Small Game Hunting

Open Seasons:

• Badger: WI - Protected (No Open Season); MN - Day after Labor Day-March 1
• Bobcat: WI & MN - October 1-March 31
• Beaver: WI & MN - Year Around
• Bobwhite Quail: WI & MN - Day after Labor Day-March 31
• Coyote: WI & MN - Year Around
• Cottontail Rabbit: WI & MN - Year Around
• Fisher: WI & MN - No Open Season
• Hungarian Partridge: WI & MN - Day after Labor Day-March 31
• Lynx: WI - Protected (No Open Season); MN - No Open Season
• Marten: WI - Protected (No Open Season); MN - No Open Season
• Mink: WI - No Open Season; MN - October 1-March 31
• Muskrat: WI - No Open Season; MN - October 1-March 31
• Otter: WI - October 1-March 31; MN - No Open Season
• Pheasant: WI - Day after Labor Day-March 31; MN - Day after Labor Day-December 31
• Raccoon: WI - Day after Labor Day-March 31; MN - Year Around
• Red Fox: WI - Day after Labor Day-March 31; MN - Year Around
• Gray Fox: WI & MN - Day after Labor Day-March 31
• Red, Gray, and Fox Squirrel: WI & MN - Year Around
• Ruffed Grouse: WI - Day after Labor Day-March 31; MN - Day after Labor Day-March 1
• Sharp-Tailed Grouse: WI - Day after Labor Day-March 31; MN - Day after Labor Day-January 31
• Snowshoe Hare: WI & MN - Year Around
• Unprotected Species: WI & MN - Year Around

Wisconsin 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territory

• Hours:
  • Sept.1-Mar.31: ½ hour before sunrise to 20 min after sunset (All species except coyote, fox, raccoon, snowshoe hare and unprotected species)
  • Apr.1-Aug.31: 24 hrs/day (all small game species open to hunting, except wild turkey)
  • For coyote, fox, raccoon, snowshoe hare, and unprotected species-24 hrs/day, except during the Wisconsin state regular gun deer season.

During the Wisconsin state regular gun deer season (not muzzle-loader), all small game hunting hours are the same as for deer hunting.

Minnesota 1837 Ceded Territory

• Hours:
  • ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset - for all species except fox, raccoon, and unprotected species.
  • 24 hrs/day - for fox, raccoon, and unprotected species, except during the Minnesota state deer season.

During the regular Minnesota state deer firearm season, all small game hunting hours are the same as for deer hunting.

Tribal quotas for otter, bobcat, marten (MN only), or fisher may be required. Quotas are determined annually, and unit-specific stamps may be issued to manage harvest appropriately. Quota information is available from your Band's conservation department, registration station, or GLIFWC.

No member may hunt small game without possessing a valid small game hunting permit. Permits/stamps or tags may be obtained from your Band's conservation department or registration station.

There are no daily bag limits for any small game species, except for wild turkey and sharp-tailed grouse in Wisconsin. In Wisconsin the sharp-tailed grouse daily bag limit is one (1).
 

You may not drive any rabbits out of their holes, use or possess any ferret, molest the den or nest of any squirrel, or (in MN) use smoke, fire, or mechanical devices to take small game. 

For most small game species, you may hunt with a rifle, handgun, bow, or crossbow.

No member may hunt bobwhite quail, hungarian partridge, pheasant, ruffed grouse, or sharp-tailed grouse with a rifle or a shotgun loaded with shot larger than No. BB. A member may hunt ruffed grouse with a .22 caliber rim-fire rifle. In Wisconsin, members may not hunt otter with a firearm except a .223 or smaller caliber firearm.

Shining: When hunting racoon, fox or unprotected species on foot during the open season, a member may possess and use a flashlight at the point of kill. While on foot training a dog to hunt or track raccoon, fox or unprotected species, a member may possess and use a flashlight. Shining may not take place during the state regular firearm deer season.

You must have a carcass tag in your possession to harvest otter, bobcat, fisher, or marten (MN only). The carcass tag must be attached to the animal immediately upon harvest. 

CITES tags are required for otter and bobcat if the pelts are to be sold. CITES tags can be obtained from a GLIFWC warden. 

Marten (MN only), otter, bobcat, and fisher must be registered in-person at a tribal registration station or in the field by a GLIFWC or tribal warden by 5:00 pm on the 3rd working day after harvest. The whole carcass, or the whole skin, must be presented to the registering official for registration.

Permit: You must possess a valid small game hunting permit to hunt wild turkeys.

Bag Limit: Daily bag limit is three (3) turkeys.

Open Seasons: 

• Fall:
  • WI & MN: Day after Labor Day - December 31
• Spring:
  • WI: Wednesday nearest April 13 - June 2
  • MN: Saturday nearest April 11 + 44 days or until the end of state season (whichever is longer)

Hunting Hours:

• WI:
  • Fall Season - 1/2 hour before sunrise to 20 minutes after sunset.
  • Spring Season - 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.
• MN:      1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.

Prohibited Methods: For hunting wild turkey in Wisconsin, you may only use a shotgun, or a muzzle-loading shotgun fired from the shoulder, a bow, or crossbow. For hunting wild turkey in Minnesota, you may only use a 20-guage or larger shotgun or muzzle-loading shotgun 12-guage or larger, using fine shot size No. 4 or smaller, a bow, or crossbow. In addition, you may not hunt wild turkey with dogs (MN only), with the aid of recorded or electronically amplified bird calls, or with live decoys.

Registration: Turkey registration can be done by phone at 1-844-234-5439, online at glifwc.nagfa.net/online/, in the field by a GLIFWC or tribal warden, or in-person at a tribal registration station. Registration must be done by 5:00 pm on the 3rd working day after harvest.