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Migratory birds
Mourning Dove: Minnesota hunting rules for 2026-27
Every 2026-27 Minnesota row for mourning doves, with sources.
Photo: cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
What a Minnesota dove hunter needs for 2026-27 is gathered here: 1 segment from Sep 1, 2026, each linked to its DNR page.
The DNR line on mourning doves
- Bag: 15 daily; 45 possession.
- Dates and methods: Sept. 1-Nov. 29; shotgun; HIP required.
DNR source page (as of Sep 15, 2026), checked October 28, 2026.
GearHeading out for small game season? Small game gear checklist →
Mourning Dove opening and closing days
The dove calendar has 2 lines; unit and zone links lead to the pages where dates change by area.
| Row | Zone | Take | Begins | Through | Days | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular: Mourning dove | Statewide | 15 daily; 45 possession | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 90 | |
| Falconry: woodcock, rails, doves and snipe | Statewide | 3 combined daily; 9 possession | Sep 1, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | 107 |
Dove season footnotes
- HIP certification required; doves may be transported fully dressed.
From booklet p. 50, booklet p. 57, checked October 28, 2026.
Mourning Dove limits and licenses
| Limit for | Booklet text |
|---|---|
| Mourning dove | 15 daily, 45 possession. |
Mourning Dove license prices
| License | Residency | Who | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small game license | resident | Adult 18-64 | $22 |
| Small game license | resident | Senior 65+ | $13.50 |
| Small game license | nonresident | Adult 18+ | $102 |
| HIP certification | both | Free |
Every license is electronic now: buy it online, by phone or from an agent, and carry it on paper or in the app.
booklet p. 18, booklet p. 20, booklet p. 26, booklet p. 57, checked October 28, 2026.
Mourning Dove on WMAs and federal land
Big tracts first: these WMAs top the 412 that list mourning doves (259,637 acres together).
| Place | Type | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lac qui Parle | WMA | 33,623 | |
| Whitewater | WMA | Wabasha · | 27,451 |
| Carlos Avery | WMA | Chisago · | 24,598 |
| East Park | WMA | Marshall · | 10,427 |
| Twin Lakes | WMA | 8,874 | |
| Skull Lake | WMA | 7,452 | |
| Gores Pool #3 | WMA | Dakota · | 7,103 |
| Talcot Lake | WMA | 5,319 | |
| Rothsay | WMA | 4,089 | |
| Pelan | WMA | 3,640 | |
| Hubbel Pond | WMA | 3,516 | |
| Swan Lake | WMA | Nicollet · | 3,394 |
The list uses the game species named on each DNR WMA detail page and the federal hunt categories for WPAs and refuges. Camping on WMAs only in designated areas or by permit; no equipment left overnight.
DNR WMA finder and WMA rules, checked October 28, 2026.
How the booklet regulates dove hunting
Minnesota lists mourning doves among the species hunted from sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset.
For mourning doves, camouflage is fine; the deer-season orange rule bites only when you move about afield during the gun weeks.
Federal rules bar hunting mourning doves over bait, and an area stays baited for 10 days after the bait is removed.
A HIP receipt is part of the dove license, and transported birds keep one wing.
You may hunt mourning doves on Sundays like any other day.
booklet shooting hours, blaze rules, validation and registration, checked October 28, 2026.
Computed dove hours by county
The 2026 booklet stopped printing sunrise and sunset tables, so these dove hours are computed for three county centres on Central Time, from Moorhead in the west to the Arrowhead.
| Date | Season point | County | Sunrise | Sunset | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Opening | Clay | 6:44 a.m. | 8:08 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 8:08 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Opening | Ramsey | 6:33 a.m. | 7:52 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Opening | St. Louis | 6:27 a.m. | 7:53 p.m. | 5:57 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. |
| Nov 29, 2026 | Final day | Clay | 7:48 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. |
| Nov 29, 2026 | Final day | Ramsey | 7:28 a.m. | 4:34 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. |
| Nov 29, 2026 | Final day | St. Louis | 7:34 a.m. | 4:23 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 4:23 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.
Weapons and rules for dove hunting
Legal points for mourning doves
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Waterfowl blinds and decoys | No blinds/decoys in public waters more than 1 hour before the season opens; decoys no more than 2 hours before shooting time and not left out overnight or unattended over 3 hours; no permanent blinds or sink boxes. |
| 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. |
| Wanton waste | May not waste a protected wild animal by failing to use usable parts; migratory birds must be retrieved. |
booklet p. 37, booklet p. 38, booklet p. 43, Minnesota Statutes 97B.055, checked October 28, 2026.
Answers on mourning doves
How many mourning doves per day or season?
Limit: 15 daily; 45 possession.
When does dove hunting open in Minnesota for 2026-27?
Opening Sep 1, 2026, closing Nov 29, 2026: Sept. 1-Nov. 29; shotgun; HIP required.
How early can I shoot mourning doves?
Minnesota lists mourning doves among the species hunted from sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset.
What do I buy before hunting mourning doves?
From the booklet fee tables: Small game license (resident, Adult 18-64): $22; Small game license (resident, Senior 65+): $13.50; Small game license (nonresident, Adult 18+): $102; HIP certification (both, Migratory bird hunters (not sandhill crane)): Free.
What is the validation rule for mourning doves?
A HIP receipt is part of the dove license, and transported birds keep one wing.
Do I need blaze orange to hunt mourning doves?
For mourning doves, camouflage is fine; the deer-season orange rule bites only when you move about afield during the gun weeks.
Where can I hunt mourning doves on public land?
412 WMAs name the species on their DNR pages; the largest are Lac qui Parle WMA, Whitewater WMA, Carlos Avery WMA.
What are the bait rules for mourning doves?
Federal rules bar hunting mourning doves over bait, and an area stays baited for 10 days after the bait is removed.
Are Sundays closed for mourning doves?
Every day is legal for mourning doves, Sundays included.
Other photos on this page: ImagePerson (CC BY 4.0); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Mike's Birds (CC BY-SA 2.0).