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Hunting below ground dates by department 2026-2027
Where and when this method is allowed, department by department. Find your area on the map or in the table.
Open today Closed today No date specific to this method
For the 2026-2027 season, hunting below ground is regulated department by department by prefectoral decree. Of the 40 departments documented to date, the periods recorded run from 15 May 2026 to 31 March 2027. Check the map and table for your department. Hunting below ground, or digging out, flushes the game from its burrow with the help of dogs. It mainly targets the badger and the fox. Its periods are set explicitly by prefectoral decrees, department by department.
Data updated on 21 September 2026, from the prefectoral decrees.
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Dates by department
| Department | Species concerned | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Ain (01) | Badger | 13 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Ardennes (08) | Badger | 1 June 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Ariège (09) | Badger | 20 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Calvados (14) | BadgerCoypuMuskratRed fox | 20 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Cantal (15) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Charente (16) | Badger | 13 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Charente-Maritime (17) | Badger | 13 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Cher (18) | BadgerRed fox | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Côtes-d’Armor (22) | BadgerRed fox | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Creuse (23) | BadgerCoypuRed fox | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Dordogne (24) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Doubs (25) | Badger | 13 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Eure (27) | Red foxWild boar | 15 September 2026 → 31 March 2027 |
| Finistère (29) | BadgerCoypuRed fox | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Gard (30) | BadgerRed fox | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Haute-Garonne (31) | BadgerCoypuRed fox | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Gers (32) | BadgerCoypuRed fox | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Gironde (33) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Indre-et-Loire (37) | Badger | 20 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Isère (38) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 14 January 2027 |
| Loir-et-Cher (41) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Loire (42) | BadgerRed fox | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Lot (46) | CoypuRed fox | 13 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Lozère (48) | BadgerRed fox | 1 July 2026 → 10 January 2027 |
| Marne (51) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Haute-Marne (52) | Badger | 15 May 2026 → 19 September 2026 |
| Mayenne (53) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Meuse (55) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Moselle (57) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Nièvre (58) | Wild boar | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Oise (60) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Puy-de-Dôme (63) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Rhône (69) | BadgerRed fox | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Sarthe (72) | BadgerCoypuRed fox | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Seine-Maritime (76) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Seine-et-Marne (77) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Yvelines (78) | Badger | 20 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Somme (80) | BadgerRed fox | 20 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Vienne (86) | BadgerCoypuRed fox | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
| Haute-Vienne (87) | Badger | 15 September 2026 → 15 January 2027 |
See also dates by species: Badger, Red fox, Coypu, Wild boar, Muskrat.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about hunting below ground
Hunting below ground is regulated by each prefecture. Of the 40 departments documented for 2026-2027, the map and table above show, department by department, the species concerned and the dates. A department in grey means its decree sets no specific date for this method, not that the method is prohibited there.
It depends on the departmental decree. The most common species recorded in our data are: Badger, Red fox, Coypu, Wild boar, Muskrat. Each row in the table links to the department page where the source decree is cited.
No. Each prefecture sets its own dates by decree, and the periods sometimes differ by several weeks from one department to another. Always check the decree that applies in your area.
Each row in the table links to the department page concerned, where the prefectoral decree is cited. That is the official document for the 2026-2027 season. In some departments where the decree has not yet been signed, the dates come from the draft put out for public consultation and may still change: the department page indicates this.
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