Saudi Arabia Opens 2026-2027 Hunting Season

Saudi Arabia has opened its 2026-2027 regulated terrestrial hunting season, which runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 January 2027 across the Kingdom. The season is organized and supervised by the National Center for Wildlife under the environmental regulatory framework and its executive regulations for hunting terrestrial wildlife.

For this season, the list of permitted species has been expanded to 30 species, with the national hunting quota raised by 11% and the number of licenses increased by 34% compared with the previous season. Only non-endangered species explicitly listed on the Center's official website and on the Fitri digital platform may be hunted, while all endangered wildlife remains permanently protected.

Permits and eligibility

Permits are mandatory, and hunting without a prior license is prohibited. Each license is personal and non-transferable and must be carried alongside the license for any weapon used. Applicants must be at least 21 years old, have fewer than two recorded hunting violations in the preceding two years, and submit the required documents. Each license specifies the permitted species, the quota and the validity period within the season, and is issued only after payment of the fees set by the Center.

Hunters holding licensed rifles of permitted types and falconers registered with the Saudi Falcons Club must obtain their permits exclusively through the Fitri platform, which also provides species lists and quota management for the season.

Weapons and methods

Permitted rifles are limited to non-gunpowder weapons whose projectiles are launched by gas pressure or spring force, such as air and gas rifles. Shotguns with spreading shot, nets, mass-capture devices, and electronic call and attraction devices are prohibited, along with any method that can capture more than one bird at a time. Only methods explicitly allowed by the Center may be used.

The measured expansion in quotas and licenses reflects the Kingdom's efforts to balance a regulated hunting tradition with the long-term protection of native wildlife.

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