Minnesota › Species › Ruffed Grouse
Upland birds
Ruffed Grouse seasons and rules in Minnesota
Season rows, bag limits and rules for ruffed grouse, checked October 28, 2026.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain)
Here are the 2026-27 ruffed grouse rules as the DNR prints them, opening Sep 19, 2026, with harvest figures and WMAs wherever the data has them.
The DNR line on ruffed grouse
- Take: 5 daily combined with spruce grouse (max 2 spruce); 10 possession.
- How and when: Sept. 19-Jan. 3; firearms, archery, falconry; blaze orange/pink article required.
- Keep in mind: Ruffed grouse management areas and hunter walking trails.
DNR source page (as of Sep 15, 2026), checked October 28, 2026.
GearHeading out for small game season? Small game gear checklist →
Every ruffed grouse season row
1 row for ruffed grouse, as the 2026-27 booklet lists them; the last column checks each against today.
| Season | Unit or zone | Bag | From | To | Days | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | Statewide | See limits | Sep 19, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | 107 |
Ruffed Grouse row details
- Shooting hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset. Small game license (16+); blaze orange/pink article above the waist when no firearms deer season is open.
- Regular, limit: 5 combined daily (max 2 spruce); 10 possession (max 4 spruce)
From booklet p. 57, checked October 28, 2026.
RGMAs that hold ruffed grouse
| Area | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Gladen's Camp | 3,734 | |
| Whiteface River | 3,674 | |
| Four Brooks | 3,520 | |
| Klondike Trail | 3,503 | |
| McNiven | 3,500 | |
| Carp | 3,472 | |
| Stoney Ridge | 3,364 | |
| Shotley | 3,205 | |
| Peloquin | 2,738 | |
| Paul Bunyan State Forest | 2,526 | |
| Smoky Hills State Forest | 2,281 | |
| Echo Lake | 2,081 |
Grouse and woodcock hunters have 48 RGMAs to work, most in the north and central forest.
DNR RGMA page, checked October 28, 2026.
Ruffed Grouse bag and license rules
| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Ruffed and spruce grouse | 5 combined daily (max 2 spruce), 10 possession (max 4 spruce). |
| Party hunting (small game) | Members of a party (2+ in unaided visual and vocal contact) may take game for each other up to the combined limits; each may transport only an individual limit. Not allowed for migratory birds. |
What ruffed grouse licenses cost
| License | Residency | Who | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small game license | resident | Under 16 | Free (not required) |
| Small game license | resident | Youth 16-17 | $5 |
| Small game license | resident | Adult 18-64 | $22 |
| Small game license | resident | Senior 65+ | $13.50 |
| 72-hour small game license | resident | Adult 18+ | $19 |
| Walk-In Access validation | resident | All ages | $3 |
| Walk-In Access validation | nonresident | All ages | $3 |
| Small game license | nonresident | Under 16 | Not required |
| Small game license | nonresident | Youth 16-17 | $5 |
| Small game license | nonresident | Adult 18+ | $102 |
| 72-hour small game license | nonresident | Adult 18+ | $75 |
Licenses sell online, by phone and at license agents; there are no paper tags, and the license (paper or app) is carried afield.
booklet p. 18, booklet p. 19, booklet p. 20, booklet p. 56, checked October 28, 2026.
Where to hunt ruffed grouse on public ground
For ruffed grouse, start with these 12 large WMAs; 551 WMAs list the species statewide.
| Place | Type | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Lake | WMA | Beltrami · | 322,246 |
| Roseau River | WMA | Roseau · | 75,163 |
| Thief Lake | WMA | Beltrami · | 54,650 |
| Mille Lacs | WMA | Kanabec · | 38,678 |
| Wapiti | WMA | Beltrami · | 31,759 |
| Beaches Lake | WMA | Kittson · | 30,623 |
| Whitewater | WMA | Wabasha · | 27,451 |
| Carlos Avery | WMA | Chisago · | 24,598 |
| Moose River | WMA | 21,273 | |
| Mud Goose | WMA | 17,011 | |
| Moose Willow | WMA | 16,946 | |
| Elm Lake | WMA | 15,740 |
Counts follow the species lists on DNR WMA pages and federal refuge rules. Federal refuges are closed unless opened; WPAs are open unless posted, with nontoxic shot required.
DNR WMA finder and WMA rules, checked October 28, 2026.
Rules afield for ruffed grouse
Shoot ruffed grouse between a half hour before sunrise and sunset; the half hour after sunset is for big game only.
Hunters after ruffed grouse show one blaze article above the waist; the statute makes a slip a warning, not a citation.
No day of the week is closed for ruffed grouse.
booklet shooting hours, blaze rules, validation and registration, checked October 28, 2026.
Ruffed Grouse shooting times west to east
Times below apply the booklet rule for ruffed grouse to the sun at the centre of each county, rounded to the minute.
| When | Point | Centre of | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Day one | Clay | 7:07 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Day one | Ramsey | 6:54 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Day one | St. Louis | 6:51 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Last day | Clay | 8:11 a.m. | 4:48 p.m. | 7:41 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Last day | Ramsey | 7:51 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Last day | St. Louis | 7:58 a.m. | 4:30 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
Rule from the booklet shooting hours page; sun times computed for the county centre (NOAA method, Central Time) and checked against U.S. Naval Observatory tables; checked October 28, 2026.
Ruffed Grouse: guns, bows and statutes
Booklet rules on ruffed grouse hunts
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Inspections and seizure | Must allow inspection of firearms, licenses, game, vehicles and boats; unlawful game and equipment may be seized. |
| Trespass and agricultural land | Permission needed on posted or agricultural land; may not return for a year after being told to leave; no discharging a firearm within 500 ft of an occupied building or livestock on another's land without written permission. |
| Dogs | No dogs chasing big game; tracking dogs on a 30-ft leash to recover wounded deer/bear; no dog training on DNR land Apr. 16-July 14; no dogs while turkey hunting; raccoons and foxes may be run with dogs in closed season. |
| Wanton waste | May not waste a protected wild animal by failing to use usable parts; migratory birds must be retrieved. |
booklet p. 35, booklet p. 38, Minnesota Statutes 97B.001, checked October 28, 2026.
Ruffed Grouse FAQ
Which permits apply to ruffed grouse?
Costs: Small game license (resident, Under 16): Free (not required); Small game license (resident, Youth 16-17): $5; Small game license (resident, Adult 18-64): $22; Small game license (resident, Senior 65+): $13.50; 72-hour small game license (resident, Adult 18+): $19.
Is night hunting allowed for ruffed grouse?
Shoot ruffed grouse between a half hour before sunrise and sunset; the half hour after sunset is for big game only.
Is pink allowed instead of orange for ruffed grouse?
Hunters after ruffed grouse show one blaze article above the waist; the statute makes a slip a warning, not a citation.
Which wildlife areas name ruffed grouse?
By acreage: Red Lake WMA, Roseau River WMA, Thief Lake WMA, out of 551 WMAs naming the species.
How does party hunting work for ruffed grouse?
Yes for ruffed grouse: members of a party (2+ in unaided visual and vocal contact) may take game for each other up to the combined limits; each may transport only an individual limit. Each hunter may carry only one limit of ruffed grouse.
Can I drive onto Walk-In Access sites?
Walk-In Access is open to ruffed grouse hunters: 23,000 acres at 230+ private sites open Sept. 1-May 31 with a $3 validation; no vehicles, trapping, dog training, target shooting or camping.
Can I hunt ruffed grouse on a Sunday?
There is no Sunday ban; ruffed grouse hunting runs seven days a week.
When is the ruffed grouse season in Minnesota?
1 season row run Sep 19, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027. Sept. 19-Jan. 3; firearms, archery, falconry; blaze orange/pink article required.
What may a hunter keep of ruffed grouse?
5 daily combined with spruce grouse (max 2 spruce); 10 possession (DNR summary).
Other photos on this page: GlacierNPS (Public domain); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).