Furbearers
Badger hunting in Missouri
Opens Nov 15, 2026; limits, permits and places to hunt badgers.
Photo: Good Fire Photos (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Missouri sets 1 dated window for badgers in 2026-27, running Nov 15, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027. Limits, permits, places to hunt and the field rules follow on this page.
How MDC sums up badgers
- Keep: Any number.
- Dates in brief: Nov 15-Jan 31.
MDC source (as of Feb 6, 2026), checked October 29, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
Badger season dates for 2026-27
Read the badger rows by area: counties, bear zones, the elk counties or duck zones where they apply.
| Season | Where | Bag | Opens | Closes | Days | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting and trapping | Statewide | Any number | Nov 15, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 78 |
From Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 18, checked October 29, 2026.
Badger trapping and records
| Trapping | Rule |
|---|---|
| Legal | Smooth or rubber-jawed foot-hold, Conibear-type, foot-enclosing, cage and colony traps; snares only in water (loop <=15 in.); cable restraints (12 in. loop, breakaway 350 lb, Nov 15-Jan 31 rules per Code); electronic calls allowed. |
| Not legal | Dry-land snares, pitfalls, deadfalls, nets; killing traps near public roads except underwater. |
The Code bans killing traps near public roads except underwater, a rule badger trappers meet often.
MDC record-weight badgers
| Weight | County | Date | Sex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 lb 14.4 oz | Perry County | Dec 17, 2014 | Male |
| 28 lb 14.4 oz | Randolph County | Nov 21, 2017 | Male |
trapping summary, MDC record weights, checked October 29, 2026.
How many badgers and which permit
Youth permits for ages 6-15 are half price where the list shows them, including for badgers.
| Row | Daily and possession |
|---|---|
| Crows, groundhogs, furbearers | Any number. |
Badger permits and fees
| Permit | Residency | Who | Price | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Game | resident | Age 16-64 | $11.50 | Permit year |
| Daily Small Game | nonresident | All | $16 | 1 day |
| Small Game | nonresident | Age 16+ | $108.50 | Permit year |
| Trapping | resident | Age 16+ | $12 | To June 30, 2027 |
| Furbearer and Trapping | nonresident | All | $221.50 | To June 30, 2027 |
| Lifetime Trapping | resident | Age 15 or younger / 16-29 / 30-39 / 40-59 / 60+ | $320 / $465.50 / $407 / $349 / $40.50 | Lifetime |
From Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 11, Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 18, Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 8 and Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 9, checked October 29, 2026.
Badger: the biggest public areas
Of the public places in this guide, 7 list fox, which takes in badgers.
| Area | County | Acres | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Twain National Forest | Oregon County | 1,510,740 | National Forest |
| Doniphan / Eleven Point district (Mark Twain National Forest) | Oregon County | 338,889 | Ranger district |
| Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs district (Mark Twain National Forest) | Taney County | 316,688 | Ranger district |
| Potosi / Fredericktown district (Mark Twain National Forest) | Iron County | 290,899 | Ranger district |
| Houston/Rolla/Cedar Creek district (Mark Twain National Forest) | Phelps County | 210,393 | Ranger district |
| Salem district (Mark Twain National Forest) | Reynolds County | 195,986 | Ranger district |
| Poplar Bluff district (Mark Twain National Forest) | Wayne County | 157,884 | Ranger district |
| Kind of land | Areas |
|---|---|
| Ranger district | 6 |
| National Forest | 1 |
| MDC region | Areas |
|---|---|
| Ozark | 3 |
| Southwest | 2 |
| Southeast | 2 |
Area lists from MDC area pages and the MDC places directory; methods from the MDC atlas; checked October 29, 2026.
Rules in the field for badgers
- Shooting hours: Badger hunters face no sunrise or sunset rule; the rules on lights, night vision and thermal do the limiting.
- Orange clothing: Hunters after badgers wear orange during the firearms deer portions; small game hunters are exempt in the alternative methods portion.
Badger method rules
| Methods | Rule |
|---|---|
| Legal | Smooth or rubber-jawed foot-hold, Conibear-type, foot-enclosing, cage and colony traps; snares only in water (loop <=15 in.); cable restraints (12 in. loop, breakaway 350 lb, Nov 15-Jan 31 rules per Code); electronic calls allowed. |
| Not legal | Dry-land snares, pitfalls, deadfalls, nets; killing traps near public roads except underwater. |
Artificial lights: Not to spot or take game while holding a weapon, except treed furbearers (dogs) and coyotes Jan 1-Sept 30 excluding spring turkey season (2026: Jan 1-Apr 19 and May 11-Sept 30); landowners may use lights on their land without weapons.
shooting hours, hunter orange, methods, checked October 29, 2026.
Computed badger hours
Kansas City runs about 10 minutes behind Jefferson City and St. Louis about 8 minutes ahead, which the badger table reflects. Sun times are given for badgers because the Code sets no hours.
| Date | County | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 15, 2026 | Jackson County | 7:00 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. |
| Nov 15, 2026 | St. Louis County | 6:44 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. |
| Nov 15, 2026 | Greene County | 6:56 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. |
| Nov 15, 2026 | Boone County | 6:52 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. |
| Nov 15, 2026 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:41 a.m. | 4:46 p.m. |
| Nov 15, 2026 | Nodaway County | 7:02 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. |
| Jan 31, 2027 | Jackson County | 7:24 a.m. | 5:38 p.m. |
| Jan 31, 2027 | St. Louis County | 7:08 a.m. | 5:22 p.m. |
| Jan 31, 2027 | Greene County | 7:20 a.m. | 5:34 p.m. |
| Jan 31, 2027 | Boone County | 7:16 a.m. | 5:30 p.m. |
| Jan 31, 2027 | Cape Girardeau County | 7:05 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. |
| Jan 31, 2027 | Nodaway County | 7:26 a.m. | 5:40 p.m. |
MDC sunrise and sunset table with the MDC longitude rule; checked October 29, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Common questions on badgers
Are Sundays open for badgers?
Yes. Sundays count like any other day for badgers; mandatory CWD sampling even falls on Sunday, Nov 15.
Where are the best public areas for badgers?
7 public areas in this guide list badgers or the hunting group that covers them; the largest include Mark Twain National Forest, Doniphan / Eleven Point district (Mark Twain National Forest) and Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs district (Mark Twain National Forest). Method limits for badgers are set area by area.
What is the dog rule for badgers?
Not for bear, deer, elk, turkey, beaver, mink, muskrat, otter (leashed tracking dogs excepted); no furbearer dogs in daylight Nov 1-end of November portion and antlerless portions; dogs must wear a collar with ID (except waterfowl and game-bird dogs); training only with blanks in closed season.
What is the heaviest badger on MDC record?
28 lb 14.4 oz, Perry County, Dec 17, 2014 (male); 28 lb 14.4 oz, Randolph County, Nov 21, 2017 (male). MDC record-weight furbearers, weighed on a certified scale since 2011.
How many badgers may one hunter keep?
Any number.
When do badgers open and close in Missouri?
Hunting and trapping Nov 15, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027.
What gear is legal for badger hunting?
Smooth or rubber-jawed foot-hold, Conibear-type, foot-enclosing, cage and colony traps; snares only in water (loop <=15 in.); cable restraints (12 in. loop, breakaway 350 lb, Nov 15-Jan 31 rules per Code); electronic calls allowed. Not legal: Dry-land snares, pitfalls, deadfalls, nets; killing traps near public roads except underwater.
What are the badger permit prices?
For badgers, the resident Small Game permit costs $11.50 (Age 16-64). A nonresident hunting badgers pays $16 for the Daily Small Game permit. Badger permits cost the same online, in the MO Hunting app and at vendors.
When must badger hunters wear orange?
Hunters after badgers wear orange during the firearms deer portions; small game hunters are exempt in the alternative methods portion.
When does legal light end for badgers?
Badger hunters face no sunrise or sunset rule; the rules on lights, night vision and thermal do the limiting.