Minnesota Deer Hunting Opener 2026

Minnesota’s statewide firearms deer hunting season opens with more than 400,000 hunters projected to hit the field.

Archery deer season began Sept. 19 and continues through Dec. 31. The statewide firearms deer season has various closing dates depending on a hunter’s deer permit area. Muzzleloader season begins Nov. 28 and continues through Dec. 13.

Before heading out into the field, hunters are encouraged to buy licenses ahead of time. There are three ways to buy a license — mobile app, online or in person from a license agent — and three ways to carry it: paper, digital copy or stored in the app. Customers can access the system on the Minnesota DNR website or by searching “Minnesota DNR Licensing” in the Apple or Google app stores.

People who are interested in deer harvest data can find preliminary data for 2026 on DNR’s deer reports and statistics webpage, which is updated twice each week on Monday and Thursday.