Unprotected
Minnesota Chukar hunting, 2026-27
Chukar partridges: year-round, license-free, and the limits on how.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Chukar partridges are unprotected in Minnesota: no season, no limit and no license needed, though artificial lights and motor vehicles are still off limits.
Chukar at a glance
- Bag limit: No limit.
- Methods: Any time.
- Notes: Unprotected bird.
DNR source page (as of Sep 15, 2026), checked October 28, 2026.
When chukar partridges are open in Minnesota
These are the 2026-27 chukar rows; state game refuges, state parks and special hunts can add their own rules.
| Segment | Area | Limit | First day | Last day | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continuous | Statewide | No limit | No closing date | Year-round |
Fine print for chukar partridges
- No license required for residents or nonresidents to take unprotected species, including coyote. On WMAs unprotected animals only Sept. 1-end of February unless hunting a protected species.
From booklet p. 65, checked October 28, 2026.
Field rules for chukar partridges
Chukar partridges have no protection in season or bag, though the light and vehicle bans still apply.
Blaze orange or pink matters for chukar partridges only from the Nov. 7 firearms deer opener through the muzzleloader season, when it applies to everyone afield.
Minnesota has no Sunday restriction; every chukar season runs seven days a week.
booklet shooting hours, blaze rules, validation and registration, checked October 28, 2026.
How chapter 97A groups chukar partridges
| Group | Species | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Game birds (97A.015 subd. 24) | migratory waterfowl, ring-necked pheasant, ruffed grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, Canada spruce grouse, prairie chickens, gray partridge, bobwhite quail, wild turk | Bobwhite quail have no season (booklet p. 32). |
| Migratory game birds (booklet definition) | ducks, geese, mergansers, coots, moorhens (gallinules), woodcock, rails, snipe, sandhill cranes, mourning doves | Migratory waterfowl = ducks, geese and mergansers (statute adds swans, which have no season). |
| Unprotected wild animals (97A.015 subd. 53; booklet p. 32) | coyote, plains pocket gopher, porcupine, red/pine squirrel, striped skunk, woodchuck, unprotected birds | May be taken at any time in any manner except with artificial lights or by motor vehicle; no license needed. Booklet adds red squirrel and woodchuck. |
| 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). |
From Minnesota Statutes 97A.015 and the DNR booklet, checked October 28, 2026.
Huntable species related to chukar partridges
| Species | Season | Where | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hungarian Partridge | Regular | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 |
| Ring-necked Pheasant | Regular | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 |
| Rock Pigeon | Unprotected | Statewide | All year |
DNR booklet, checked October 28, 2026.
Chukar: common questions
Which birds may be taken any time?
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).
Do any days close for chukar partridges?
Sundays are open for chukar partridges, like every other day of the season.
Are chukar partridges open all year?
Every month is open. Any time.
What limits apply to chukar partridges in Minnesota?
No limit.
Must chukar hunters wear orange?
Blaze orange or pink matters for chukar partridges only from the Nov. 7 firearms deer opener through the muzzleloader season, when it applies to everyone afield.
Is there a limit on chukar partridges?
For chukar partridges, the only method limits are the bans on artificial lights and on taking them by motor vehicle.
Does posted land matter for chukar partridges?
Yes, trespass law covers chukar partridges too: 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.
Can I take chukar partridges on a WMA?
On WMAs, chukar partridges may be taken Sept. 1 through the end of February, or while lawfully hunting a protected species.
Can nonresidents take chukar partridges?
No license required for residents or nonresidents to take unprotected species, including coyote.
Can chukar partridges be taken at night with lights?
The rule that applies to chukar partridges: 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.
Can radios be used for chukar partridges?
The rule that applies to chukar partridges: no drones or radios/cell phones to take big or small game (including recovery); radios allowed for unprotected animals; no electronic or motorized deer decoys; remote callers allowed for crows, furbearers and unprotected animals.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Mike's Birds (CC BY-SA 2.0); ilouque (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).