Minnesota › Species › Gray Squirrel
Small game
Minnesota Gray Squirrel hunting, 2026-27
Minnesota gray squirrel seasons and rules for 2026-27.
Photo: DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0)
This guide follows the 2026-27 DNR booklet for gray squirrels: the first legal day is Sep 19, 2026 and the last is Feb 28, 2027, each row with its source.
Gray squirrel rules in one list
- Bag limit: 7 daily combined with fox squirrel; 14 possession.
- Methods: Sept. 19-Feb. 28.
- Notes: Red (pine) squirrels are unprotected.
DNR source page (as of Sep 15, 2026), checked October 28, 2026.
GearHeading out for small game season? Small game gear checklist →
When gray squirrels are open in Minnesota
These are the 2026-27 gray squirrel rows; state game refuges, state parks and special hunts can add their own rules.
| Segment | Area | Limit | First day | Last day | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | Statewide | 7 combined daily; 14 possession | Sep 19, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 163 |
Fine print for gray squirrels
- Shooting hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset. Small game license (16+); blaze orange/pink article above the waist when no firearms deer season is open.
From booklet p. 57, checked October 28, 2026.
Gray Squirrel: limits, licenses, stamps
| Row | What you may take |
|---|---|
| Squirrels | Gray and fox squirrel 7 combined daily, 14 possession. |
| Party hunting (small game) | Members of a party (2+ in unaided visual and vocal contact) may take game for each other up to the combined limits; each may transport only an individual limit. Not allowed for migratory birds. |
Buying a gray squirrel license
| License | Residency | Who | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small game license | resident | Under 16 | Free (not required) |
| Small game license | resident | Youth 16-17 | $5 |
| Small game license | resident | Adult 18-64 | $22 |
| Small game license | resident | Senior 65+ | $13.50 |
| 72-hour small game license | resident | Adult 18+ | $19 |
| Walk-In Access validation | resident | All ages | $3 |
| Walk-In Access validation | nonresident | All ages | $3 |
| Small game license | nonresident | Under 16 | Not required |
| Small game license | nonresident | Youth 16-17 | $5 |
| Small game license | nonresident | Adult 18+ | $102 |
| 72-hour small game license | nonresident | Adult 18+ | $75 |
Anyone born after Dec. 31, 1979 needs a firearms safety certificate or an apprentice validation to buy a firearm hunting license.
booklet p. 18, booklet p. 19, booklet p. 20, booklet p. 56, checked October 28, 2026.
Public land for gray squirrels
Public ground for gray squirrels: 1360 WMAs. The table shows the largest WMAs by acreage.
| Place | Type | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Lake | WMA | Beltrami · | 322,246 |
| Roseau River | WMA | Roseau · | 75,163 |
| Thief Lake | WMA | Beltrami · | 54,650 |
| Mille Lacs | WMA | Kanabec · | 38,678 |
| Lac qui Parle | WMA | 33,623 | |
| Wapiti | WMA | Beltrami · | 31,759 |
| Beaches Lake | WMA | Kittson · | 30,623 |
| Whitewater | WMA | Wabasha · | 27,451 |
| Carlos Avery | WMA | Chisago · | 24,598 |
| Moose River | WMA | 21,273 | |
| Mud Goose | WMA | 17,011 | |
| Moose Willow | WMA | 16,946 |
WMA game lists are the DNR’s own; WPAs and refuges use their federal hunting categories. On WMAs, vehicles use only designated roads and parking, target shooting is banned and stands are removed each day.
DNR WMA finder and WMA rules, checked October 28, 2026.
Field rules for gray squirrels
For gray squirrels, legal time opens half an hour ahead of sunrise and closes at sunset, without the big game evening half hour.
Small game rules ask gray squirrel hunters for one blaze orange or pink item above the waist, and during the firearms deer season the full deer rule applies.
Minnesota has no Sunday restriction; every gray squirrel season runs seven days a week.
booklet shooting hours, blaze rules, validation and registration, checked October 28, 2026.
Gray Squirrel legal hours on key dates
Computed times, not DNR tables: the booklet now refers hunters to NOAA, so this table applies the gray squirrel rule to the sun at three county centres.
| Day | Why | County | Sun up | Sun down | Shooting time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | First day | Clay | 7:07 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. |
| Sep 19, 2026 | First day | Ramsey | 6:54 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. |
| Sep 19, 2026 | First day | St. Louis | 6:51 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Last legal day | Clay | 7:10 a.m. | 6:08 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 6:08 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Last legal day | Ramsey | 6:54 a.m. | 5:57 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 5:57 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Last legal day | St. Louis | 6:55 a.m. | 5:52 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 5:52 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.
Legal gear and laws for gray squirrels
Gray Squirrel: rules from the statutes
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Trespass and agricultural land | 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. |
| Hunter harassment | No preventing or disrupting lawful hunting or trapping, including disturbing animals to do so. |
| Road-killed animals | A possession permit (from a CO or local law enforcement) is required. |
| 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. 37, booklet p. 38, Minnesota Statutes 97B.001, checked October 28, 2026.
Gray Squirrel: common questions
When can I hunt gray squirrels in Minnesota?
Sept. 19-Feb. 28. Overall that spans Sep 19, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027.
What limits apply to gray squirrels in Minnesota?
7 daily combined with fox squirrel; 14 possession.
How much does a gray squirrel license cost?
The main items are Small game license (resident, Under 16): Free (not required); Small game license (resident, Youth 16-17): $5; Small game license (resident, Adult 18-64): $22; Small game license (resident, Senior 65+): $13.50; 72-hour small game license (resident, Adult 18+): $19.
When does legal light end for gray squirrels?
For gray squirrels, legal time opens half an hour ahead of sunrise and closes at sunset, without the big game evening half hour.
Must gray squirrel hunters wear orange?
Small game rules ask gray squirrel hunters for one blaze orange or pink item above the waist, and during the firearms deer season the full deer rule applies.
What public ground holds gray squirrels?
Red Lake WMA, Roseau River WMA, Thief Lake WMA are the biggest of 1,360 WMAs that name gray squirrels.
Is party hunting allowed for gray squirrels?
Yes for gray squirrels: members of a party (2+ in unaided visual and vocal contact) may take game for each other up to the combined limits; each may transport only an individual limit. Each hunter may carry only one limit of gray squirrels.
Is Walk-In Access open for gray squirrels?
Walk-In Access is open to gray squirrel hunters: 23,000 acres at 230+ private sites open Sept. 1-May 31 with a $3 validation; no vehicles, trapping, dog training, target shooting or camping.
Do any days close for gray squirrels?
Sundays are open for gray squirrels, like every other day of the season.
Other photos on this page: grendelkhan (CC BY-SA 2.0); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0); Alabama Extension (CC0 1.0).