Posted by OUTDOORICA on 7th Aug 2026
Minnesota Deer Hunting Rifle Rule Changes: Stearns County & Central MN Hunter Guide
This article was last reviewed on August 7, 2026. Because county ordinance lists and DNR rules can change, OUTDOORICA recommends checking the Minnesota DNR shotgun ordinance page and the county where you hunt before every deer season.
This article is meant to help hunters understand the general 2026 Minnesota deer hunting rule changes and prepare for the season. It is not legal advice. Hunting rules can change, and local ordinances matter. Always verify current Minnesota DNR regulations, your deer permit area, CWD requirements, county ordinances, city or township restrictions, public land rules, landowner rules, feeding and attractant restrictions, and legal equipment before hunting.
For years, many Minnesota deer hunters planned around a familiar “rifle zone” and “shotgun zone.” That changed for the 2026 firearms deer season. Minnesota’s statewide shotgun-only zone has been repealed, which means rifles may now be legal in many areas where hunters previously used only shotguns, muzzleloaders, or handguns during firearms deer season.
The key point for local hunters is that Stearns County is rifle allowed under the current DNR county ordinance list. OUTDOORICA is located in Albany, Minnesota, in Stearns County, so this change is especially relevant for customers shopping for hunting blinds, accessories, feed and seed products, and deer season gear in Central Minnesota.
The important catch is this: counties in the former shotgun zone can pass local ordinances to remain shotgun-only. That makes this a county-by-county rule check. If you hunt family land, leased land, public land, a buddy’s farm, or property near a county line, do not assume last year’s equipment rules still apply.
Yes. Stearns County is a rifle-allowed county for the 2026 Minnesota firearms deer season under the current DNR county shotgun-ordinance list. Stearns County is not listed as a shotgun-only county.
Hunters should still verify the specific hunting location, deer permit area, city or township rules, public land rules, special management areas, landowner requirements, and all current Minnesota DNR regulations before hunting.
This section is designed for everyday hunters who want the practical takeaway without sorting through every legal detail first.
Stearns County is rifle allowed. Todd, Benton, Morrison, and Sherburne are also not currently listed on the Minnesota DNR shotgun-only ordinance list. Always verify before hunting.
Kandiyohi and Pope are currently listed by the Minnesota DNR as shotgun-only. Hunters in those counties should confirm legal equipment before the season.
Sherburne, Meeker, and Wright are examples of nearby counties included in DNR feeding and attractant restrictions. Check current rules before using attractants, minerals, feed, salt, or similar products.
The law may be changing, but the basics of a successful season still matter: safe blind placement, access routes, food sources, scent control, comfort, weather prep, and having the right gear before opening weekend.
Shop permanent deer blinds for Minnesota properties, food plots, field edges, timber transitions, and long firearms-season sits.
Build better deer patterns with food plot seed, fertilizer, and habitat products for Minnesota hunting land. Use attractants only where legal.
Get ready with accessories for deer camp, blinds, comfort, scent strategy, field prep, and Minnesota firearms season.
Deer season preparation can add up quickly, especially if you are upgrading a permanent hunting blind, adding heaters and accessories, improving a food plot, or setting up a property before opening weekend. OUTDOORICA offers financing options that may help qualified customers spread out eligible purchases.
Financing can be helpful for larger hunting setups such as permanent deer blinds, blind accessories, heaters, seating, steps, food plot supplies, and other qualifying outdoor products. Approval, available terms, and eligible products may vary.
View Financing OptionsFinancing is subject to approval. Available terms, eligibility, and qualifying products may vary. Review current options on OUTDOORICA’s financing page.
The biggest change is simple to say, but important to understand: Minnesota removed the old statewide shotgun zone. That does not mean every hunter can ignore local rules. Instead, counties can choose to keep shotgun-only restrictions through local ordinances.
Minnesota no longer has the old statewide shotgun-only zone as the default rule. In counties without a local shotgun-only ordinance, hunters may use otherwise legal shotguns, handguns, and rifles during firearms deer season where deer hunting is allowed.
Stearns County is not listed as shotgun-only on the current DNR county ordinance list. That means Stearns County is rifle allowed under the current 2026 rule structure, subject to all other applicable rules.
Counties such as Kandiyohi and Pope are currently listed by the Minnesota DNR as shotgun-only. Hunters crossing county lines need to pay close attention.
Legal equipment is only one part of responsible hunting. Know your target, what is beyond it, your shooting lanes, neighboring properties, roads, buildings, livestock, and safe backstops.
Season dates can vary by deer permit area and hunt type. Use these as a planning reference, then confirm your license, deer permit area, and regulations with the Minnesota DNR before hunting.
Sept. 19 - Dec. 31
Nov. 7-22 or Nov. 7-15, depending on deer permit area.
Nov. 28 - Dec. 13
Oct. 15-18
OUTDOORICA is located in Stearns County, and many local hunters travel across Stearns, Todd, Benton, Sherburne, Morrison, Kandiyohi, Pope, Meeker, Wright, Douglas, and other Central Minnesota counties. Use this section as a starting point, then verify with the Minnesota DNR and the county where you hunt.
Stearns County is a rifle-allowed county under the current 2026 DNR county shotgun-ordinance list. OUTDOORICA is located in Albany, MN, in Stearns County. Hunters should still verify current DNR, county, city/township, public land, and landowner rules before hunting.
Todd County has stated it will align with updated state regulations and allow rifle use consistent with Minnesota DNR rules. Hunters should still check DPA, landowner, public land, and local rules.
Benton County is not currently listed on the DNR shotgun-only ordinance list. Hunters should verify with DNR and local county resources before the season.
Sherburne County announced that it declined to restrict rifle hunting, meaning rifles are allowed for deer hunting where otherwise legal, except where municipal jurisdictions, federal lands, airports, state parks, or other special areas have their own firearm restrictions.
Morrison County is not currently listed on the DNR shotgun-only ordinance list. Hunters should verify current DNR and county information before the opener.
Kandiyohi County is currently listed by the Minnesota DNR as shotgun-only. Kandiyohi County’s ordinance limits regular firearms deer hunting to legal shotguns with single-slug shotgun shells, legal muzzle-loading long guns, and legal handguns.
Pope County is currently listed by the Minnesota DNR as shotgun-only. Hunters in Pope County should verify the ordinance and legal equipment before firearms season.
Meeker and Wright are not currently listed as shotgun-only on the DNR list, but they are included in the DNR deer feeding and attractant ban. This is especially important for food plot, mineral, attractant, and habitat planning.
Sherburne County is included in the DNR feeding and attractant ban list. Even where rifle use is allowed, hunters should check feeding, attractant, baiting, and CWD restrictions before using attractants, minerals, salt, feed, or similar products.
Bottom line for Central Minnesota hunters: Stearns County is rifle allowed under the current 2026 DNR county ordinance list. Todd, Benton, Sherburne, and Morrison are also not currently on the DNR shotgun-only ordinance list, while Kandiyohi and Pope are listed as shotgun-only. County status, municipal rules, special management areas, and DNR regulations can change, so always verify before hunting.
The Minnesota DNR currently lists the following counties as having notified the state that they passed shotgun-only or partial shotgun-only ordinances. Stearns County is not on this list, which is why it is treated as rifle allowed under the current 2026 rule structure.
Important: County information can change. Do not rely only on memory, old zone maps, social media posts, or last year’s rules. Check the Minnesota DNR and the county where you hunt before the opener.
The rifle rule change is important, but successful deer season preparation still comes down to doing the basics well. Use this checklist before the opener.
Verify whether your county allows rifles, shotguns, handguns, or is shotgun-only. Confirm legal ammunition and season-specific equipment rules.
Review your deer permit area, license type, antlerless status, CWD rules, and season dates before hunting.
Check windows, doors, anchors, steps, chairs, heaters, scent control, and sight lines before opening morning.
Know your backstop, neighboring properties, roads, homes, farm buildings, livestock, and where other hunters will be positioned.
Use legal food plots, fertilizer, habitat improvements, and attractants only where permitted to support natural deer movement.
Minnesota deer season can bring wind, snow, rain, cold, mud, and long sits. Bring comfort and safety gear before you need it.
If your area now allows rifles, your blind setup deserves a fresh look. A good hunting blind is not just about staying warm. It is about visibility, concealment, comfort, safe shot angles, wind direction, deer movement, access routes, and confidence during the most important moments of the season.
A responsible shot plan starts with knowing what is behind the deer.
Good access routes help you get to the blind without blowing deer out of the area.
Wind direction still decides whether a good setup becomes a productive setup.
A warm, dry, quiet blind can keep hunters in the field during the hours deer actually move.
Good deer hunting rarely happens by accident. Food plots, natural browse, bedding cover, water, wind, pressure, and access routes all shape deer movement. The best food plot strategy is not just about attracting deer; it is about creating predictable movement that works with your blind location and safe shot opportunities.
Soil prep, fertilizer, seed timing, and rain windows can make a big difference before fall hunting pressure starts.
The best plot is not always the biggest plot. Shape, approach, wind direction, and shooting lanes often matter more.
Food plots are different from hunting over bait. Minnesota does not allow taking deer with the aid or use of bait. Deer feeding and attractant bans also apply in certain counties, including Sherburne, Meeker, and Wright. Check current Minnesota DNR feeding, attractant, baiting, and CWD rules before using any attractant, mineral, salt, scent, feed, or similar product.
The best hunters usually do not win because of one thing. They win because they prepare the details: blind comfort, scent control, heat, visibility, field tools, storage, lighting, access, and backup gear.
Long sits are easier when your blind is warm, dry, quiet, and organized.
Steps, seating, heat, storage, and window management all affect the quality of your hunt.
OUTDOORICA can help you get ready with blinds, feed and seed products, hunting accessories, and financing options, but hunters are responsible for knowing and following current laws and regulations. Use official state and county resources before heading to the field.
Season dates, deer permit areas, regulations, CWD information, and official updates.
Check which counties have shotgun-only or partial shotgun-only ordinances.
Review the current hunting and trapping regulations booklet before the season.
Check current county feeding and attractant restrictions before using attractants, minerals, feed, or similar products.
Review Minnesota’s deer baiting rules and know the difference between legal habitat work and illegal baiting.
Yes. Minnesota’s statewide shotgun-only zone has been repealed for the 2026 firearms deer season, but some counties in the former shotgun zone adopted shotgun-only or partial shotgun-only ordinances.
Yes. Stearns County is rifle allowed under the current 2026 DNR county shotgun-ordinance list. Hunters should still verify current DNR, county, municipal, public land, landowner, deer permit area, and special-area rules before hunting.
Hunters should check every county where they hunt, especially if crossing county lines. Stearns County is rifle allowed under the current DNR county list, and Todd, Benton, Sherburne, and Morrison are not currently listed on the DNR shotgun-only ordinance list. Kandiyohi and Pope are currently listed as shotgun-only. Sherburne, Meeker, and Wright are important to check for feeding and attractant restrictions.
Yes. Kandiyohi County is currently listed by the Minnesota DNR as shotgun-only, and Kandiyohi County’s ordinance limits regular firearms deer hunting to legal shotguns with single-slug shotgun shells, legal muzzle-loading long guns, and legal handguns.
Not always, but it is smart to review your blind location. Think about safe backstops, neighboring properties, shooting lanes, deer movement, food sources, wind direction, and how other hunters use the property.
It depends on the product, county, CWD designation, and how it is used. Minnesota does not allow hunting deer with the aid or use of bait, and deer feeding and attractant bans apply in specific counties. Always check the current DNR feeding, attractant, baiting, and CWD rules before using attractants, minerals, salt, feed, scents, or similar products.
OUTDOORICA offers financing options that may help qualified customers purchase eligible outdoor products, including hunting blinds, accessories, and other qualifying items. Approval, terms, and eligible products may vary. Visit the OUTDOORICA financing page for current options.
OUTDOORICA in Albany, Minnesota is located in rifle-allowed Stearns County and carries permanent hunting blinds, feed and seed products, food plot seed, deer attractants, fertilizer, hunting accessories, and other outdoor gear for Central Minnesota hunters preparing for deer season.
Minnesota’s deer hunting rules are changing, and Stearns County is rifle allowed under the current 2026 DNR county ordinance list. The goal is still the same: hunt safely, hunt legally, and make the most of your time outdoors. Visit OUTDOORICA in Albany, MN for permanent hunting blinds, feed and seed products, deer attractants, fertilizer, hunting accessories, and financing options before the season rush.
OUTDOORICA | 209 County Road 156, Albany, MN 56307 | Rifle-allowed Stearns County hunting blinds, feed and seed, food plots, deer attractants, hunting accessories, and financing options.