Minnesota Hunting Seasons, 2023-2024
Minnesota hunting seasons offer the chance to bag deer, wolf, bobcat and a variety of small game.
While Minnesota has permitted moose hunting in the past, a significant drop in population for unknown reasons has encouraged the Department of Natural resources to suspend moose seasons.
Resident and non-resident hunting licenses are available for all game, and vary in price due to season, animal and special standings. Licenses can be purchased from a Department of Natural Resources agent, the department’s office in St. Paul, over the phone or online. License lotteries are also available for deer, bear, turkey and wolf harvests.
Registering taken game during Minnesota’s hunting seasons can easily be completed online.
Minnesota Deer Seasons
| Archery | Sept. 16-Dec. 31 |
| Early Antlerless | Oct. 19-22 |
| Youth Hunt | Oct. 19-22 |
| Firearms | Nov. 4-26** |
| Muzzleloader | Nov. 25-Dec. 10 |
**Minnesota breaks its deer hunting seasons into four “series” based on location. To find out more about purchasing series deer hunting permits or specific series start and end dates, visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website.
Minnesota Bear Seasons
| General Season | Sept. 1-Oct. 15 |
Minnesota bear hunting permits are distributed by lottery only. Applications are generally due in May, with winners notified the same month. Bear baiting begins in mid-August, several weeks before the hunting season begins.
Minnesota Wild Turkey Seasons
| Fall General Season | Sept. 30-Oct. 29 |
Minnesota Elk Seasons
| General Season | Sept. 9-Oct. 15** |
Minnesota elk hunting is by permit only, with few licenses available through a lottery system. Elk hunting is broken into eight seasons, depending on zone, with only two to three licenses available.
Minnesota Small Game Seasons
| Rabbit (cottontail, snowshoe, and jackrabbit) | Sept. 16-Feb. 28 |
| Prairie Chicken | Sept. 30-Oct. 8 |
| Raccoon, badger, opossum, red fox, gray fox | North zone: Oct. 14-March 15 South zone: Oct. 21-March 15 |
| Squirrel (gray and fox) | Sept. 16-Feb. 29 |
| Weasel | Open season |
Bag limits, special seasons and hunting regulations for Minnesota hunting seasons do vary based on animal and region. For more information on obtaining licenses, permits and regulations, visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website.