Small game hunting

News & notices

A great way to start

Whether its mourning dove, squirrel or rabbit, getting started small game hunting is literally a walk through field and forest. It's a great way to learn as you observe your surroundings and what happens around you.

Where can I go

Unlike some states, Minnesota offers millions of acres of public land on which you can hunt. Use our hunting lands guide to help you research, scout and explore state, federal and county lands for those perfect spots.

You need blaze clothing

In most instances, small game hunters must wear at least one visible article of clothing above the waist that is blaze orange or pink. This could be a hat, jacket or hunting vest. Remember that more blaze will make you more visible.

Seasons

Scroll table right to see more »
10/19/24 - 03/15/25 Badger South furbearer zone
10/19/24 - 03/15/25 Badger North furbearer zone
12/14/24 - 01/19/25 Bobcat North Furbearer Zone
12/15/24 - 01/15/25 Crow Statewide
10/19/24 - 03/15/25 Fox, Gray and Red South furbearer zone
10/19/24 - 03/15/25 Fox, Gray and Red North furbearer zone
10/19/24 - 03/15/25 Opossum North furbearer zone
10/19/24 - 03/15/25 Opossum South furbearer zone
09/14/24 - 02/28/25 Rabbit, Cottontail and Snowshoe Hare Statewide
09/14/24 - 02/28/25 Rabbit, Jack Statewide
10/19/24 - 03/15/25 Raccoon North furbearer zone
10/19/24 - 03/15/25 Raccoon South furbearer zone
09/14/24 - 02/28/25 Squirrel, Gray and Fox Statewide

Some species listed in the small game table in the regulations booklet have their own web pages and are not listed above.

Please access those web pages to review hunting season details and information for those animals.

Limits

Species Daily Possession
Badger No limit No limit
Bobcat 5 including trapping 5 including trapping
Coyote No limit No limit
Crane, Sandhill 2 6
Crow No limit No limit
Dove, Mourning 15 45
Fox, Gray & Red No limit No limit
Opossum No limit No limit
Partridge, Hungarian 5 10
Rabbit, Cottontail & Snowshoe Hare 10 20
Rabbit, Jack 1 3
Racoon No limit No limit
Rail, Sora and Virginia 25 combined 75 combined
Skunk, Striped No limit No limit
Snipe, Common 8 24
Squirrel, Gray & Fox 7 combined 14 combined
Weasels, Long- & Short-Tailed No limit No limit
Woodcock 3 9

Shooting hours

½ hour before sunrise to sunset

Important note: Shooting does not begin until 9 a.m. on opening day for badger, fox, opossum, racoon and weasel,

Raccoons

A person may take raccoons between ½ hour after sunset and ½ hour before sunrise only in accordance with the following regulations:

  • Hunters must be on foot.
  • Artificial lights may be used to locate, attempt to locate, or shoot a raccoon only if the raccoon has been treed or put at bay by dogs.
  • Rifles and handguns used must use .17 or .22 caliber rimfire cartridges, including .22 magnums.
  • Shotgun shells must be loaded with No. 4 shot or smaller.
  • A person may not take a raccoon in a den or hollow tree or by cutting down a tree occupied by a raccoon.
  • Raccoon may be run by dogs during closed seasons. See page 28 for details.

Fox and coyote night hunting

  • A person may use a light to hunt for coyote or fox from Jan. 1 to March 15. See page 30 for details.
  • Fox may be run by dogs during closed seasons. See page 28 for details.
Sunrise and sunset times

Regulations

  • All residents and non-residents, 16 and older, must have a valid small game license in possession to take small game.
  • Residents may hunt small game without a license on land they occupy as their principal residence.
  • State or federal migratory waterfowl stamps are not required to hunt woodcock, rails, snipe, sandhill cranes or mourning doves.
  • A person may not shoot pheasants or Hungarian partridge with a rifle or handgun other than a .22 caliber rimfire using short, long, or long rifle ammunition.
  • Shotguns used for upland birds may hold more than three shells.
  • A person may not disturb the burrow or den of any wild animal between Nov. 1 and April 1 without a permit.
  • A person may not take pine marten, fisher, mink, muskrat, beaver or otter by firearms or archery hunting; however, a firearm may be used to dispatch an animal already taken in a trap.
  • Rabbits, hares and squirrels may be taken by hunting or trapping.

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