Deer Permit Area 101: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 101 covers 496 square miles of Beltrami, Marshall and Roseau counties, near Grygla. Hunters registered 759 deer here in 2025, 554 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 10% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 29.6% of DPA 101 is public land open to the public, the largest share state wildlife management areas (81,848 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: DNR Deer Harvest Reports, 2021 to 2025. Seasons: the DNR's 2026 deer permit area map. Land: PAD-US 4.1, DNR WMA and Walk-In Access layers.
State wildlife management areasState forest and other DNR landNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasLand trusts and other open landDPA 101Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Beltrami County, Marshall County, Roseau County and Lake of the Woods County |
|---|---|
| Size | 317,465 acres (496 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Two-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 759 (554 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 1,862 |
| Public land | 29.6% (94,025 acres) |
| WMAs | 12 (81,534 acres inside DPA 101) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Grygla, Goodridge and Roseau |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 101?
The DNR registered 759 deer in DPA 101 in 2025: 554 adult bucks, 149 adult does and 56 fawns, about 1.5 deer for each of the 496 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 1,862 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 672 deer, about 36 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 202 hunters, 18 deer.
| Year | Deer registered | Adult bucks | Adult does | Fawns | Deer per square mile | Firearms hunters | Firearms harvest | Archery hunters | Archery harvest | Muzzleloader hunters | Muzzleloader harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 759 | 554 | 149 | 56 | 1.53 | 1,862 | 672 | 202 | 18 | 107 | 17 |
| 2024 | 688 | 515 | 129 | 44 | 1.39 | 1,873 | 599 | 198 | 15 | 97 | 23 |
| 2023 | 594 | 391 | 159 | 44 | 1.20 | 1,857 | 533 | 218 | 16 | 160 | 11 |
| 2022 | 634 | 356 | 224 | 54 | 1.28 | 1,892 | 529 | 190 | 31 | 131 | 20 |
| 2021 | 667 | 491 | 134 | 42 | 1.34 | 1,871 | 581 | 213 | 13 | 141 | 25 |
Source: Minnesota DNR Deer Harvest Reports, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021: Table 3 (all deer, special hunts left out), Tables 4 to 6 (archery, firearms A season, muzzleloader). Deer per square mile is the DNR's total divided by the DNR's land area for the permit area. A blank means the DNR printed no row for DPA 101 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 101?
DPA 101 is a "Two-deer limit" area for 2026. It is in the 100 series, which sets its firearms dates. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026.
| Season | 2026 dates or rule |
|---|---|
| Bag limit designation | Two-deer limit |
| Archery | Sept. 19 to Dec. 31, 2026 |
| Firearm A season | Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026 |
| Muzzleloader | Nov. 28 to Dec. 13, 2026 |
| Youth season | Oct. 15 to Oct. 18, 2026 |
| CWD testing | Optional CWD testing available |
Source: Minnesota DNR deer permit areas, 2026 seasons (July 2026 - June 2027). Special regulations for WMAs in this permit area. Details are on the DNR's WMA rules page. Check the DNR's regulations before you go: dates and limits can change during the year.
How much public land is in DPA 101?
94,025 of DPA 101's 317,465 acres are public land open to the public (29.6%). The biggest share is state wildlife management areas: 81,848 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 101 |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 81,848 | 25.8% |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 11,653 | 3.7% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 524 | 0.2% |
| All public land open to the public | 94,025 | 29.6% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the DNR's boundary from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). Hunting rules differ by manager: state wildlife management areas, state forest land and national forests are open to hunting in season; refuges and waterfowl production areas follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules; state parks allow hunting only in special hunts; national park land is closed to hunting; city and county parks set their own rules. PAD-US 4.1 leaves out most of the tax-forfeited land Minnesota counties manage, much of it open to hunting, so the public land here may be more than shown; the county land department has the maps.
Wildlife Management Areas in DPA 101
DNR WMAs in DPA 101, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Wapiti WMA: 31,755 acres
- Thief Lake WMA: 22,057 acres
- Moose River WMA: 21,275 acres
- Grygla WMA: 3,444 acres
- Benville WMA: 1,194 acres
- Skime WMA: 870 acres
- Valley WMA: 656 acres
- Marbel WMA: 87 acres
- Wannaska WMA: 79 acres
- Hayes WMA: 74 acres
- Palmville WMA: 28 acres
- Red Lake WMA: 15 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Beltrami Wildlife Management Area (11,655 acres).
How do you get to DPA 101?
Highways through it: MN 89 (about 34 miles inside). Nearby: Grygla (on the line), Goodridge (11 miles), Roseau (14 miles) and Badger (15 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 101?
DPA 101 touches 5 other deer permit areas. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| DPA | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Walk-In Access sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 105 | 2,485 | 2025 | 26.1% | |
| DPA 111 | 412 | 2025 | 59.7% | |
| DPA 208 | 465 | 2025 | 3.8% | |
| DPA 267 | 772 | 2025 | 6.1% | |
| DPA 268 | 801 | 2025 | 37.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 101 in 2025?
759 deer were registered: 554 adult bucks, 149 adult does and 56 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 759, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 101?
The DNR lists DPA 101 as "Two-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 101?
Yes. 94,025 acres, 29.6% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly state wildlife management areas. The DNR's map shows 12 wildlife management areas here, the largest Wapiti WMA (31,755 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 101?
1,862 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 672 deer, 508 of them adult bucks.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: Minnesota DNR Deer Harvest Reports (2021 to 2025, 2025 report).
- Seasons: Minnesota DNR deer permit areas, 2026 seasons; DNR season calendar.
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). Wildlife Management Areas: Minnesota DNR Wildlife Management Area boundaries, publicly accessible. Walk-In Access: Minnesota DNR Walk-In Access sites.
- Boundaries: Minnesota DNR deer permit areas, 2026 seasons. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from the DNR and the federal sources above, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
Minnesota hunting Beltrami County Marshall County Roseau County Lake of the Woods County DPA 105 DPA 111 DPA 208 DPA 267 DPA 268