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Furbearers, hunted and trapped · Michigan
Red and Gray Fox Hunting in Michigan, 2026-27
Red and gray foxes are open Oct 15, 2026 to Mar 1, 2027 for hunting and trapping, with no bag limit. Fox season rows, bags, equipment rules and mapped land below.
Photo: Don Henise (CC BY 2.0)
Fox may be hunted at night under the WCO 2.5(2) weapon limits. Trappers may use nonlethal cable restraints Jan. 1-March 1. The fur harvester license ($15) goes with the base license.
Red and Gray Fox: the short form
- Dates in short: Oct. 15-March 1 hunting and trapping.
- Limit: No limit.
DNR source page, checked October 22, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
When red and gray foxes are open in Michigan
Red and gray foxes: 2 segments this license year, each day count taking in the first and last day.
| Season | Zone | Method | Begins | Ends | Days | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting | Statewide | Hunting (firearm, bow, crossbow; dogs) | Oct 15, 2026 | Mar 1, 2027 | 138 | |
| Trapping | Statewide | Trapping | Oct 15, 2026 | Mar 1, 2027 | 138 |
Conditions printed with the fox rows
- Nighttime hunting allowed; no bag limit.
- Nonlethal cable restraints Jan. 1-March 1.
From the Michigan Department of Natural Resources 2026 regulation summary, checked October 22, 2026.
Bag and license rules for red and gray foxes
The limits a conservation officer checks for red and gray foxes, and the licenses that make them legal.
Fox (gray and red)
Residents: no limit per season; nonresidents: no limit
Licenses for red and gray foxes
| Item | Michigan resident | Senior resident | Ages 10-16 | Out of state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Michigan rules for red and gray foxes: reporting, hours, orange
These cards cover the field rules for red and gray foxes, with hunting hours by zone below them.
After the shot
Red and gray foxes need no harvest report or seal.
Legal light
The fox day opens half an hour before sunrise and closes half an hour after sunset; western zones add up to 18 minutes. Red and gray foxes are also on the WCO 2.5(2) night list, hunted on foot with limited weapons after dark.
Wearing orange
Between Aug. 15 and April 30, a visible orange garment is required while hunting red and gray foxes in daylight. The statute exempts some stationary fox hunters; the full conditions are in MCL 324.40116(2).
Sunday hunting
Red and gray foxes may be hunted on Sundays; local township ordinances are the only limit to watch.
First and last light, fox season
| Day | Season point | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | Hunting opens | 7:15 a.m. to 7:24 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 7:36 p.m. | 7:33 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. |
| Mar 1, 2027 | Hunting closes | 6:38 a.m. to 6:52 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:04 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. |
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.
Michigan places for red and gray foxes
These 5 properties list furbearers or the species, the closest match the land records allow.
| Public land | Type | County | 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 |
| Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | Saginaw | 10,000 |
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.
Red and Gray Fox weapon rules
The weapon rows and method rules from the summaries and the WCO that apply to red and gray foxes.
| Season | Permitted | Not permitted |
|---|---|---|
| Night hunting (raccoon, opossum, coyote, fox, skunk, weasel) | Bow, crossbow, pneumatic gun, rimfire .22 or smaller, centerfire rifle/pistol .269 caliber or smaller, shotgun with loads no larger than No. 3 buckshot (WCO 2.5(2)). | Centerfire rifle/pistol at night in state parks/recreation areas; buckshot larger than No. 3, slugs, cut shells. |
| 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. |
How red and gray foxes may be hunted in Michigan
Artificial lights
No lights to locate animals in November, or 11 p.m.-6 a.m. the rest of the year; no lights with a weapon in possession; Nov. 1-30 on own/family land without a weapon; deer hunters may use lights 1 hour before/after hours with an unloaded weapon while walking to/from the stand.
Buying and selling game
Game may not be bought or sold except as allowed by WCO 4.3.
Trespass (Recreational Trespass Act)
Written or verbal permission required to hunt farmland, connected woodlots and fenced or posted property (MCL 324.73102); posting signs at least 50 sq. in. with 1-in. letters; may enter on foot without a firearm to retrieve a hunting dog unless told not to; no right to follow wounded game onto private land without permission. Owners may sue for $750 or actual damages (MCL 324.73109).
Michigan regulation summaries, the Wildlife Conservation Order and MCL part 401, checked October 22, 2026.
Red and Gray Fox: questions from hunters
When is fox season in Michigan?
Oct 15, 2026 to Mar 1, 2027, hunting and trapping.
Can I hunt foxes at night?
Yes, on foot with the legal night weapons: a bow, crossbow, pneumatic gun, rimfire .22 or smaller, centerfire rifle/pistol .269 caliber or smaller, or shotgun with loads no larger than No. 3 buckshot.
When must fox hunters wear hunter orange?
Between Aug. 15 and April 30, a visible orange garment is required while hunting red and gray foxes in daylight. The statute exempts some stationary fox hunters; the full conditions are in MCL 324.40116(2).
When does legal hunting time start and end for red and gray foxes?
The fox day opens half an hour before sunrise and closes half an hour after sunset; western zones add up to 18 minutes. Red and gray foxes are also on the WCO 2.5(2) night list, hunted on foot with limited weapons after dark.
Does the fox season run on Sundays in Michigan?
Red and gray foxes may be hunted on Sundays; local township ordinances are the only limit to watch.
How do I report red and gray foxes in Michigan?
Red and gray foxes need no harvest report or seal.
Which dates are set for red and gray foxes this license year?
Red and gray foxes run hunting Oct 15, 2026 to Mar 1, 2027; trapping Oct 15, 2026 to Mar 1, 2027.
What may a fox hunter carry afield?
Night hunting (raccoon, opossum, coyote, fox, skunk, weasel): Bow, crossbow, pneumatic gun, rimfire .22 or smaller, centerfire rifle/pistol .269 caliber or smaller, shotgun with loads no larger than No. 3 buckshot (WCO 2.5(2)).
What must I buy before going after red and gray foxes in Michigan?
The fox list, resident: Base license ($11); Fur harvester license ($15); Incidental tag (Free).
Is the take of red and gray foxes capped in Michigan?
Residents: no limit per season; nonresidents: no limit.
Which public properties in Michigan list red and gray foxes?
Begin with Michigan State Forest System, Ottawa National Forest and Huron-Manistee National Forest, the biggest of 5 on the list. Not every record spells out the animal; some list its group.
Red and Gray Fox checklist
For red and gray foxes on public ground, read the property page as well as the statewide rules.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Geological Survey (CC0 1.0); San Bernardino Nat'l Forest (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); Jim, the Photographer (CC BY 2.0).