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Furbearers, hunted and trapped
Mink Trapping in Michigan, 2026-27
Mink trapping opens by zone: Zone 1 Oct 25; Zone 2 Nov 1; Zone 3 Nov 10, and closes Mar 1, 2027. In one place: the mink calendar, limits, licenses, legal weapons and public land.
Photo: Don Henise (CC BY 2.0)
There is no bag limit. Mink trapping uses the standard furbearer trap types: foothold, body-gripping and cage traps. The fur harvester license covers mink, muskrat and the other furbearers.
Mink in the DNR summary
- Dates and gear: Trapping from Oct. 25 (Z1)/Nov. 1 (Z2)/Nov. 10 (Z3) to March 1.
- What you may keep: No limit.
DNR source page, checked October 22, 2026.
Mink calendar, 2026-27
3 dated rows for mink from the DNR 2026 summaries; the strip lays them on one axis and the table adds the unit, method and a live status.
| Season | Area | How | From | Through | Days | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trapping | Zone 1 | Trapping | Oct 25, 2026 | Mar 1, 2027 | 128 | |
| Trapping | Zone 2 | Trapping | Nov 1, 2026 | Mar 1, 2027 | 121 | |
| Trapping | Zone 3 | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 1, 2027 | 112 |
From the Michigan Department of Natural Resources 2026 regulation summary, checked October 22, 2026.
Mink take and what to buy
Bag limits first, then the paperwork for mink.
Mink
Residents: no limit per season; nonresidents: no limit
Paperwork for mink
| What to buy | Resident | Senior | Youth | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base license | $11 | $5 | $6 | $151 |
| Fur harvester license | $15 | $6 | $15 | $15 |
| Incidental tag | Free | Free | Free | Free |
DNR regulation summary and fee tables, DNR eLicense, checked October 22, 2026. Michigan hunting license guide.
Legal requirements for mink
The mink rules below cover what happens before and after the shot.
Check it in
Reporting rules do not name mink.
Daily hours
The mink trapline runs on season dates alone, since trapping carries no hours restriction.
Sunday status
Sundays are legal for mink. The deer summary notes posted township restrictions in 24 counties, which apply to all hunting there.
From the Michigan Department of Natural Resources 2026 regulation summaries: harvest reporting, MCL 324.40116 hunter orange, baiting, hunting hours tables, checked October 22, 2026. Hunting hours by zone · Michigan hunting laws.
Mink management units
The mink zones and their dates.
| Area | Season | Opens | Closes | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | Trapping | Oct 25, 2026 | Mar 1, 2027 | 128 |
| Zone 2 | Trapping | Nov 1, 2026 | Mar 1, 2027 | 121 |
| Zone 3 | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 1, 2027 | 112 |
fur harvester summary, checked October 22, 2026.
Mink trapping ground
Mink are rarely named alone in the land records, so the 4 with furbearers or the species itself are shown.
| Property | Type | Counties | Size, acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State Forest System | State Forest | Alcona, Alger, Alpena… | 3,954,811 |
| Ottawa National Forest | National Forest | Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton… | 1,000,750 |
| Huron-Manistee National Forest | National Forest | Alcona, Crawford, Iosco… | 979,067 |
| Hiawatha National Forest | National Forest | Alger, Chippewa, Delta… | 899,499 |
Properties and their game lists from DNR, USFS, FWS and NPS pages and the DNR land layers, retrieved 2026-10-22. Michigan public land directory · County guides.
Mink trapping rules
Read the weapon rows with the season table: the legal method depends on the segment.
| Season | Legal weapons | Off limits |
|---|---|---|
| Trapping | Foothold, body-gripping/conibear, cage traps for all furbearers; snares for beaver only; colony traps for muskrat only; nonlethal cable restraints for coyote/fox Jan. 1-March 1. | Setting traps before the season opens; see trap-type table and trap-check rules. |
Mink: what the method rules say
Buying and selling game
Game may not be bought or sold except as allowed by WCO 4.3.
Float hunting
Hunting and trapping along waterways protected by the recreational trespass law belong to the riparian owners; permission needed.
Michigan regulation summaries, the Wildlife Conservation Order and MCL part 401, checked October 22, 2026.
Mink questions, answered from the summaries
When does mink trapping open in southern Michigan?
Nov 10, 2026 in Zone 3.
How many mink can I trap?
There is no bag limit.
Must mink be reported or sealed?
Reporting rules do not name mink.
What hours does the DNR table give for mink?
The mink trapline runs on season dates alone, since trapping carries no hours restriction.
What is the legal equipment list for mink?
Trapping: Foothold, body-gripping/conibear, cage traps for all furbearers; snares for beaver only; colony traps for muskrat only; nonlethal cable restraints for coyote/fox Jan. 1-March 1.
Is Sunday a legal day for mink?
Sundays are legal for mink. The deer summary notes posted township restrictions in 24 counties, which apply to all hunting there.
What bag limit does Michigan put on mink?
Residents: no limit per season; nonresidents: no limit.
How long is the Michigan mink season in 2026-27?
The mink dates are trapping Oct 25, 2026 to Mar 1, 2027 (Zone 1); trapping Nov 1, 2026 to Mar 1, 2027 (Zone 2); trapping Nov 10, 2026 to Mar 1, 2027 (Zone 3).
Is there public land open for mink?
The land records name mink on 4 properties; Michigan State Forest System, Ottawa National Forest and Huron-Manistee National Forest are the biggest. The land records often file this animal under a group heading.
What paperwork covers mink in Michigan?
Mink trappers need (resident price): Base license ($11); Fur harvester license ($15); Incidental tag (Free).
Before the mink trip
The DNR summaries and the Wildlife Conservation Order are the final word on mink; this page was checked against them on October 22, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); rkramer62 (CC BY 2.0); YoungSue (Public Domain Mark 1.0); alexfiles (CC BY-SA 2.0).