Rabbit Hunting Season in Missouri: Dates, Limits, and Rules for 2026-27
October 13, 2026
Missouri’s rabbit season is long. It runs from October 1, 2026 to February 15, 2027, which gives you more than four months to get into the brush.
Rabbit hunting season in Missouri is also easy to get wrong in one place: the bag limit. Plenty of hunting blogs list 10 rabbits a day, but the state’s own rules are tighter, and you’ll see exactly what they say below.
This article covers everything you need before opening day: season dates, which rabbits are legal, limits, permits, weapons, shooting hours, and the blaze orange rules that apply when rabbit season overlaps deer season. If you hunt other game in the state, you may also want our guides to deer hunting season in Missouri and turkey hunting season in Missouri.
Pro Tip: Season dates and limits can change from year to year. Confirm the fine print on the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) website before you head out.
Rabbit Hunting Season Dates in Missouri
The Missouri Department of Conservation lists the 2026-27 rabbit hunting season as running October 1, 2026 through February 15, 2027. That is one statewide season with no zones, so the dates are the same in the Ozarks, the northern prairies, and the Bootheel.
Late season is often the best part. After frost knocks down the cover and snow shows tracks, cottontails are easier to find and jump.
Trapping runs on a different calendar. The rabbit trapping season is November 15, 2026 through January 31, 2027. Rabbit trapping is its own activity with its own rules, so don’t assume hunting dates apply to it.
| Activity | Dates | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Rabbit hunting | October 1, 2026 to February 15, 2027 | Sunrise to sunset |
| Rabbit trapping | November 15, 2026 to January 31, 2027 | Cage traps; see rules below |
Source: MDC season listings for 2026-27.
Which Rabbit and Hare Species You Can Hunt in Missouri
Missouri has two legal rabbits and one protected hare. Only cottontail and swamp rabbits may be hunted, and jackrabbits are protected at all times and may not be hunted or trapped.
The eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) is the rabbit you will most likely see. It lives statewide in brushy fields, fencerows, field edges, old farmsteads, and creek bottoms. It is the target for nearly every Missouri rabbit hunter.
The swamp rabbit (Sylvilagus aquaticus) is a different story. It is larger and yellower than the eastern cottontail and is confined to swamps of Missouri’s Bootheel. MDC notes that a lack of swamp habitat is making this rabbit’s numbers decline. That is part of why the state caps how many swamp rabbits you can take.
The black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) is technically a hare, not a rabbit. It is off limits, so identify your target before you shoot.
- Eastern cottontail: legal, statewide, standard daily limit applies.
- Swamp rabbit: legal, mostly the Bootheel and bottomlands, sub-limit applies.
- Jackrabbit: protected, no take or trapping.
Rabbit Hunting Bag and Possession Limits in Missouri
The legal limit is six rabbits per day. The daily limit is six rabbits, including no more than two swamp rabbits, and the possession limit is twelve rabbits, including no more than four swamp rabbits. This comes straight from the Wildlife Code of Missouri.
| Category | Daily Limit | Possession Limit |
|---|---|---|
| All rabbits combined | 6 | 12 |
| Swamp rabbits (within the total) | 2 | 4 |
| Jackrabbits | Protected | Protected |
Important Note: Some third-party hunting sites list a 10-rabbit daily limit for Missouri. The MDC and the state Wildlife Code both say six, so go with the official number. A game warden will use the official one.
The swamp rabbit sub-limit trips people up. You can take a full six cottontails in a day, but no more than two of your six can be swamp rabbits.
Gifts count too. Wildlife you give away still counts toward your daily limit for the day it was taken, and wildlife you receive counts toward your possession limit. If you plan to share a mess of rabbits with a hunting buddy, keep track of the totals.
Licenses and Permits Required to Hunt Rabbits in Missouri
You need a small game permit to hunt rabbits in Missouri. MDC lists several valid permits: the Small Game Hunting Permit, Small Game Hunting and Fishing Permit, Archer’s Hunting Permit, Nonresident Daily Small Game Permit, and lifetime and military reduced-cost permits. The lifetime options are for residents only.
Which permit fits you depends on your residency and how you plan to hunt:
- Missouri residents: a Small Game Hunting Permit covers rabbit, squirrel, and other small game.
- Nonresidents: a Nonresident Daily Small Game Permit works for a short trip.
- Bowhunters: an Archer’s Hunting Permit also covers rabbit season, but your methods are limited to archery equipment.
- Military: reduced-cost permits are available for Missouri residents who are, or in the last 12 months have been, mobilized on full-time active military duty.
Permit prices change, and some of the numbers published online are outdated. Check the MDC rabbit permits page or the MO Hunting app for current fees before you buy.
If you already hunt dove or quail, the same small game permit is valid for those seasons. MDC’s permit page lists dove, quail, pheasant, and crow among the seasons it covers. Our dove hunting season in Missouri guide covers that overlap.
Legal Hunting Methods and Weapons for Rabbits in Missouri
Your legal methods depend on your permit. MDC says methods depend on the type of permit, either archery or small game hunting. With a small game permit you can use a shotgun or rimfire. With an archer’s permit you stay with archery gear.
Most Missouri rabbit hunters use a shotgun. MDC’s basic rabbit hunting guide says most hunters prefer shotguns with shot sizes No. 4 through No. 6. The same guide notes that all gauges are legal, and that a 20-gauge with No. 6 shot is a common favorite.
Rimfires also work. A .22 is a popular choice for hunters who prefer a rifle, though it is slower than a shotgun when a cottontail is flushing through cover.
Dogs, Traps, and Deer Season Restrictions
Beagles are a Missouri tradition, and dogs are legal for rabbit hunting. But MDC restricts them in some counties during the deer season. During daylight hours of the November portion of the firearms deer season, rabbits may not be chased, pursued, or taken with dogs in Butler, Carter, Dent, Iron, Madison, Oregon, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon, or Wayne counties.
There is also a weapon restriction during firearms deer season. During the November and antlerless portions of the firearms deer season, rabbits may be hunted only with a .22 caliber or smaller rimfire or a shotgun with shot not larger than No. 4. This does not apply to landowners and lessees hunting on land they own or lease.
If you use cage traps, the rules are specific. The trap must be labeled with your full name and address, be attended daily, and have an opening of 144 square inches or smaller. Carcasses may not be sold.
Pro Tip: If you are hunting without a dog, MDC suggests working brushy cover near feeding areas. Walk 5 to 10 steps, stop for 10 to 15 seconds, and repeat. The pause often pushes a hiding rabbit to bolt.
Shooting Hours and Sunday Hunting Rules for Rabbit Hunting in Missouri
Legal shooting hours are simple. Cottontail and swamp rabbits may be taken between sunrise and sunset. That means no pre-dawn or after-dark shooting, even with a light.
The one exception is cage trapping. You may take rabbits with a cage-type trap at any hour during the open hunting season if you possess a hunting permit.
On Sundays, the sources I reviewed did not list any Sunday-specific restriction on rabbit hunting in Missouri. The MDC season listing gives one continuous window with no weekday exclusions. Even so, check the area regulations for any conservation area you plan to hunt, since individual areas can post their own rules.
For timing, MDC points to early morning and late afternoon, when rabbits are generally more active. Rabbits will also move midday on sunny days after a cold snap, so don’t pack up at 10 a.m. if the weather turned cold overnight.
Hunter Orange and Public Land Rules for Rabbit Hunting in Missouri
Rabbit season overlaps with several deer seasons, and that is when hunter orange matters most. One hunting site summarizes the rule this way: blaze orange is required during overlapping firearms deer seasons for safety.
MDC’s regulations page flags the same situations. It lists times when you are archery or small game hunting during the antlerless portions in a closed county, or hunting small game or furbearers during the alternative methods portion, as periods with special requirements. Read the full wording on the MDC rabbit regulations page before you hunt in November or December, and wear orange to be safe.
Missouri also has plenty of public ground for rabbit hunters. Mark Twain National Forest has 1.4 million acres open for public hunting, and rabbit is among the species hunted there. MDC conservation areas are another option, and MRAP walk-in properties can give small game hunters extra access.
Important Note: Public land can carry its own rules, including special deer season restrictions on dogs and weapons and area-specific closures. In the Southeast, some zones close to hunting when river levels reach set flood gauges. Check the area page for any conservation area before you go.
On private land, always get permission first. MDC’s rabbit guide stresses that it is important to have permission before hunting on private property. Fencerows, old farmsteads, and neglected pastures are good places to ask.
If you are planning a bigger Missouri season, our bear hunting season in Missouri guide is a good next read.
Missouri rabbit season gives you six rabbits a day, a four-and-a-half-month window, and a legal species list short enough to memorize. Know your permit, mind the swamp rabbit sub-limit, leave jackrabbits alone, and put on orange when deer hunters share the woods. Verify the details on the MDC site before opening day on October 1.