Plate not yet issuedGrass and picked corn under a high plains sky, Minnesota

Minnesota

Species on recordOpen now0Classified10Record year2026

The place

What Minnesota is like to hunt

Awaiting survey — Minnesota overview

Season classification for Minnesota is complete for 2026, but the qualitative overview has not been written yet. Dates, bag limits and status below are current; the narrative is what is outstanding.

Issuing agencyMinnesota Department of Natural Resourceswww.dnr.state.mn.usRecord year 2026

The reason people drive here

Ring-necked pheasant

#1Ring-necked pheasantRing-necked pheasant is classified as huntable/regulated upland game in 44 of the 50 states surveyed for the 2026-27 season (research pass captured 2026-08-18). This is a factual presence/season-classification summary, not a population outlook — no 2026 outlook/forecast research was performed for this species; see each state's own state-species record for season dates and any opportunistic 2026 notes captured incidentally.

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44 statesUpland

Every bird classified here

Species run

Status is computed from the published dates, not stored — a stale build cannot show an ended season as open.

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44 statesUpland

#8Gray (Hungarian) partridgeGray (Hungarian) partridge is classified as huntable/regulated upland game in 23 of the 50 states surveyed for the 2026-27 season (research pass captured 2026-08-18). This is a factual presence/season-classification summary, not a population outlook — no 2026 outlook/forecast research was performed for this species; see each state's own state-species record for season dates and any opportunistic 2026 notes captured incidentally.

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23 statesUpland

#3Ruffed grouseRuffed grouse is classified as huntable/regulated upland game in 38 of the 50 states surveyed for the 2026-27 season (research pass captured 2026-08-18). This is a factual presence/season-classification summary, not a population outlook — no 2026 outlook/forecast research was performed for this species; see each state's own state-species record for season dates and any opportunistic 2026 notes captured incidentally.

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38 statesUpland

#11Spruce grouseSpruce grouse is classified as huntable/regulated upland game in 11 of the 50 states surveyed for the 2026-27 season (research pass captured 2026-08-18). This is a factual presence/season-classification summary, not a population outlook — no 2026 outlook/forecast research was performed for this species; see each state's own state-species record for season dates and any opportunistic 2026 notes captured incidentally.

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11 statesUpland

#5Sharp-tailed grouseSharp-tailed grouse is classified as huntable/regulated upland game in 14 of the 50 states surveyed for the 2026-27 season (research pass captured 2026-08-18). This is a factual presence/season-classification summary, not a population outlook — no 2026 outlook/forecast research was performed for this species; see each state's own state-species record for season dates and any opportunistic 2026 notes captured incidentally.

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14 statesUpland

#6Greater prairie-chickenGreater prairie-chicken is classified as huntable/regulated upland game in 13 of the 50 states surveyed for the 2026-27 season (research pass captured 2026-08-18). This is a factual presence/season-classification summary, not a population outlook — no 2026 outlook/forecast research was performed for this species; see each state's own state-species record for season dates and any opportunistic 2026 notes captured incidentally.

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13 statesUpland

#7ChukarChukar is classified as huntable/regulated upland game in 24 of the 50 states surveyed for the 2026-27 season (research pass captured 2026-08-18). This is a factual presence/season-classification summary, not a population outlook — no 2026 outlook/forecast research was performed for this species; see each state's own state-species record for season dates and any opportunistic 2026 notes captured incidentally.

Unprotected species -- no season, license, or limit

24 statesUpland

#2Northern bobwhite quailNorthern bobwhite quail is classified as huntable/regulated upland game in 42 of the 50 states surveyed for the 2026-27 season (research pass captured 2026-08-18). This is a factual presence/season-classification summary, not a population outlook — no 2026 outlook/forecast research was performed for this species; see each state's own state-species record for season dates and any opportunistic 2026 notes captured incidentally.

Protected -- no open season

42 statesUpland

#9Mourning doveMourning dove has an open season in 49 of the 50 states surveyed for the 2026-27 season. This is a factual presence/season-classification summary, not a population outlook — no 2026 outlook/forecast research was performed for this species this pass.

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49 statesFederal framework

#10American woodcockAmerican woodcock has an open season in 37 of the 50 states surveyed for the 2026-27 season. This is a factual presence/season-classification summary, not a population outlook — no 2026 outlook/forecast research was performed for this species this pass.

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37 statesFederal framework

Big game open during your bird season

White-tailed deerGeneral archery/firearms/muzzleloader licenses go on sale Aug 1 with no draw/application language found (appears OTC to nonresidents, though an explicit nonresident cost/eligibility statement wasn't located). Antlerless tags in designated 'lottery' permit areas require application (deadline Sept 10; auto-entry if area declared by Sept 4); surplus antlerless permits sold OTC first-come-first-served from Oct 1, 5pm.
Black bearLottery application deadline May 1; nonresidents age 18+ eligible ($231 license fee), competing in the same lottery as residents by Bear Permit Area (quotas 10-1,500 per zone). Winners notified late May, must purchase by Aug 1. Unsold quota-area licenses go on sale first-come-first-served Aug 5 at noon; no-quota area licenses available without a quota.
Wild turkeyFall season: OTC, on sale Aug 1, open statewide with no quota/draw language found. Spring season: historically structured as multiple time periods (A-E) with a mix of lottery and OTC availability, but 2026-specific period dates were not located on the current DNR site after five separate URL attempts; only a related Wildlife Management Area lottery deadline (Feb 13, 2026) was found. As of the Aug 18, 2026 capture date the 2026 spring turkey season would already have concluded.