MO Missouri Porch

Small game

Small game hunting in Missouri

Small game is the easy on-ramp to hunting in Missouri. One Small Game Hunting Permit covers squirrel, rabbit, quail, pheasant, and crow — so you don't need a different permit for each animal. The seasons are long, the limits are generous, and you can hunt close to home. Get the permit, learn your season and your limit, and you're ready to go.

The plain-English version: grab the Small Game Permit (or skip it if you qualify below), pick a species that's in season, and stay under the daily and possession limits. There's no Telecheck and no tagging for small game — just mind your limits.

Seasons

Small game dates — 2026 / 2026–27

Season Dates
Squirrel May 23, 2026 – Feb. 15, 2027
Rabbit Oct. 1, 2026 – Feb. 15, 2027
Bobwhite quail Nov. 1, 2026 – Jan. 15, 2027
Pheasant Nov. 1, 2026 – Jan. 15, 2027
Crow Nov. 1, 2026 – March 3, 2027
Groundhog May 11 – Dec. 15, 2026

Dates change every year — confirm on MDC Seasons.

Limits

Small game limits

Species Daily Possession Note
Squirrel 10 20 —
Rabbit 6 12 No more than 2 daily / 4 in possession may be swamp rabbits.
Bobwhite quail 8 16 —
Pheasant 2 male birds 4 male birds Males (roosters) only.
Crow No limit No limit —

Good to know

A couple of small-game wrinkles

  • Swamp rabbits have tighter rules down in the southeast Bootheel — check the current booklet before you hunt them there.
  • Crows may be hunted with electronic calls, and you can keep hunting them until sunset.

Permits

Small game permit

Permit Resident Nonresident Nonres. landowner Youth
Small Game Hunting Covers squirrel, rabbit, quail, pheasant, crow, frogs, and hunting furbearers. $11.50 $108.50 — —
Nonresident Daily Small Game — $16 — —

Resident landowners get no-cost deer and turkey permits on their own land. Full list: MDC Hunting Permits.

No permit needed

Who can skip the permit

Not everyone needs to buy the Small Game Permit:

Older residents Residents 65+ may hunt small game (not deer, turkey, bear, or elk) without a permit.
Kids 15 and under Kids 15 and under may hunt small game with a hunter-education card, or while hunting alongside a qualified adult.

A statewide deer-season twist

Watch out during firearms deer season

During the November firearms deer portion, small-game rules tighten up across the whole state. If you're hunting small game with other guns during that portion, you may be limited to a .22 rimfire or shot no bigger than No. 4. And in ten southeast counties, you can't use dogs to hunt squirrels or rabbits during the daylight hours of that portion.

Is my county different?

No dogs for squirrel/rabbit during the November deer portion

In these southeast counties you can't use dogs to hunt squirrels or rabbits during the daylight hours of the November firearms deer portion:

  • Butler
  • Carter
  • Dent
  • Iron
  • Madison
  • Oregon
  • Reynolds
  • Ripley
  • Shannon
  • Wayne

Check the current MDC source →

Before you hunt

Missouri Porch explains; the MDC decides.

Data current for the 2026 / 2026–27 season. Last checked against MDC: 2026-06-18. Dates, prices, quotas, and county rules change every year. Confirm with MDC before you hunt.

This is a plain-English summary, not the law. Always check the current MDC regulations before you hunt. As MDC puts it, the booklet is NOT a legal document and regulations are subject to revision during the year.

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