Minnesota Pheasant Season 2026: Opener, Limits, Outlook

Q: What are pheasant shooting hours in Minnesota?

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources sets pheasant hours as 9 a.m. to sunset.

Q: Where can I hunt pheasants on public land in Minnesota?

Walk-In Access (WIA), 23,000 acres of private land at more than 230 sites. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also runs Wildlife Management Areas.

Oct 10

Opening day

Saturday

Jan 3

Last day

Sunday, 2027

2 roosters a day

Daily limit

6 in possession

Up nearly 20%

2026 outlook

released September 8, 2026

Are there birds this year

The 2026 Minnesota pheasant outlook

The 2026 outlook from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has birds up nearly 20% on last year, with a survey index of 89.9 birds/100 mi. Against the longer run: 82% above the 2016-2025 average of 49.3; 3% below the long-term average of 88.2.

Up nearly 20%Minnesota August Roadside Survey, released September 8, 2026

The 2026 survey-wide total pheasant index (89.9 birds/100 mi) was nearly 20% greater than in 2025 (75.2 birds/100 mi). A mild winter with little snow likely helped the overwinter survival of hens.

Minnesota August Roadside Survey, read October 8, 2026. Read it at the source

Against last year: nearly 20% greater than in 2025 (75.2 birds/100 mi)
Survey index: 89.9 birds/100 mi
Against the longer run: 82% above the 2016-2025 average of 49.3; 3% below the long-term average of 88.2

Region	Index	Change
West Central	132.9 birds/100 mi	+74% from 2025
Southwest	130.1 birds/100 mi	-15% from 2025
South Central	95.8 birds/100 mi	+17% from 2025
Central	73.9 birds/100 mi	+25% from 2025
East Central	26.4 birds/100 mi	-29% from 2025
Southeast	15.4 birds/100 mi	-51% from 2025

Last season’s harvest

An estimated 58,358 hunters harvested an estimated 228,337 pheasants in 2025–26 for an average of 3.9 roosters per active hunter

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 2025-26 harvest, read October 8, 2026. Read it at the source

Dates and limits

Minnesota pheasant season dates and bag limit

Minnesota's pheasant season opens Saturday, October 10, 2026, and closes January 3, 2027. The daily limit is 2 roosters and 6 in possession. Only roosters may be taken.

MinnesotaOct 10
Season, Oct 10 to Jan 3

General seasonMinnesota, Oct 10 to Jan 3

General season: Saturday, October 10, 2026 to January 3, 2027
Daily limit: 2 roosters a day
Possession: 6 in possession
Which birds: Roosters only
Shooting hours: 9 a.m. to sunset

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources regulations, read October 8, 2026.

Where to hunt

Public land and walk-in access in Minnesota

Walk-In Access (WIA)23,000 acres of private land at more than 230 sites
“Through WIA, 23,000 acres of private land will be open for public hunting at more than 230 sites in Minnesota, September 1 to May 31.”
Open the atlas Program page
Wildlife Management Areas
“Hunters can use the Minnesota DNR's online mapping tools to find wildlife management areas by accessing the WMA finder and the Minnesota DNR Recreation Compass to locate public hunting land”
Open the atlas Program page

License

What it takes to hunt pheasants in Minnesota

Residents: Small Game License, adult 18 to 64 $22 (youth 16-17 $5, senior 65+ $13.50, under 16 free), plus Pheasant stamp ages 18 to 64 $7.50
Nonresidents: Small Game License, adult 18+ $102 (youth 16-17 $5; 72-hour small game license with state waterfowl and pheasant stamps included $75), plus Pheasant stamp age 18 and older $7.50
Stamp or permit: Pheasant stamp (state pheasant validation) $7.50

Every Minnesota license, resident and nonresident, with what each costs, is on the Minnesota hunting license page.

Minnesota pheasant questions

When does pheasant season open in Minnesota?

What is the pheasant limit in Minnesota?

What are pheasant shooting hours in Minnesota?

How many pheasants are there in Minnesota this year?

The 2026 outlook from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has birds up nearly 20% on last year, with a survey index of 89.9 birds/100 mi. Against the longer run: 82% above the 2016-2025 average of 49.3; 3% below the long-term average of 88.2. In the agency's words: "The 2026 survey-wide total pheasant index (89.9 birds/100 mi) was nearly 20% greater than in 2025 (75.2 birds/100 mi). A mild winter with little snow likely helped the overwinter survival of hens."

What license do I need to hunt pheasants in Minnesota?

Residents: Small Game License, adult 18 to 64 $22 (youth 16-17 $5, senior 65+ $13.50, under 16 free), plus Pheasant stamp ages 18 to 64 $7.50. Nonresidents: Small Game License, adult 18+ $102 (youth 16-17 $5; 72-hour small game license with state waterfowl and pheasant stamps included $75), plus Pheasant stamp age 18 and older $7.50. Stamp or permit: Pheasant stamp (state pheasant validation) $7.50. Prices are as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources lists them.

Where can I hunt pheasants on public land in Minnesota?

A brown speckled hen pheasant walking through rows of young green wheat with old stubble between them — A hen in a South Dakota wheat field. Hens carry next year’s birds, so the bag in the wild bird states is written for roosters only, and the brown bird that gets up beside a rooster is the one to let fly. “NRCSSD03010 - South Dakota (6147)(NRCS Photo Gallery)”, Dennis Larson, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Public domain

Minnesota read October 8, 2026 from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, every source linked above. An agency can move a date or close an area between the printed regulations and opening day, so its page is the one that governs. Every state is on the pheasant season calendar.