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Pine Marten: Minnesota trapping rules for 2026-27
Every 2026-27 Minnesota row for pine martens, with sources.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
What a Minnesota marten hunter needs for 2026-27 is gathered here: 1 segment from Dec 12, 2026, each linked to its DNR page.
The DNR line on pine martens
- Bag: 2 combined with fisher.
- Dates and methods: Trapping only, north zone Dec. 12-20.
DNR source page (as of Sep 15, 2026), checked October 28, 2026.
Pine Marten opening and closing days
The marten calendar has 1 line; unit and zone links lead to the pages where dates change by area.
| Row | Zone | Take | Begins | Through | Days | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trapping (north zone) | North Furbearer Zone | Limits below | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | 9 |
Marten season footnotes
- Free site validation coupons; register pelt and head within 48 hours after season close.
- Trapping (north zone), limit: 2 combined (1 fisher + 1 marten, 2 fishers or 2 martens); only 1 fisher from south of I-94
From booklet p. 66, checked October 28, 2026.
Pine Marten by furbearer zone
North Furbearer Zone is north of the I-94/US 10 line (Moorhead-St. Paul-Hastings); South Furbearer Zone is south of it.
The lynx zone
East and north of US 53: land snares 8-10 in. loops, 5/64-1/8 in. wire, anchored, loop stop 3 1/4 in., one-piece lock, no fence/vegetation reach, 7 ft max length, 1+ swivel; foothold traps over 6 1/2 in. banned on dry land; body-grip 5-7 1/2 in. traps half-submerged, 3 ft up a pole or in a cubby.
Permit-only trapping areas
- Carlos Avery (Anoka, Chisago)
- Hampton Woods (Dakota)
- Hubbel Pond (Becker)
- Red Lake (Beltrami, Lake of the Woods)
- Lac qui Parle (Big Stone, Lac qui Parle, Swift, Chippewa)
- Mille Lacs (Mille Lacs, Kanabec)
- Roseau Lake and Roseau River (Roseau)
- Talcot Lake (Cottonwood, Murray)
- Thief Lake (Marshall)
- Vermillion Highlands (Dakota)
- Whitewater (Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona)
DNR booklet furbearer page, booklet WMA trapping rules, checked October 28, 2026.
Pine Marten limits and licenses
| Limit for | Booklet text |
|---|---|
| Fisher and pine marten | 2 combined per season, only 1 fisher from south of I-94. |
Pine Marten license prices
| License | Residency | Who | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fisher/marten (671) or river otter (672) site validation coupons | resident | Trappers | Free |
| Junior trapping | resident | Age 13-17 | $5 |
| Adult trapping | resident | Age 18-64 | $23 |
| Senior trapping | resident | Age 65+ | $11.50 |
| Trapping, landowner only | nonresident | Landowners | $84 |
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. 66, checked October 28, 2026.
How the booklet regulates marten hunting
Blaze applies to trappers only while a firearms or muzzleloader deer season is open, and not while trapping on water.
For bobcat, fisher, marten and otter, registration is in person: 48 hours after the close for the first three, May 17, 2027 for otter.
You may hunt pine martens on Sundays like any other day.
booklet shooting hours, blaze rules, validation and registration, checked October 28, 2026.
Weapons and rules for marten hunting
| Weapons | Legal | Not legal |
|---|---|---|
| Trapping | Foothold jaw opening up to 8 3/4 in.; body-grip up to 7 1/2 in. (larger as watersets); snares with 350-lb breakaway, loop 10 in. max, cable 1/8 in. max, top of loop 20 in. max. | Snares in deer trails, for bears, with spring poles, in culverts (except submerged); foothold traps within 20 ft of exposed bait; body-grip over 6 1/2 in. in small culverts or rights-of-way within 500 ft of occupied buildings. |
Legal points for pine martens
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Trap checks | Non-drowning traps tended every calendar day; drowning and body-grip traps every third day; no trap in place after season close; traps identified with DL number, ID number, name/address or MDNR number. |
booklet p. 67, booklet p. 69, checked October 28, 2026.
Answers on pine martens
What weapons are legal for pine martens?
Foothold jaw opening up to 8 3/4 in.; body-grip up to 7 1/2 in. (larger as watersets); snares with 350-lb breakaway, loop 10 in. max, cable 1/8 in. max, top of loop 20 in. max. Not legal: Snares in deer trails, for bears, with spring poles, in culverts (except submerged); foothold traps within 20 ft of exposed bait; body-grip over 6 1/2 in. in small culverts or rights-of-way within 500 ft of occupied buildings.
What is the validation rule for pine martens?
For bobcat, fisher, marten and otter, registration is in person: 48 hours after the close for the first three, May 17, 2027 for otter.
Do drowning sets have a longer check interval?
Non-drowning traps tended every calendar day; drowning and body-grip traps every third day; no trap in place after season close; traps identified with DL number, ID number, name/address or MDNR number.
Which furbearer zone am I in?
The booklet sets later south-zone openers. North Furbearer Zone is north of the I-94/US 10 line (Moorhead-St. Paul-Hastings); South Furbearer Zone is south of it.
Are Sundays closed for pine martens?
Every day is legal for pine martens, Sundays included.
Is a small game license needed to trap?
For pine martens: trapping license plus small game license (16+); residents under 13 need no trapping license; nonresidents may trap only their own land.
How many pine martens per day or season?
Limit: 2 combined with fisher.
When does marten hunting open in Minnesota for 2026-27?
Opening Dec 12, 2026, closing Dec 20, 2026: Trapping only, north zone Dec. 12-20.
Do I need blaze orange to hunt pine martens?
Blaze applies to trappers only while a firearms or muzzleloader deer season is open, and not while trapping on water.
What do I buy before hunting pine martens?
From the booklet fee tables: Fisher/marten (671) or river otter (672) site validation coupons (resident, Trappers): Free; Junior trapping (resident, Age 13-17): $5; Adult trapping (resident, Age 18-64): $23; Senior trapping (resident, Age 65+): $11.50; Trapping, landowner only (nonresident, Landowners): $84.
Other photos on this page: mbarrison (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); jcantroot (CC BY 2.0); ilouque (CC BY 2.0).