Minnesota deer hunters, welcome to the newest episode of “Well, That Got Complicated.”
The old statewide shotgun zone is officially changing for the 2026 deer season. During the 2025 legislative session, Minnesota eliminated the state’s shotgun-only deer hunting zone. That means, unless a county passes its own shotgun-only ordinance, hunters will be able to use all legal firearms, including rifles, in areas where deer hunting is allowed beginning with the 2026 firearms deer season.
The catch? Counties that were previously inside the shotgun zone were given the option to pass a local ordinance restricting deer hunting firearms back down to shotgun only. May 1 was the deadline for counties to implement those ordinances, which means we finally have a much clearer picture of what hunters can expect this fall.
Our Rifle vs. Shotgun Map Has Been Updated
We have updated the RVAA Rifle vs. Shotgun Map with the most recent county information available, including which counties have adopted a shotgun-only ordinance and which counties are allowing all legal firearms for deer season.
The newest version also includes an overlay showing where Minnesota’s deer hunting zones intersect with county lines. That part matters, because hunters don’t just need to know what county they are in. They also need to know what deer permit area or hunting zone they are hunting in. The updated RVAA map uses shading to show shotgun-only ordinance counties, all-firearms counties, already all-firearm counties, and the previous boundary between all legal firearms and shotgun-only areas. It also includes the April 28, 2026 edit date directly on the map.
In plain English, the map is designed to help answer the question every Minnesota deer hunter is asking right now: “Can I use a rifle where I hunt, or is that county shotgun-only?”
Why the May 1 Deadline Mattered
The May 1 deadline was important because counties needed to act if they wanted to remain shotgun-only. Under the new law, a county board in a county located in the old shotgun zone may adopt an ordinance after notice and a public hearing to limit the type of firearms used for deer hunting.
That means Minnesota no longer has one clean, simple “shotgun zone” line across the state. Instead, firearm restrictions for deer season now depend more heavily on county-level decisions.
For hunters, that adds a new step to pre-season planning. You still need to check your deer permit area, season dates, license requirements, and DNR regulations. But now, you also need to check whether the county you hunt in passed a shotgun-only ordinance.
Which Counties Are Shotgun for Deer Season in Minnesota?
This is the big question, and it is exactly why we’re keeping this map updated.
Some counties chose to remain shotgun-only. Others are following the new statewide standard and allowing all legal firearms. Some areas are especially tricky because county lines and deer hunting zones do not always line up in the way hunters casually think about them.
That is why we strongly recommend checking the map before you head out, especially if you hunt near a county border or switch between properties. A quick look now could save a major headache later.
How Do You Figure Out if the County You Hunt in Is Shotgun or Rifle for Deer Hunting?
Start with the county. Find the county where your hunting land is located and check whether it has a shotgun-only ordinance. Then, confirm the deer permit area or hunting zone that applies to your hunt.
The DNR has said hunters should check with county boards to determine how individual counties are proceeding, and that updated information will be included before the 2026 deer hunting season and in the 2026 hunting regulations synopsis.
In other words, don’t rely on “that’s how we’ve always done it.” The rules are changing, and the 2026 season is not the year to guess.
We’re Still Tracking the Updates
This is a complicated issue, and we’re still working to keep up with all the changes for you guys. We’ve updated the RVAA Rifle vs. Shotgun Map with the most recent county information we have, plus the deer zone overlay, but this is a moving target.
If you see something that needs to be changed or updated, please reach out to us. We’re also continuing to work on tools that make it easier to see which counties are rifle, which counties are shotgun-only, and how those rules interact with Minnesota’s hunting zones.
As always, check the official regulations before you hunt, be safe, and make sure your deer season plan matches the county you’re actually standing in.