 8 AM - 8 PM.

December 7 and 8: 8 AM - 6 PM.

Check Station Locations:

(NEW) George Washington Management Area: 2185 Putnam Pike, Chepachet, (41.919437, -71.759970)
(NEW) Smithfield Sportsman Club: 14 Walter Carey Rd, Smithfield, (41.8786, -71.5346)
Arcadia Management Area: Rt. 165, Ten Rod Road, at Wood River, Exeter, (41.57305, -71.72163)
Carolina Management Area: Pine Hill Road, Richmond, (41.46618, -71.68860)
Great Swamp Management Area: 277 Great Neck Road, West Kingston, (41.47374, -71.57533)
Tiverton Rod and Gun Club: 1529 Fish Rd, Tiverton, (41.62681, -71.18825)

Deer hunters are required to obtain written permission annually for all deer hunting on private lands. DFW has developed a courtesy card, available on DEM’s website, for hunters and landowners to sign that gives the dates for permissions and contains A Hunter's Pledge regarding principles of conduct. DEM encourages private landowners to allow hunters to hunt deer on their property, where feasible, during deer hunting seasons as this is a sound management technique that benefits deer habitats and regulates population growth. Regulated hunting has proven to be the most cost-effective, efficient, and successful method of controlling deer populations, which helps ensure that the population remains in balance with ecological and social factors. Hunter education is offered as part of DFW’s Hunter Education Program. Safety training is required by law in Rhode Island for beginner hunters. To date, more than 40,000 people have completed a hunter safety course, helping to reduce accidents here and elsewhere. A complete schedule of hunter educational offerings is available here.

To purchase a hunting license, or for more information about Rhode Island’s hunting and fishing licensing system, visit DEM’s RIO portal, which acts as a portal to help plan adventures that make the most of Rhode Island's great outdoors. It links to information on hunting and fishing opportunities, trails, and natural areas through a variety of maps, as well as certification information for hunter safety and boating safety. For more information on seasons, bag limits, zones, and regulations, review the 2024-25 Hunting and Trapping Regulation Guide available online at www.eregulations.com/rhodeisland/hunting and at local sales agents.

DEM reminds hikers, bike riders, horseback riders, and all other visitors of state management areas and undeveloped state parks that, for safety reasons, they must wear solid, daylight fluorescent orange during hunting seasons. From the second Saturday in September to the last day of February and the third Saturday in April to the last day in May, except during the shotgun deer seasons in December when a minimum of 500 square inches is required, hunters and all other users of management areas and designated undeveloped state parks must wear a minimum of 200 square inches of fluorescent orange, such as a hat. During the shotgun deer seasons in December, a minimum of 500 square inches of solid, daylight fluorescent orange clothing – a hat and vest – is required. Waterfowl hunters hunting from a boat or blind, over water or field, and when done in conjunction with decoys are exempt from the orange requirements. Archers are exempt from wearing orange in areas of the state that are limited to hunting by archery-only. For more details, please visit www.dem.ri.gov/orange.

Hunters and target shooters provide funding for wildlife conservation through their purchase of firearms and ammunition through Pittman-Robertson Restoration Program, and through the purchase of their state hunting licenses and permits. These funds are distributed to each state by the federal government and used to conserve land, manage habitat, restore wildlife populations, and much more. In 2023 alone, Rhode Island received $7,176,940 in funding for wildlife restoration from this program. With the help of hunters and target shooters, DEM has protected thousands of acres for wildlife in RI, continued our research and monitoring efforts for both game and non-game birds and mammals, established a strong research partnership with University of Rhode Island, and continue to provide hunter education and wildlife outreach opportunities for the public. Without the contribution of legal and responsible hunters, DEM would not be able to conserve and protect our state's wildlife.

For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter/X (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates. Follow DFW on Facebook and Instagram (@ri.fishandwildlife) to stay up to date on news, events and volunteer opportunities. You can also subscribe to DFW’s monthly newsletter here. Sign up here to receive the latest press releases, news, and events from DEM's Public Affairs Office to your inbox.