Furbearers
Badger: Minnesota hunting rules for 2026-27
Dates by unit or zone, limits, licenses and where to go for badgers.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
The badger calendar for 2026-27 covers Oct 17, 2026 to Mar 15, 2027; licenses, limits, legal light and land follow below.
Badger: the short version
- Limits: No limit.
- Season shape: North Oct. 17-Mar. 15; south Oct. 24-Mar. 15; hunting or trapping.
DNR source page (as of Sep 15, 2026), checked October 28, 2026.
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Badger dates, 2026-27
Each badger row with its area, limit and length in days.
| Season | Covers | Bag | Opening | Closing | Span | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting (north): American Badger | North Furbearer Zone | No limit | Oct 17, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | 150 | |
| Hunting (south): American Badger | South Furbearer Zone | No limit | Oct 24, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | 143 | |
| Trapping (north zone): Raccoon | North Furbearer Zone | No limit | Oct 17, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | 150 | |
| Trapping (south zone): Raccoon | South Furbearer Zone | No limit | Oct 24, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | 143 |
Notes on the badger rows
- 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset; 9 a.m. to sunset on opening day
- Trap setting/tending 5 a.m.-10 p.m.; not before 9 a.m. on opening day for fox, badger, opossum, raccoon
From booklet p. 65, booklet p. 66, checked October 28, 2026.
North and south seasons for badgers
North Furbearer Zone is north of the I-94/US 10 line (Moorhead-St. Paul-Hastings); South Furbearer Zone is south of it.
DNR booklet furbearer page, booklet WMA trapping rules, checked October 28, 2026.
Bag limits and license costs for badgers
Fees for badger hunting
| License | Residency | Who | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small game license | resident | Adult 18-64 | $22 |
| Junior trapping | resident | Age 13-17 | $5 |
| Adult trapping | resident | Age 18-64 | $23 |
| Senior trapping | resident | Age 65+ | $11.50 |
| Small game license | nonresident | Adult 18+ | $102 |
| Trapping, landowner only | nonresident | Landowners | $84 |
| Raccoon or bobcat license | nonresident | Hunters/trappers | $183 |
The license year for small game runs March 1 to the end of February; deer, bear and turkey licenses follow their seasons.
booklet p. 18, booklet p. 20, booklet p. 22, checked October 28, 2026.
Badger rules in the field
The badger day ends at sunset; it opens half an hour before sunrise, or at 9 a.m. on day one.
The blaze requirement for badgers is one visible orange or pink item above the waist when deer gun seasons are closed.
The badger season includes every Sunday.
booklet shooting hours, blaze rules, validation and registration, checked October 28, 2026.
Badger: sunrise, sunset and legal time
Sunrise in Clay County comes later than in St. Louis County, so the badger window shifts across the state; times are computed for each county centre.
| Day | Event | County | First sun | Last sun | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 2026 | Opening day | Clay | 7:45 a.m. | 6:37 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Opening day | Ramsey | 7:29 a.m. | 6:26 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. to 6:26 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Opening day | St. Louis | 7:30 a.m. | 6:21 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. to 6:21 p.m. |
| Mar 15, 2027 | Season close | Clay | 7:41 a.m. | 7:30 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
| Mar 15, 2027 | Season close | Ramsey | 7:27 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. |
| Mar 15, 2027 | Season close | St. Louis | 7:25 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:14 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.
Badger legal methods
Badger and the general hunting laws
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Night vision and thermal | Banned while taking wild animals except fox and coyote hunting (not during firearms deer season) or with weapons cased in a trunk. |
| Trap checks | Non-drowning traps tended every calendar day; drowning and body-grip traps every third day; no trap in place after season close; traps identified with DL number, ID number, name/address or MDNR number. |
| Artificial lights (shining) | No shining while possessing a weapon; no shining from 2 hours after sunset to sunrise; no shining posted land or fenced agricultural land, residences or building sites from a vehicle. |
| Sale of game | Hides, bones, antlers, teeth, claws, sinew may be sold (not migratory birds); flesh of beaver, muskrat, raccoon, rabbits and hares may be sold; no sale of bear meat or gall bladders; bear paws only on the hide. |
booklet p. 36, booklet p. 37, booklet p. 69, checked October 28, 2026.
Badger questions
Does Minnesota limit Sunday hunting for badgers?
Minnesota sets no day-of-week limits, so Sunday badger hunting is allowed.
What are the 2026-27 dates for badgers?
Oct 17, 2026 to Mar 15, 2027 across 4 dated rows. North Oct. 17-Mar. 15; south Oct. 24-Mar. 15; hunting or trapping.
What is the bag limit for badgers?
For 2026-27: No limit.
What license do I need for badgers?
Prices for 2026-27: Small game license (resident, Adult 18-64): $22; Junior trapping (resident, Age 13-17): $5; Adult trapping (resident, Age 18-64): $23; Senior trapping (resident, Age 65+): $11.50; Small game license (nonresident, Adult 18+): $102.
What are shooting hours for badgers?
The badger day ends at sunset; it opens half an hour before sunrise, or at 9 a.m. on day one.
Is blaze orange or pink required for badgers?
The blaze requirement for badgers is one visible orange or pink item above the waist when deer gun seasons are closed.
Why do badger seasons open later in the south?
Two, North and South, divided by I-94/US 10.
What are the trapping license rules?
For badgers: trapping license plus small game license (16+); residents under 13 need no trapping license; nonresidents may trap only their own land.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Jim, the Photographer (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).