Minnesota hunting maps: public land, units and season dates
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) divides Minnesota into 130 deer permit areas. Across them, about 15% of the land is public: state land 8.2%, Forest Service 5.3%, Fish & Wildlife Service 1%.
- 130deer permit areas
- 15%public land
- 83,092square miles mapped
- 5general seasons tracked
Units measured Oct 12, 2026 · sources
Who manages Minnesota’s public land
- U.S. Forest Service5.3%
- National Park Serviceunder 1%
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service1%
- Department of Defenseunder 1%
- State land (wildlife, trust and natural-resource agencies)8.2%
Share of the area covered by Minnesota’s deer permit areas.
Public land share per unit. Tap a unit to open it.
All 130 deer permit areas, by public land
Sorted by public land share. Tap a column to re-sort.
| Deer Permit Area 224 | 100% | 48 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 203 | 100% | 131 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 251 | 100% | 68 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 235 | 98% | 38 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 117 | 83% | 1,130 | Forest Service |
| Deer Permit Area 104 | 72% | 1,412 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 131 | 68% | 926 | Forest Service |
| Deer Permit Area 118 | 67% | 1,442 | Forest Service |
| Deer Permit Area 201 | 66% | 168 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 126 | 64% | 976 | Forest Service |
| Deer Permit Area 119 | 52% | 943 | National Park Service |
| Deer Permit Area 154 | 49% | 314 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 197 | 48% | 1,348 | Forest Service |
| Deer Permit Area 169 | 45% | 994 | Forest Service |
| Deer Permit Area 109 | 43% | 1,200 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 130 | 41% | 771 | Forest Service |
| Deer Permit Area 107 | 41% | 498 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 248 | 38% | 232 | Dept. of Defense |
| Deer Permit Area 268 | 38% | 238 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 171 | 37% | 767 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 176 | 30% | 955 | Forest Service |
| Deer Permit Area 173 | 30% | 495 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 101 | 30% | 495 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 172 | 29% | 771 | Forest Service |
| Deer Permit Area 132 | 27% | 511 | Forest Service |
| Deer Permit Area 111 | 25% | 1,383 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 105 | 25% | 1,391 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 110 | 24% | 529 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 259 | 24% | 549 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 177 | 22% | 552 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 679 | 20% | 1,136 | Forest Service |
| Deer Permit Area 156 | 17% | 827 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 155 | 16% | 528 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 263 | 16% | 704 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 258 | 15% | 379 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 178 | 14% | 1,239 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 181 | 13% | 648 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 246 | 13% | 800 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 238 | 12% | 98 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 298 | 11% | 676 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 684 | 9.2% | 1,322 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 257 | 8.2% | 424 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 297 | 7.3% | 448 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 649 | 7.3% | 498 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 159 | 7% | 578 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 264 | 7% | 670 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 114 | 6.9% | 411 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 666 | 6.9% | 623 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 642 | 6.4% | 373 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 199 | 6.2% | 158 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 133 | 6.1% | 354 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 278 | 6.1% | 421 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 256 | 6% | 652 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 157 | 5.9% | 900 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 273 | 4.9% | 632 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 274 | 4.9% | 380 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 646 | 4.8% | 326 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 279 | 4.6% | 345 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 277 | 4.5% | 1,145 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 152 | 4% | 61 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 210 | 4% | 633 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 223 | 4% | 386 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 269 | 3.9% | 649 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 604 | 3.9% | 824 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 648 | 3.9% | 332 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 286 | 3.8% | 458 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 208 | 3.7% | 378 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 270 | 3.6% | 744 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 153 | 3.5% | 360 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 267 | 3.5% | 471 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 275 | 3.5% | 974 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 222 | 3.4% | 412 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 272 | 3.3% | 542 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 283 | 3.3% | 362 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 213 | 3.1% | 1,160 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 265 | 3.1% | 493 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 644 | 3% | 189 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 239 | 2.9% | 1,115 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 250 | 2.8% | 729 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 288 | 2.8% | 628 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 645 | 2.7% | 335 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 218 | 2.6% | 910 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 249 | 2.4% | 721 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 295 | 2.3% | 975 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 214 | 2.2% | 560 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 225 | 2.2% | 633 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 236 | 2.2% | 400 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 292 | 2.1% | 392 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 219 | 2% | 425 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 240 | 2% | 693 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 341 | 2% | 623 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 229 | 1.8% | 313 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 232 | 1.8% | 380 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 241 | 1.8% | 1,044 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 280 | 1.8% | 674 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 605 | 1.8% | 1,228 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 221 | 1.7% | 649 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 227 | 1.7% | 491 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 215 | 1.6% | 729 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 294 | 1.6% | 687 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 671 | 1.6% | 644 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 237 | 1.5% | 613 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 281 | 1.5% | 607 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 299 | 1.5% | 389 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 601 | 1.5% | 1,433 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 284 | 1.2% | 855 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 289 | 1.2% | 819 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 291 | 1.2% | 829 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 209 | 1.1% | 639 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 296 | 1.1% | 673 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 182 | 1% | 288 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 253 | 1% | 985 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 254 | 1% | 944 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 230 | under 1% | 465 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 252 | under 1% | 735 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 282 | under 1% | 1,128 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 338 | under 1% | 329 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 685 | under 1% | 577 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 643 | under 1% | 663 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 647 | under 1% | 434 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 655 | under 1% | 385 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 234 | under 1% | 634 | Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Deer Permit Area 290 | under 1% | 664 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 233 | under 1% | 386 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 255 | under 1% | 388 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 293 | under 1% | 278 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 287 | under 1% | 52 | state land |
| Deer Permit Area 260 | under 1% | 1,054 | — |
| Deer Permit Area 262 | 0% | 675 | — |
| Deer Permit Area 661 | 0% | 792 | — |
Minnesota hunting season dates, 2026
Statewide general seasons from WikiHunt’s season table (updated Sep 2, 2026). Units, zones and draw hunts can differ, so confirm in the Minnesota regulations.
| Species | Season | 2026 dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery DeerArchery | Sep 19 – Dec 31 | Statewide archery deer; opens the Saturday nearest Sept 16. OTC license. |
| Deer | Firearms DeerRifle | Nov 7 – Nov 22 | 16-day 100-series (northern) Firearm Season A; Sat Nov 7 opener. OTC (shotgun zone repealed for 2026, rifles statewide). |
| Deer | Muzzleloader DeerMuzzleloader | Nov 28 – Dec 13 | Statewide muzzleloader deer season. OTC license. |
| Black bear | BearAny legal weapon · draw or permit required | Sep 1 – Oct 18 | Permit areas require lottery-drawn license (deadline 05/01); no-quota area is OTC. |
| Turkey | Fall TurkeyAny legal weapon | Oct 3 – Nov 1 | Statewide fall wild turkey; unlimited OTC licenses, no lottery. |
When is the rut in Minnesota?
White-tailed deer
Statewide Agency
November – early December
The breeding season. The DNR doesn't publish a peak date or a regional split.
Source: MN DNR, Natural history of deer in Minnesota
Questions
How much of Minnesota is public land?
About 15% of the area covered by Minnesota’s deer permit areas is federal or state public land in USGS PAD-US 4.1, led by State land (wildlife, trust and natural-resource agencies), U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Which Minnesota units have the most public land?
Deer Permit Area 224 (100%), Deer Permit Area 203 (100%), Deer Permit Area 251 (100%). The full table above sorts every unit.
When is deer season in Minnesota in 2026?
Archery Deer: Sep 19 – Dec 31; Firearms Deer: Nov 7 – Nov 22; Muzzleloader Deer: Nov 28 – Dec 13. Unit and zone dates can differ; check the regulations.
Does WikiHunt have property lines for Minnesota?
Yes. Parcel boundaries for Minnesota are part of the Single State ($19.99 a year) and All States ($39.99 a year) plans in the app and on the web map.
Sources
- Unit boundaries: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR), via the Minnesota Geospatial Commons.
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1, Fee Managers (public domain), measured per unit on a ~250-cell grid after ~100 m simplification.
- Season dates: WikiHunt’s season table, updated Sep 2, 2026; regulations: www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/regulations.html.
- Rut dates: each row links to its source (state agency, study or press).