Big game
Elk: Minnesota hunting rules for 2026-27
Dates by unit or zone, limits, licenses and where to go for elk.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
The elk calendar for 2026-27 covers Sep 12 to Oct 4, 2026; licenses, limits, legal light and land follow below.
Elk: the short version
- Limits: 1 elk per once-in-a-lifetime license (12 licenses in 2026).
- Season shape: Sept. 12-20 (A-F) and Sept. 26-Oct. 4 (G); firearms or archery; residents only by lottery.
- More: Zones 10 (Grygla), 20 and 30 (Kittson County).
DNR source page (as of Oct 28, 2026), checked October 28, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
Elk dates, 2026-27
Each elk row with its area, limit and length in days.
| Season | Covers | Bag | Opening | Closing | Span | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season A, either-sex | Zone 10 (Grygla) | Full limit below | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 9 | |
| Season B, antlerless | Zone 10 (Grygla) | Full limit below | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 9 | |
| Season C, either-sex | Zone 20 (Kittson central) | Full limit below | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 9 | |
| Season D, antlerless | Zone 20 (Kittson central) | Full limit below | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 9 | |
| Season E, either-sex | Zone 30 (Kittson northeast) | Full limit below | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 9 | |
| Season F, antlerless | Zone 30 (Kittson northeast) | Full limit below | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 9 | |
| Season G, antlerless | Zone 30 (Kittson northeast) | Full limit below | Sep 26, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | 9 |
Notes on the elk rows
- 1 license(s); once-in-a-lifetime, residents only, lottery (applications closed; 2027 applications open May 2027). Mandatory orientation the Friday before the hunt.
- Season A, either-sex, limit: 1 either-sex elk per license (a party of two shares one license).
- Season B, antlerless, limit: 1 antlerless elk per license (a party of two shares one license).
- Season C, either-sex, limit: 1 either-sex elk per license (a party of two shares one license).
- 2 license(s); once-in-a-lifetime, residents only, lottery (applications closed; 2027 applications open May 2027). Mandatory orientation the Friday before the hunt.
- Season D, antlerless, limit: 1 antlerless elk per license (a party of two shares one license).
- Season E, either-sex, limit: 1 either-sex elk per license (a party of two shares one license).
- Season F, antlerless, limit: 1 antlerless elk per license (a party of two shares one license).
- 4 license(s); once-in-a-lifetime, residents only, lottery (applications closed; 2027 applications open May 2027). Mandatory orientation the Friday before the hunt.
- Season G, antlerless, limit: 1 antlerless elk per license (a party of two shares one license).
From DNR page, checked October 28, 2026.
Elk seasons by zone
| Season | Zone | Licenses | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season A, either-sex | Zone 10 (Grygla) | 1 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 |
| Season B, antlerless | Zone 10 (Grygla) | 1 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 |
| Season C, either-sex | Zone 20 (Kittson central) | 1 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 |
| Season D, antlerless | Zone 20 (Kittson central) | 2 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 |
| Season E, either-sex | Zone 30 (Kittson northeast) | 1 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 |
| Season F, antlerless | Zone 30 (Kittson northeast) | 2 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 |
| Season G, antlerless | Zone 30 (Kittson northeast) | 4 | Sep 26, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Zones 10, 20 and 30
| Zone | Name | Counties |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Grygla Elk Zone | Beltrami · |
| 20 | Kittson County Central Elk Zone | |
| 30 | Kittson County Northeast Elk Zone |
Elk range is mainly Kittson and Marshall counties; individual elk appear more widely.
DNR elk page, checked October 28, 2026.
Bag limits and license costs for elk
| Applies to | Limit |
|---|---|
| Elk | 1 elk per license (either-sex or antlerless as licensed); once in a lifetime. |
Fees for elk hunting
| License | Residency | Who | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk application | resident | Residents only | $4 (booklet; DNR elk page: $5 |
The license year for small game runs March 1 to the end of February; deer, bear and turkey licenses follow their seasons.
DNR page, booklet p. 19, checked October 28, 2026.
State and federal land for elk
0 WMAs list elk; across every land type the count is 2 (2 refuges).
| Place | Type | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agassiz | NWR | 63,799 | |
| Northern Tallgrass Prairie | NWR | Lincoln · | 6,030 |
Species tags come from the DNR WMA pages (and the 50 CFR hunt lists for federal land), not from guesswork. Firearms on WMAs stay cased and unloaded except while hunting.
DNR WMA finder and WMA rules, checked October 28, 2026.
What to know afield for elk
For elk the DNR clock brackets the sun by 30 minutes on both ends, so the evening sit lasts past sunset.
The orange-or-pink rule is written for the firearms and muzzleloader deer seasons, which open Nov. 7, and the elk seasons close by Oct. 4, before it.
Validation happens at the kill site (app or paper license) and registration follows online or at a walk-in station; the old phone line is gone. Elk are validated at the kill site and registered.
The elk season includes every Sunday.
booklet shooting hours, blaze rules, validation and registration, checked October 28, 2026.
Elk: sunrise, sunset and legal time
Sunrise in Clay County comes later than in St. Louis County, so the elk window shifts across the state; times are computed for each county centre.
| Day | Event | County | First sun | Last sun | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Opening day | Clay | 6:58 a.m. | 7:47 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 8:17 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Opening day | Ramsey | 6:46 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 8:02 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Opening day | St. Louis | 6:42 a.m. | 7:31 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 8:01 p.m. |
| Oct 4, 2026 | Season close | Clay | 7:27 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. |
| Oct 4, 2026 | Season close | Ramsey | 7:12 a.m. | 6:50 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. |
| Oct 4, 2026 | Season close | St. Louis | 7:11 a.m. | 6:46 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 7:16 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.
Elk legal methods
| Weapons | Legal | Not legal |
|---|---|---|
| Big game firearms (deer, bear, elk) | Rifle, shotgun or handgun .220 caliber or larger with centerfire ignition, single projectile, soft point or expanding bullet; muzzleloaders loaded at the muzzle (smooth-bore .45+, rifled .40+; scopes legal). Statewide since the 2025 shotgun-zone repeal except counties with shotgun-only ordinances. | Full metal jacket bullets, multiple projectiles (buckshot), breech-loaded or cylinder-loaded black powder revolvers, firearms larger than 10 gauge. |
Elk and the general hunting laws
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Wanton waste | May not waste a protected wild animal by failing to use usable parts; migratory birds must be retrieved. |
| Duty to render aid | A person who believes a shot injured someone must check and give reasonable help. |
| Drones and radios | 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. |
| Shooting from vehicles and roads | No taking wild animals with a firearm or bow from a motor vehicle (except disability permit holders); no shooting at big game on or within the right-of-way of improved public roads. |
booklet p. 16, booklet p. 37, booklet p. 38, booklet p. 79, checked October 28, 2026.
Elk questions
What is the bag limit for elk?
For 2026-27: 1 elk per once-in-a-lifetime license (12 licenses in 2026).
What license do I need for elk?
Prices for 2026-27: Elk application (resident, Residents only): $4 (booklet; DNR elk page: $5 per hunter).
What are shooting hours for elk?
For elk the DNR clock brackets the sun by 30 minutes on both ends, so the evening sit lasts past sunset.
Is blaze orange or pink required for elk?
The orange-or-pink rule is written for the firearms and muzzleloader deer seasons, which open Nov. 7, and the elk seasons close by Oct. 4, before it.
Are there tags for elk?
Validation happens at the kill site (app or paper license) and registration follows online or at a walk-in station; the old phone line is gone. Elk are validated at the kill site and registered.
Can I use a rifle for elk?
Per the weapons rules: Rifle, shotgun or handgun .220 caliber or larger with centerfire ignition, single projectile, soft point or expanding bullet; muzzleloaders loaded at the muzzle (smooth-bore .45+, rifled .40+; scopes legal). Statewide since the 2025 shotgun-zone repeal except counties with shotgun-only ordinances.
When do elk applications open?
Yes, a once-in-a-lifetime license; a party of two shares one license.
Does Minnesota limit Sunday hunting for elk?
Minnesota sets no day-of-week limits, so Sunday elk hunting is allowed.
What are the 2026-27 dates for elk?
Sep 12 to Oct 4, 2026 across 7 dated rows. Sept. 12-20 (A-F) and Sept. 26-Oct. 4 (G); firearms or archery; residents only by lottery.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).