BHH Youth Hunters Academy — hunting safety missions for kids 5–17. Every $10 in our shop earns a FREE seat (up to 5), use it or share itFREE Security Cable with every StopBox purchase — Authorized StopBox USA DealerNEW: Call Wall — learn turkey, duck, elk & deer calls from real callers, step by stepNEW: Off-Road Trails — ATV & UTV riding areas and forest trail maps nationwideNEW: Wild Game Recipes — member-tested venison, waterfowl & fish recipesNEW: Reels — swipe through the latest hunting & fishing videos from membersNEW: Video Tutorials — map tools, gear care, scouting, field dressing & moreNEW: Western Hunting — elk rut forecast, unit profiles, glassing & pack-out plannersWaterfowl Migration Report & Forecast — see what's moving down each flywayBlood Trail Search Grid — split the search into sections and see where your crew has already lookedOffline Maps — save your hunting area and keep your maps and pins with no cell signalPublic Land layers — see WMAs, state & national forest hunting ground on the mapImport from onX, GPX & KML — bring your pins and boundaries over in one tapFood Plot Planner — draw your plot, log soil tests, get a seed mix & frost datesThe BHH Magazine — flip through the latest issue, or listen to it read aloudMakers Marketplace — handmade calls, knives & gear from hunters across the U.S.BHH Apparel — original hunting & fishing designs, plus design your own shirtBecome a BHH Ambassador — earn points, store credit & commissionMember Giveaway — stay active on the Hub to earn entriesTrail Cam AI — upload a photo, get species, sex, rack estimate & behavior instantlyHunt Prediction & Pressure Map — hourly deer activity and live public-land crowd check-insHunt Crews — roster, trip plans, gear checklists & license reminders for your whole groupHarvest Tags — heirloom-quality, state-specific tags, shop your stateNew on the hunting blog: From Chaos to Clarity: Sorting Your Trail Cam IntelNew on the fishing blog: Inshore Redfish: Reading the Flats on a Falling TideFeatured partner: D & A Armory2026-27 season dates & regulation updates by stateBHH Youth Hunters Academy — hunting safety missions for kids 5–17. Every $10 in our shop earns a FREE seat (up to 5), use it or share itFREE Security Cable with every StopBox purchase — Authorized StopBox USA DealerNEW: Call Wall — learn turkey, duck, elk & deer calls from real callers, step by stepNEW: Off-Road Trails — ATV & UTV riding areas and forest trail maps nationwideNEW: Wild Game Recipes — member-tested venison, waterfowl & fish recipesNEW: Reels — swipe through the latest hunting & fishing videos from membersNEW: Video Tutorials — map tools, gear care, scouting, field dressing & moreNEW: Western Hunting — elk rut forecast, unit profiles, glassing & pack-out plannersWaterfowl Migration Report & Forecast — see what's moving down each flywayBlood Trail Search Grid — split the search into sections and see where your crew has already lookedOffline Maps — save your hunting area and keep your maps and pins with no cell signalPublic Land layers — see WMAs, state & national forest hunting ground on the mapImport from onX, GPX & KML — bring your pins and boundaries over in one tapFood Plot Planner — draw your plot, log soil tests, get a seed mix & frost datesThe BHH Magazine — flip through the latest issue, or listen to it read aloudMakers Marketplace — handmade calls, knives & gear from hunters across the U.S.BHH Apparel — original hunting & fishing designs, plus design your own shirtBecome a BHH Ambassador — earn points, store credit & commissionMember Giveaway — stay active on the Hub to earn entriesTrail Cam AI — upload a photo, get species, sex, rack estimate & behavior instantlyHunt Prediction & Pressure Map — hourly deer activity and live public-land crowd check-insHunt Crews — roster, trip plans, gear checklists & license reminders for your whole groupHarvest Tags — heirloom-quality, state-specific tags, shop your stateNew on the hunting blog: From Chaos to Clarity: Sorting Your Trail Cam IntelNew on the fishing blog: Inshore Redfish: Reading the Flats on a Falling TideFeatured partner: D & A Armory2026-27 season dates & regulation updates by state
Buckeye Hunter Hub
Minnesota ResourcesUpdated for 2026

Minnesota Shotgun-Only Counties for 2026

Minnesota's statewide shotgun zone has been repealed for the 2026 deer season. In most of the state, you may now use rifles, shotguns, and handguns during firearms deer seasons.

But counties can pass their own ordinances to stay shotgun-only — and 13 have. Check your county below before opening day on November 7.

All 13 Shotgun-Only Counties (2026)

Brown CountyEntire county — shotgun only
Clay CountyPart of county — shotgun only
Cottonwood CountyEntire county — shotgun only
Dodge CountyEntire county — shotgun only
Faribault CountyEntire county — shotgun only
Houston CountyEntire county — shotgun only
Jackson CountyEntire county — shotgun only
Kandiyohi CountyEntire county — shotgun only
Nobles CountyEntire county — shotgun only
Pope CountyEntire county — shotgun only
Rock CountyEntire county — shotgun only
Watonwan CountyEntire county — shotgun only
Wilkin CountyPart of county — unchanged from previous years

Every other Minnesota county allows all legal shotguns, handguns, and rifles during firearms deer seasons. County ordinance details are posted on each county's website, with links in the "news and notices" section of the DNR deer page.

Verify with the official sources

Minnesota Shotgun Zone FAQ

Yes. The statewide shotgun zone was repealed and the change is in effect for the 2026 deer season, so all legal shotguns, handguns, and rifles may be used during firearms deer seasons in most of Minnesota. The exception is the 13 counties that passed their own shotgun-only ordinances.

More 2026 Minnesota changes

The shotgun zone is just one of several major changes this year. New licensing, site validation replacing carcass tags, and a new CWD surveillance plan all take effect for 2026.

Full 2026 regulation breakdownNew CWD & carcass rulesMinnesota resources

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