Minnesota › Species › Eurasian Collared-Dove
Unprotected
Minnesota Eurasian Collared-Dove hunting, 2026-27
The rules that remain for Eurasian collared doves, an unprotected species in Minnesota.
Photo: cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Unprotected status for Eurasian collared doves means no season and no limit; methods, places and safety rules are still in force.
How the booklet sums up Eurasian collared doves
- Keep: No limit.
- Dates in brief: Any time.
- Worth knowing: Unprotected bird.
DNR source page (as of Sep 15, 2026), checked October 28, 2026.
Eurasian Collared-Dove season dates for 2026-27
Read the collared dove rows by area: deer permit areas, bear areas, waterfowl zones or furbearer zones where they apply.
| Season | Where | Bag | Opens | Closes | Days | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continuous | Statewide | No limit | Every month | Year-round |
Eurasian Collared-Dove season notes
- 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.
What to know afield for Eurasian collared doves
Year-round and license-free: that is the rule for Eurasian collared doves, with lights and motor vehicles excluded.
Outside the deer gun weeks there is no blaze requirement for Eurasian collared doves; inside them, orange or pink above the waist is the law for all hunters and trappers afield.
Seasons for Eurasian collared doves run straight through the weekends.
booklet shooting hours, blaze rules, validation and registration, checked October 28, 2026.
Legal species groups, with Eurasian collared doves in mind
| Group | Species | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Big game (97A.015 subd. 3) | deer, moose, elk, bear, antelope, caribou | Open seasons only for deer, bear and elk; no open season on moose, antelope or caribou (booklet p. 32). |
| 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). |
| 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.
What you can hunt instead of Eurasian collared doves
| Species | Season | Where | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mourning Dove | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 |
| Rock Pigeon | Unprotected | Statewide | All year | |
| House Sparrow | Unprotected | Statewide | All year | |
| Monk Parakeet | Unprotected | Statewide | All year |
DNR booklet, checked October 28, 2026.
Questions about Eurasian collared doves
What is on the unprotected bird list?
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).
Are drones allowed for Eurasian collared doves?
The rule that applies to Eurasian collared doves: 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.
Do Eurasian collared doves have a season in Minnesota?
All year. Any time.
Is there a weekday rule for Eurasian collared doves?
Yes. Neither the booklet nor chapter 97B closes Sundays, so Eurasian collared doves may be hunted any day of the week.
What blaze rule applies to Eurasian collared doves?
Outside the deer gun weeks there is no blaze requirement for Eurasian collared doves; inside them, orange or pink above the waist is the law for all hunters and trappers afield.
How many Eurasian collared doves can I take?
No limit. That is the 2026-27 figure.
Are there setbacks for shooting Eurasian collared doves?
Yes, trespass law covers Eurasian collared doves 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.
What rules still apply to Eurasian collared doves?
No license, no closed season and no limit for Eurasian collared doves; just no artificial lights and no motor vehicles.
Can a nonresident shoot Eurasian collared doves without a license?
No license required for residents or nonresidents to take unprotected species, including coyote.
Can I shoot Eurasian collared doves on state WMAs?
Only from Sept. 1 to the end of February on WMAs, unless you are hunting a protected species at the time.
What are the light rules for Eurasian collared doves?
The rule that applies to Eurasian collared doves: 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.
Other photos on this page: Cindy Sue Causey (CC BY 2.0); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).