Hunters may use dogs to take and retrieve game, but there are restrictions by species, times, and locations.
When Dogs Are Illegal to Use
Dogs are prohibited when hunting deer, elk, and turkey.
Dogs cannot be used to harvest muskrat, mink, river otter, and beaver.
Dogs are prohibited when hunting furbearers (badger, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, opossum, raccoon, and striped skunk) during daylight hours from Nov.1 through the close of the November portion of the firearms deer season and during the antlerless and CWD portions of firearms deer season in open counties.
Dogs are prohibited when hunting squirrels and rabbits during daylight hours of the November portion of the firearms deer season in the following counties:
- Butler
- Carter
- Dent
- Iron
- Madison
- Oregon
- Reynolds
- Ripley
- Shannon
- Wayne
Dogs are prohibited when hunting squirrels, rabbits, and furbearers (badger, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, opossum, raccoon, and striped skunk) during daylight hours during the firearms portion of the elk hunting season in the following counties:
- Carter
- Reynolds
- Shannon
Dogs must wear ID
While hunting, all dogs, except for those used by waterfowl and game bird hunters, must wear a collar with the owner’s full name and address, Conservation Number or complete telephone number.
Training Dogs
During training, dogs may chase but not take wildlife that can be hunted with dogs. You will need a hunting permit appropriate for the wildlife or exception when training dogs that are chasing wildlife.
Only a pistol with blank ammunition may be used during daylight hours to train dogs during closed seasons.