The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is reminding hunters that the states archery deer season opens Wednesday, October 1, and runs in two parts: October 1November 14 and December 115. The agency also notes that deer regulation changes adopted earlier in 2025 will not take effect until 2026, so hunters should plan this fall using the current rules. To help with planning, the department has posted the 2024 Deer Harvest Report, which lists the number of deer taken in each town during last years seasons. The structure of the season gives flexibility while keeping clear limits. A hunter may take up to four deer during the archery season if they do not take any deer in the other deer seasons. An archery deer license and tag is required for each deer taken in archery, and no more than one of those deer may be a legal buck if a hunter does not take a buck in any other deer season. The department emphasizes that antlerless deer hunting is allowed statewide during archery season this year, broadening opportunity across management units while preserving the definition of what qualifies as a legal buck. Those legal-buck definitions vary by Wildlife Management Unit (WMU). In WMUs C, D1, D2, E1, E2, G, I, L, M, P, and Q, a legal buck is any deer with at least one antler three inches or more in length. In WMUs A, B, F1, F2, H, J1, J2, K, N, and O, a legal buck is any deer with at least one antler that has two or more antler points one inch in length or longer. Because the definitions differ by unit, hunters are advised to match their planned area to the correct standard before they head to the woods. Licensing pathways are straightforward. Hunters must hold a standard hunting license in order to purchase an add-on archery deer hunting license. A separate option exists for nonresidents, who may purchase an archery only deer license for $75. Licenses can be obtained quickly through the departments website using the online licensing and permit agent, and the agency encourages hunters to handle licensing and tags well before their first outing. The department also points to available data for smarter trip planning. The 2024 Deer Harvest Report provides town-level harvest numbers from last year, giving hunters a way to compare locations and set expectations for the two-part archery window. Reviewing the report alongside WMU boundaries and the unit-specific buck definitions can reduce confusion in the field and make it easier to verify that any buck taken meets the correct criteria for the unit in question. With antlerless opportunity open statewide during archery, hunters can tailor plans to their access, local conditions, and personal goals while remaining inside statewide limits. The two distinct blocksearly October through mid-November, and the early December segmentoffer scheduling options around work and family and the chance to return after the rifle season break. The departments reminder that this falls rules are unchanged is meant to head off assumptions about the later-effective changes and keep attention on the current standards that apply in 2025.