Furbearers
Minnesota Weasels hunting, 2026-27
Minnesota weasel seasons and rules for 2026-27.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
This guide follows the 2026-27 DNR booklet for long-tailed and short-tailed weasels: the first legal day is Oct 17, 2026 and the last is Mar 15, 2027, each row with its source.
Weasels at a glance
- Bag limit: No limit.
- Methods: Same as badger.
DNR source page (as of Sep 15, 2026), checked October 28, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
When long-tailed and short-tailed weasels are open in Minnesota
These are the 2026-27 weasel rows; state game refuges, state parks and special hunts can add their own rules.
| Segment | Area | Limit | First day | Last day | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting (north): American Badger | North Furbearer Zone | No limit | Oct 17, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | 150 | |
| Hunting (south): American Badger | South Furbearer Zone | No limit | Oct 24, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | 143 | |
| Trapping (north zone): Raccoon | North Furbearer Zone | No limit | Oct 17, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | 150 | |
| Trapping (south zone): Raccoon | South Furbearer Zone | No limit | Oct 24, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | 143 |
Fine print for long-tailed and short-tailed weasels
- 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset; 9 a.m. to sunset on opening day
- Trap setting/tending 5 a.m.-10 p.m.; not before 9 a.m. on opening day for fox, badger, opossum, raccoon
From booklet p. 65, booklet p. 66, checked October 28, 2026.
Furbearer zones for long-tailed and short-tailed weasels
North Furbearer Zone is north of the I-94/US 10 line (Moorhead-St. Paul-Hastings); South Furbearer Zone is south of it.
DNR booklet furbearer page, booklet WMA trapping rules, checked October 28, 2026.
Weasels: limits, licenses, stamps
Buying a weasel license
| License | Residency | Who | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small game license | resident | Adult 18-64 | $22 |
| Junior trapping | resident | Age 13-17 | $5 |
| Adult trapping | resident | Age 18-64 | $23 |
| Senior trapping | resident | Age 65+ | $11.50 |
| Small game license | nonresident | Adult 18+ | $102 |
| Trapping, landowner only | nonresident | Landowners | $84 |
| Raccoon or bobcat license | nonresident | Hunters/trappers | $183 |
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. 20, booklet p. 22, checked October 28, 2026.
Field rules for long-tailed and short-tailed weasels
Long-tailed and short-tailed weasels are hunted from a half hour before sunrise to sunset, and from 9 a.m. on opening day.
Small game rules ask weasel 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 weasel season runs seven days a week.
booklet shooting hours, blaze rules, validation and registration, checked October 28, 2026.
Weasels legal hours on key dates
Computed times, not DNR tables: the booklet now refers hunters to NOAA, so this table applies the weasel rule to the sun at three county centres.
| Day | Why | County | Sun up | Sun down | Shooting time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 2026 | First day | Clay | 7:45 a.m. | 6:37 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | First day | Ramsey | 7:29 a.m. | 6:26 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. to 6:26 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | First day | St. Louis | 7:30 a.m. | 6:21 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. to 6:21 p.m. |
| Mar 15, 2027 | Last legal day | Clay | 7:41 a.m. | 7:30 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
| Mar 15, 2027 | Last legal day | Ramsey | 7:27 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. |
| Mar 15, 2027 | Last legal day | St. Louis | 7:25 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:14 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 long-tailed and short-tailed weasels
Weasels: rules from the statutes
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Artificial lights (shining) | 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. |
| Night vision and thermal | Banned while taking wild animals except fox and coyote hunting (not during firearms deer season) or with weapons cased in a trunk. |
| 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. |
| 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. 36, booklet p. 37, booklet p. 69, checked October 28, 2026.
Weasels: common questions
What limits apply to long-tailed and short-tailed weasels in Minnesota?
No limit.
How much does a weasel license cost?
The main items are Small game license (resident, Adult 18-64): $22; Junior trapping (resident, Age 13-17): $5; Adult trapping (resident, Age 18-64): $23; Senior trapping (resident, Age 65+): $11.50; Small game license (nonresident, Adult 18+): $102.
When does legal light end for long-tailed and short-tailed weasels?
Long-tailed and short-tailed weasels are hunted from a half hour before sunrise to sunset, and from 9 a.m. on opening day.
Must weasel hunters wear orange?
Small game rules ask weasel hunters for one blaze orange or pink item above the waist, and during the firearms deer season the full deer rule applies.
Where is the furbearer zone line?
Yes: the north zone opens a week earlier. North Furbearer Zone is north of the I-94/US 10 line (Moorhead-St. Paul-Hastings); South Furbearer Zone is south of it.
What license do weasel trappers need?
For long-tailed and short-tailed weasels: trapping license plus small game license (16+); residents under 13 need no trapping license; nonresidents may trap only their own land.
Do any days close for long-tailed and short-tailed weasels?
Sundays are open for long-tailed and short-tailed weasels, like every other day of the season.
When can I hunt long-tailed and short-tailed weasels in Minnesota?
Same as badger. Overall that spans Oct 17, 2026 to Mar 15, 2027.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).