Missouri › Species › River Otter
Furbearers
River otter hunting in Missouri
Dates, limits, permits, legal hours and conservation areas for river otters.
Photo: Jeff Meyer (CC BY 2.0)
What a Missouri otter hunter needs for 2026-27 is gathered here: 1 segment starting Nov 15, 2026, each linked to its MDC page.
How MDC sums up river otters
- Bag: Any number.
- Dates and methods: Trapping Nov 15-Feb 28; tag by April 10.
MDC source (as of Feb 6, 2026), checked October 29, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
River Otter dates, 2026-27
The otter calendar has 1 line; zone and county links lead to the pages where dates change by area.
| Row | Zone | Take | Begins | Through | Days | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trapping | Statewide | Any number | Nov 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 106 |
Otter methods and footnotes
- Otter pelts must be registered/tagged by April 10.
From Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 20, checked October 29, 2026.
River Otter trapping methods
| 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. |
During the November portion, otter hunters in daylight need deer methods and an unfilled firearms deer permit.
River Otter records kept by MDC
| Weight | County | Date | Sex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32 lb 11.2 oz | Ozark County | Feb 4, 2019 | Male |
trapping summary, MDC record weights, checked October 29, 2026.
River Otter limits and permits
Carry otter permits on paper or in the MO Hunting app; deer, turkey, bear and elk permits must be paper or app.
| Bag | Rule |
|---|---|
| Crows, groundhogs, furbearers | Any number. |
River Otter permits, resident and nonresident
| Permit | Residency | Who | Price | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
River Otter: hours, orange and methods
- Legal hours: No hours rule covers river otters, so the practical limit is the ban on lights while holding a weapon, with the treed-furbearer and coyote exceptions.
- Orange rule: River otters may be hunted in camo except during the firearms deer portions, when orange is required.
- Tagging: An MDC agent tags every otter pelt; the deadline is April 10.
River Otter: legal and illegal methods
| 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. |
shooting hours, hunter orange, methods, checked October 29, 2026.
River Otter hours across Missouri
Times below start from the MDC Jefferson City sunrise and sunset table and shift 1 minute per 13.5 miles east or west, as MDC directs, for six counties across the otter range. No hours rule covers river otters; sunrise and sunset are shown for planning.
| 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. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Jackson County | 6:51 a.m. | 6:10 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | St. Louis County | 6:35 a.m. | 5:54 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Greene County | 6:47 a.m. | 6:06 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Boone County | 6:43 a.m. | 6:02 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:32 a.m. | 5:51 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Nodaway County | 6:53 a.m. | 6:12 p.m. |
MDC sunrise and sunset table with the MDC longitude rule; checked October 29, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Questions about river otters in Missouri
What is the daily bag for river otters?
Any number.
When can you hunt river otters in Missouri?
Trapping Nov 15, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027.
Which methods are allowed for river otters?
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 does it cost to hunt river otters in Missouri?
For river otters, the resident Trapping permit costs $12 (Age 16+). A nonresident hunting river otters pays $221.50 for the Furbearer and Trapping permit. A otter permit can be carried on paper or in the MO Hunting app.
Do otter hunters need to wear orange?
River otters may be hunted in camo except during the firearms deer portions, when orange is required.
What are the shooting hours for river otters?
No hours rule covers river otters, so the practical limit is the ban on lights while holding a weapon, with the treed-furbearer and coyote exceptions.
Do Sunday rules affect otter hunters?
Yes. Neither the Wildlife Code nor the MDC booklets restrict Sunday hunting, so river otters may be hunted on Sundays within their season.
What is the reporting rule for river otters?
An MDC agent tags every otter pelt; the deadline is April 10.
Can I use dogs for river otters?
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 Missouri record otter?
32 lb 11.2 oz, Ozark County, Feb 4, 2019 (male). MDC record-weight furbearers, weighed on a certified scale since 2011.