Minnesota bear season 2026: dates and free maps

Season dates

Permit areas and no-quota area: Tuesday, September 1 to Sunday, October 18, 2026
Permit-area licenses by lottery; no-quota licenses over the counter.
Source: Minnesota DNR

Checked on the agency's site November 6, 2026. Licenses, units, bag limits and shooting hours differ, and dates can vary by unit: the regulations are what count, so read them before you go.

Legal shooting hours for big game in Minnesota, generally: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

Bear country is big timber and steep ground, usually with no signal. Download the maps for your spot ahead of time and Cartahaven shows your GPS position on them offline, so you can stay on public ground, find your stand or bait site and get back out after dark.

Minnesota deer permit areas Open the map app

Free public land maps in Minnesota

Minnesota USGS topo maps (1,762)
Minnesota historical topo maps (246)
Minnesota Forest Service FSTopo maps (239)
Minnesota wildlife refuge maps (35)
Minnesota national forest maps (2)
Minnesota national park maps (2)

All free maps in Minnesota

Before you go

Cartahaven is not affiliated with or endorsed by Minnesota DNR. Season dates come from the agency pages linked above.