s, and Regulations Guide Plan your 2025–26 Minnesota hunt with our comprehensive guide—season dates, bag limits, licenses, bow & rifle rules, and key game species from whitetail deer to wild turkey to waterfowl. Whether you’re glassing a rutting buck in oak hill country, slipping through conifer swamps for timber wolves and bear, or calling migrating ducks over prairie wetlands, Minnesota’s forests, prairies, and lakeshores offer premier hunting opportunities under clear state regulations. What Is There to Hunt in Minnesota? Minnesota supports a rich variety of game: Big Game: Whitetail deer, black bear, wild turkey, elk (limited zones), moose (Zone 1 draw), mountain lion (rare permits) Small Game & Upland Birds: Cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, ruffed grouse, sharptail grouse, pheasant, gray and fox squirrels Waterfowl & Migratory Birds: Ducks (mallard, teal, canvasback), geese, cranes, rails, coots, mourning dove Furbearers & Predators: Coyote, beaver, muskrat, raccoon, fox From the wooded Arrowhead to the southwestern prairie, Minnesota’s varied habitats sustain healthy wildlife populations and diverse seasons. Minnesota Big Game Hunting Seasons 2025–26 Whitetail Deer Youth Firearm Weekend: Nov 1–2, 2025 Archery: Sept 17 – Nov 30, 2025 Firearm (Gun) Season: Nov 28 – Dec 7, 2025 (Zone 2–8); Dec 1 – 6 (Metro Zone) Muzzleloader: Dec 8 – Dec 13, 2025 Late Antlerless: Jan 4 – Jan 17, 2026 (where permitted) Minnesota offers extended bow seasons and a focused rifle window; bag limit is one buck (additional antlerless tags in certain zones). Black Bear Bait/Food Plot Season: Sept 30 – Nov 15, 2025 Archery/Dog Season: Sept 30 – Nov 15, 2025 Late Archery: Nov 16 – Nov 30, 2025 Bear hunts combine bait, hound, and archery methods; permits allocated by draw based on regional quotas. Wild Turkey (Spring) Archery & Shotgun: May 1 – May 17, 2026 Youth/Apprentice: Apr 24 – Apr 26, 2026 Fall Archery: Sept 12 – Sept 27, 2025 Spring turkey seasons blend bow and rifle hunts in woodland and wetland edges; youth and apprentice days encourage new hunters. Elk & Moose Elk (Range Unit 1): Sept 5–7 & Oct 17–19, 2025 (draw only) Moose (Zone 1): Sept 1 – Sept 30, 2025 (draw only) Limited‑entry hunts for elk and moose in the northeastern Arrowhead require applications and draw tags. Minnesota Small Game & Waterfowl Seasons 2025–26 Upland Game Birds & Small Mammals Ruffed & Sharptail Grouse: Sept 12 – Nov 21, 2025 Pheasant: Oct 10, 2025 – Jan 15, 2026 Rabbit & Squirrel: Oct 10 , 2025 – Feb 28, 2026 Prairie fields and forested woodlots host upland bird and small mammal hunts; shotguns with appropriate shot sizes are required. Waterfowl & Migratory Birds Duck Seasons (Zones A, B, C): Sept 19 – Nov 29, & Dec 16 – Jan 10, 2026 Canada Goose: Sept 5 – Nov 29 & Dec 16 – Jan 17 , 2026 Sandhill Crane: Sept 1 – Sept 21, 2025 Rails & Coots: Sept 1 – Nov 9, 2025 Mourning Dove: Sept 1 – Nov 9, 2025 Shooting Hours: Sunrise – sunset; HIP, Federal Duck Stamp, and state migratory waterfowl validation required Minnesota’s extensive wetlands and flooded crop fields attract migrating flocks; hunters must use non‑toxic shot and proper decoys. Bag Limits by Species Whitetail Deer: 1 buck; antlerless tags vary by zone Black Bear: 1 per permit Wild Turkey: 2 per spring; 1 fall archery Ducks: 6 per day; sub‑limits on species Geese: 2 Canada geese per day; light goose season varies Pheasant: 3 per day; 6 in possession Grouse: 3 per day Rabbit & Squirrel: 8 per day each Coyote & Furbearers: No limit on private lands Bag limits help conserve healthy populations while offering big game and small game opportunities across habitats. License & Tags Information for Minnesota Hunters (2025–26) All hunters must carry a valid Minnesota DNR license and required permits: Resident Small Game License: $24 Resident Combination License: $82 Nonresident Combination License: $925 Deer Tags: $10.50–$28; antlerless licenses via draw Bear Permits: $24; draw required Migratory Bird Validation & HIP: Required for waterfowl and doves Hunter Education Certificate: Mandatory for first‑time and youth hunters Licenses support habitat restoration and wildlife management; applications for draws open early summer. Hunting Methods: Bow, Rifle, Muzzleloader Minnesota allows multiple methods: Archery: Compound, recurve bows, crossbows (archery seasons) Firearms: Center‑fire rifles, shotguns (buckshot, slugs) Muzzleloader: Single‑shot black‑powder firearms during designated weeks Dogs & Bait: Allowed for waterfowl and furbearers; check WMA rules Follow weapon and method restrictions to ensure safe, ethical, and lawful hunts. Regulations & Resources Minnesota DNR regulations cover: Shooting Hours: ½ hour before sunrise to sunset (waterfowl sunrise rules) Hunt Zones & Maps: Detailed GMU boundaries online Harvest Reporting: Mandatory for deer, bear, turkey within 72 hrs Special Management Areas: WBAs, CWD zones, and WMA closures Before you head out, always verify season dates, bag limits, and license requirements on the official Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website to stay compliant and ensure a legal, ethical hunt. This guide was created based on information from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR): https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/seasons.html With structured archery, rifle, and waterfowl seasons, clear bag limits, and accessible licensing, Minnesota delivers world‑class hunting for deer, turkey, waterfowl, and predators. Prepare your bow or rifle, secure the proper tags, and experience the North Star State’s rich wildlife heritage on your 2025–26 hunt.