News & Info

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...