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Fox squirrel hunting in Missouri
The 2026-27 MDC rules for fox squirrels, with harvest figures and public land.
Photo: Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0)
This guide follows the 2026-27 MDC regulations for fox squirrels: the first legal day is May 23, 2026 and the last is Feb 15, 2027, each row with its source.
Fox Squirrel at a glance
- Bag limit: 10 daily, 20 possession (combined).
- Methods: As gray squirrel.
MDC source (as of Feb 6, 2026), checked October 29, 2026.
GearHeading out for small game season? Small game gear checklist →
When fox squirrels are open in Missouri
These are the 2026-27 fox squirrel rows; conservation areas and managed hunts can add their own limits.
| Segment | Area | Limit | First day | Last day | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squirrel season | Statewide | 10 daily, 20 possession | May 23, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | 269 |
Fine print for fox squirrels
- Firearms, bows, crossbows, atlatls, slingshots; cage traps with permit
- Fourth Saturday in May through Feb 15. No dogs during daylight of the November portion in 10 Ozark counties.
From Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 19, checked October 29, 2026.
When fox squirrels rules tighten
No dogs may be used for squirrels and rabbits during daylight hours of the November portion in these ten counties, so fox squirrel hunters there go without dogs Nov 14-24.
Butler County, Carter County, Dent County, Iron County, Madison County, Oregon County, Reynolds County, Ripley County, Shannon County, Wayne County.
Small game hunters after fox squirrels switch to .22 rimfire or No. 4 shot in the firearms deer portions.
dog restriction counties, deer season rules, checked October 29, 2026.
Fox Squirrel: limits, permits, prices
Missouri calls hunting licenses permits; the fox squirrel permits below come from the 2026 MDC price list, and the permit year runs March 1 to the end of February.
| Limit type | Text |
|---|---|
| Squirrels | 10 daily, 20 possession. |
Permits for fox squirrels
| 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 |
| Small Game and Fishing | resident | All | $22.50 | Permit year |
| Lifetime Small Game | resident | Age 15 or younger | $320 | Lifetime |
| Lifetime Small Game | resident | Age 16-29 | $465.50 | Lifetime |
| Lifetime Small Game | resident | Age 30-39 | $407 | Lifetime |
| Lifetime Small Game | resident | Age 40-59 | $349 | Lifetime |
| Lifetime Small Game | resident | Age 60+ | $40.50 | Lifetime |
From Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 11, Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 19, Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 8 and Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 9, checked October 29, 2026.
Places to hunt fox squirrels
441 public areas in this guide list squirrel hunting, the group that covers fox squirrels; the biggest by acreage are below.
| Area | County | Acres | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs district (Mark Twain National Forest) | Taney County | 316,688 | Ranger district |
| Sunklands Conservation Area | Shannon County | 40,383 | Conservation Area |
| Bull Shoals Lake lands | Ozark County | 34,736 | Corps lake lands |
| Peck Ranch Conservation Area | Carter County | 29,567 | Conservation Area |
| August A. Busch Jr. Memorial Wetlands at Four Rivers CA | Bates County | 13,939 | Conservation Area |
| Clearwater Conservation Area | Reynolds County | 11,211 | Conservation Area |
| Deer Ridge Conservation Area | Lewis County | 7,185 | Conservation Area |
| Poosey Conservation Area | Grundy County | 5,863 | Conservation Area |
| Whetstone Creek Conservation Area | Callaway County | 5,208 | Conservation Area |
| Otter Slough Conservation Area | Butler County | 4,859 | Conservation Area |
| Pomme De Terre Lake lands | Polk County | 4,804 | Corps lake lands |
| Truman Reservoir lands (Salt Creek) | St. Clair County | 4,152 | Corps lake lands |
| Drury-Mincy Conservation Area | Taney County | 4,135 | Conservation Area |
| Locust Creek Conservation Area | Sullivan County | 3,717 | Conservation Area |
| Kind of land | Areas |
|---|---|
| Conservation Area | 319 |
| Public Access Area | 54 |
| Corps lake lands | 24 |
| Towersite | 20 |
| Natural Area | 9 |
| Ranger district | 6 |
| State Forest | 4 |
| Cooperative Area | 2 |
| MDC region | Areas |
|---|---|
| Southwest | 68 |
| Southeast | 63 |
| Ozark | 63 |
| Kansas City | 62 |
| Central | 52 |
| Northwest | 50 |
| Northeast | 48 |
| St. Louis | 35 |
Area lists from MDC area pages and the MDC places directory; methods from the MDC atlas; checked October 29, 2026.
Fox Squirrel hunting rules
- When to shoot: The Code sets no shooting hours for fox squirrels; lights may be used only for furbearers treed by dogs and for coyotes in set windows.
- Hunter orange rule: When a firearms deer portion is open, fox squirrel hunters need a hunter orange hat and vest too.
Legal methods for fox squirrels
| Methods | Rule |
|---|---|
| Legal | Pistols, revolvers, rifles (single projectile), air/spring guns (not for game birds except crows), shotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells (not required for deer/bear/elk), bows, crossbows, atlatls, slingshots (not bear/deer/elk/turkey). |
| Not legal | Fully automatic firearms; poisons, drugs, explosives. |
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.
Fox Squirrel legal hours on key dates
The fox squirrel window on key dates, computed from the MDC table for six counties from Nodaway to Cape Girardeau. Fox squirrels have no hours rule; the columns are sunrise and sunset.
| Date | County | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Jackson County | 6:47 a.m. | 7:48 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | St. Louis County | 6:31 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Greene County | 6:43 a.m. | 7:44 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Boone County | 6:39 a.m. | 7:40 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:28 a.m. | 7:29 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Nodaway County | 6:49 a.m. | 7:50 p.m. |
| Feb 15, 2027 | Jackson County | 7:09 a.m. | 5:56 p.m. |
| Feb 15, 2027 | St. Louis County | 6:53 a.m. | 5:40 p.m. |
| Feb 15, 2027 | Greene County | 7:05 a.m. | 5:52 p.m. |
| Feb 15, 2027 | Boone County | 7:01 a.m. | 5:48 p.m. |
| Feb 15, 2027 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:50 a.m. | 5:37 p.m. |
| Feb 15, 2027 | Nodaway County | 7:11 a.m. | 5:58 p.m. |
MDC sunrise and sunset table with the MDC longitude rule; checked October 29, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Answers about fox squirrels
When is fox squirrel season in Missouri?
Squirrel season May 23, 2026 to Feb 15, 2027.
What possession limit applies to fox squirrels?
10 daily, 20 possession.
What permit do I need for fox squirrels?
For fox squirrels, the resident Small Game permit costs $11.50 (Age 16-64). A nonresident hunting fox squirrels pays $16 for the Daily Small Game permit. Buy fox squirrel permits at mdc.mo.gov, in the app or at a vendor; phone sales add $1.
Which firearms and bows are legal for fox squirrels?
Pistols, revolvers, rifles (single projectile), air/spring guns (not for game birds except crows), shotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells (not required for deer/bear/elk), bows, crossbows, atlatls, slingshots (not bear/deer/elk/turkey). Not legal: Fully automatic firearms; poisons, drugs, explosives.
How early can I shoot fox squirrels?
The Code sets no shooting hours for fox squirrels; lights may be used only for furbearers treed by dogs and for coyotes in set windows.
What orange rule applies to fox squirrels?
When a firearms deer portion is open, fox squirrel hunters need a hunter orange hat and vest too.
How many public areas allow fox squirrel hunting?
441 public areas in this guide list fox squirrels 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). Every area posts its own fox squirrel rules.
Is Sunday fox squirrel hunting legal?
Yes. MDC prints no Sunday closure, so the fox squirrel season includes every Sunday.
Who can hunt fox squirrels without a permit?
Resident landowners (5+ acres) and household hunt (except bear, deer, elk, turkey) and trap on their land without permits; residents 65+ hunt (not trap) without small game permit; residents 15 and under trap without permit; anyone 15 and under hunts small game without permit if certified or with a mentor. Migratory bird permit, duck stamp and CO permit still required where applicable.