Furbearers
Gray fox hunting in Missouri
Gray Fox in Missouri: every 2026-27 season row with its source.
Photo: xulescu_g (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The gray fox calendar for 2026-27 covers Nov 15, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027; permits, limits, legal light and land come after the dates.
How MDC sums up gray foxes
- Limits: Any number.
- Season shape: Nov 15-Jan 31.
MDC source (as of Feb 6, 2026), checked October 29, 2026.
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Gray Fox dates, 2026-27
Each gray fox row with its area, limit and length in days.
| Season | Covers | Bag | Opening | Closing | Span | 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.
Rules for taking gray foxes
| 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. |
Cable restraints and snares follow the Code limits printed in the trapping summary, for gray foxes as for other furbearers.
Missouri gray fox records
| Weight | County | Date | Sex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 lb 4 oz | Shannon County | Dec 5, 2024 | Male |
trapping summary, MDC record weights, checked October 29, 2026.
Bag limits and permit costs for gray foxes
A $5 Share the Harvest donation can be added when buying gray fox permits.
| Group | Limit |
|---|---|
| Crows, groundhogs, furbearers | Any number. |
Permit list for gray foxes
| 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.
Public areas that list gray foxes
Gray foxes can be hunted on 7 public places that list fox; each area page has its own method limits.
| 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.
Before you hunt gray foxes
- Hours: Hours are open for gray foxes under the Code; night vision and thermal are allowed only for coyotes in the same windows as lights.
- Visibility: In the alternative methods portion, small game and furbearer hunters, gray fox hunters included, may skip orange.
Methods for gray fox hunting
| 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.
Gray Fox: first and last legal minutes
MDC prints one sun table for Jefferson City; the gray fox times here are adjusted by longitude for six counties. For gray foxes there are no legal hours, only sun times for reference.
| 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.
Gray Fox hunting FAQ
Is hunter orange required for gray foxes?
In the alternative methods portion, small game and furbearer hunters, gray fox hunters included, may skip orange.
Is there public land for gray foxes?
7 public areas in this guide list gray foxes 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). Read each area page before a gray fox hunt, since methods vary.
Can I hunt gray foxes on Sunday in Missouri?
Yes. Missouri has no Sunday rule, and gray fox seasons run seven days a week.
How big do gray foxes get in Missouri?
13 lb 4 oz, Shannon County, Dec 5, 2024 (male). MDC record-weight furbearers, weighed on a certified scale since 2011.
Are dogs allowed when hunting gray foxes?
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 dates apply to gray foxes this season?
Hunting and trapping Nov 15, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027.
What are the gray fox limits?
Any number.
Which permit do gray fox hunters buy?
For gray foxes, the resident Small Game permit costs $11.50 (Age 16-64). A nonresident hunting gray foxes pays $16 for the Daily Small Game permit. Prices for gray fox permits match the Wildlife Code fee schedule.
What can I hunt gray foxes with?
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 time can I start hunting gray foxes?
Hours are open for gray foxes under the Code; night vision and thermal are allowed only for coyotes in the same windows as lights.