The hunting seasons and closed seasons in North Rhine-Westphalia are an important part of hunting regulations, which take into account both the interests of hunters and the necessity of species protection and the preservation of animal populations. It is important to understand the difference between these two terms:

• Hunting seasons refer to the time windows in which hunting certain animal species is permitted. They are established to ensure sustainable hunting without endangering the population of a species. Hunting seasons are based on the biological conditions of the animals, such as reproduction and raising of young.
• Closed seasons, on the other hand, are periods during which hunting certain animal species is expressly prohibited. They serve to protect the animals during particularly sensitive phases, such as during the breeding season or the raising of young.

The exact determination of hunting and closed seasons varies depending on the species and serves to balance the needs of hunters with the preservation of a healthy and stable animal population. In North Rhine-Westphalia, these times are regulated by law to ensure sustainable management of the native wildlife. Below, the specific hunting seasons for various animal species in North Rhine-Westphalia are detailed.

* Piglets are animals that are not yet one year old.

** current exceptions apply.

Here are the hunting seasons for other federal states:

Hunting Seasons Berlin
Hunting Seasons Hamburg
Hunting Seasons Saxony
Hunting Seasons Saxony-Anhalt
Hunting Seasons Brandenburg
Hunting Seasons Thuringia
Hunting Seasons Bremen
Hunting Seasons Rhineland-Palatinate
Hunting Seasons Lower Saxony
Hunting Seasons Baden-Württemberg
Hunting Seasons Bavaria
Hunting Seasons Schleswig-Holstein
Hunting Seasons Hesse
Hunting Seasons Saarland
Hunting Seasons Mecklenburg-Vorpommern