Minnesota › Species › Canada Lynx
No season
Canada Lynx: closed in Minnesota
Why Canada lynx have no Minnesota season, with the law behind it.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Minnesota opens no season on Canada lynx in 2026-27. The DNR booklet and chapter 97A explain why, and the open seasons nearest to it are listed further down.
The DNR line on Canada lynx
- Bag: Protected
- Background: Lynx management zone trapping rules.
DNR source page (as of Sep 15, 2026), checked October 28, 2026.
Canada Lynx status in Minnesota
- No open season; incidentally killed lynx may not be possessed without CO authorization.
- Lynx management zone trapping rules.
- Canada lynx: No open season; incidentally killed lynx may not be possessed or transported without CO authorization; special snare rules in the lynx management zone (east and north of US 53).
Legal class: Small game (97A.015 subd. 45). No season follows from it in 2026-27.
booklet p. 32, booklet p. 71, checked October 28, 2026.
Canada Lynx dates, 2026-27
The lynx calendar has 1 line; unit and zone links lead to the pages where dates change by area.
| Row | Zone | Take | Begins | Through | Days | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No season | Statewide | Closed | Closed |
Lynx season footnotes
- No open season; incidentally killed lynx may not be possessed without CO authorization.
From booklet p. 32, checked October 28, 2026.
Instead of Canada lynx, try these
| Species | Season | Where | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bobcat | Hunt and trap (north) | North Furbearer Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 |
| Bobcat | Hunt and trap (south) | South Furbearer Zone | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 |
| Fisher | Trapping (north zone) | North Furbearer Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 |
| Fisher | Trapping (south zone, fisher only) | South Furbearer Zone | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 |
DNR booklet, checked October 28, 2026.
Law enforcement and Canada lynx
| Rule | Penalty |
|---|---|
| General game and fish violations | Misdemeanor unless otherwise stated (violating, aiding, sharing proceeds, false statements, rules). |
| Gross overlimit | Taking, possessing or transporting wild animals over the limit, in closed season or without a license when restitution value exceeds $1,000 is a gross misdemeanor. |
| Restitution | Violators owe the state the value of animals killed, injured or possessed (values set by rule under 97A.345; doubled for animal-cruelty cases); credited to the game and fish fund. |
| License revocation after conviction | Licenses void after game and fish convictions; generally no license of that kind for 1 year; 3 years after selling game worth $300+; gross overlimits: 10 years (restitution $2,000+), 5 years ($1,000-$2,000 or repeat over $500), 3 years for that animal type (over $500); separate big game rules (subd. 3). |
| Seizure and confiscation | Unlawfully taken animals and equipment (firearms, traps, bows) may be seized and confiscated; restitution in addition to fines. |
Report a violation to the Turn In Poachers line, 800-652-9093, any hour.
Minnesota Statutes 97A.301 and booklet TIP page, checked October 28, 2026.
Minnesota wildlife off limits, Canada lynx included
| Species | Rule |
|---|---|
| Gray (timber) wolf | No open season; may be taken only in defense of human life or as allowed by 97B.645 (report within 48 hours). Shooting a wolf mistaken for a coyote is illegal. |
| Swans (tundra, trumpeter) | Not legal game birds; do not shoot white birds with black bills and legs. |
| Nongame migratory birds | Illegal to kill (federal). |
| Collared or ear-tagged research bears | DNR asks hunters not to shoot collared bears. |
| Elk outside a licensed elk hunt | Shooting an elk mistaken for a deer is illegal; elk range centers on Kittson and Marshall counties. |
| Wild animals in burrows or dens | No disturbing any burrow or den Nov. 1-Apr. 1 without a permit. |
From the DNR booklet and Minnesota Statutes 97A.015, checked October 28, 2026.
Where Canada lynx sit in Minnesota wildlife law
| Group | Species | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Small game (97A.015 subd. 45) | game birds, gray squirrel, fox squirrel, cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, jack rabbit, raccoon, lynx, bobcat, short-tailed weasel, long-tailed weasel, wolf, re | No open season on lynx, wolf, cougar or wolverine. |
| Fur-bearing animals (97A.015 subd. 22) | mammals that are protected wild animals, except big game | Seasons for raccoon, foxes, badger, opossum, weasels, bobcat, fisher, pine marten, mink, muskrat, beaver, otter. |
| Unprotected birds | house (English) sparrow, European starling, common pigeon, Eurasian collared dove, chukar partridge, quail other than northern bobwhite, monk parakeet | Booklet list. Statute 97A.015 subd. 52 also lists cormorant and mute swan and omits monk parakeet (flagged). |
| Predators (97A.015 subd. 37) | wolf, coyote, fox, lynx, bobcat | Predator hunters are exempt from the small game blaze rule. |
From Minnesota Statutes 97A.015 and the DNR booklet, checked October 28, 2026.
Answers on Canada lynx
What if a lynx is caught in a trap?
East and north of US 53: land snares 8-10 in. loops, 5/64-1/8 in. wire, anchored, loop stop 3 1/4 in., one-piece lock, no fence/vegetation reach, 7 ft max length, 1+ swivel; foothold traps over 6 1/2 in. banned on dry land; body-grip 5-7 1/2 in. traps half-sub
Which DNR page lists Canada lynx?
See page 71 of the DNR booklet.
Is lynx hunting allowed in Minnesota?
The booklet gives none. No open season; incidentally killed lynx may not be possessed without CO authorization.
Are there fines for killing Canada lynx?
Violators owe the state the value of animals killed, injured or possessed (values set by rule under 97A.345; doubled for animal-cruelty cases); credited to the game and fish fund.
What can be hunted that resembles Canada lynx?
For 2026-27: Bobcat (Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 17, 2027) and Fisher (Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 17, 2027).
What legal group are Canada lynx in?
In law they are part of Small game (97A.015 subd. 45). No open season on lynx, wolf, cougar or wolverine.
Is there a hotline for lynx violations?
Turn In Poachers 24-hour hotline 800-652-9093.
Are other big animals closed too?
The booklet gives no season to Moose, Caribou, Pronghorn, Bobwhite Quail, Swans, Gray Wolf, Cougar, Wolverine and Eastern Spotted Skunk.
Is lynx trapping legal?
No season means no trapping of Canada lynx.
Other photos on this page: btrentler (CC BY 2.0); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0).