Deer Permit Area 117: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 117 covers 1,134 square miles of Cook and Lake counties, near Winton. Hunters registered 14 deer here in 2025, 10 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 100% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 83.1% of DPA 117 is public land open to the public, the largest share national forest (552,423 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 forestState parksDPA 117Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Cook County and Lake County |
|---|---|
| Size | 725,672 acres (1,134 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | One-deer limit: either sex |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 14 (10 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 122 |
| Public land | 83.1% (602,843 acres) |
| WMAs | None mapped |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Winton, Ely and Grand Marais |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 117?
The DNR registered 14 deer in DPA 117 in 2025: 10 adult bucks, 4 adult does and 0 fawns, about 0.02 deer for each of the 927 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 122 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 12 deer, about 10 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 34 hunters, 1 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 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0.02 | 122 | 12 | 34 | 1 | 13 | 1 |
| 2024 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0.01 | 88 | 6 | 14 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 2023 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0.01 | 91 | 7 | 16 | 1 | 19 | 0 |
| 2022 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0.01 | 109 | 10 | 17 | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| 2021 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0.01 | 133 | 9 | 22 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
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 117 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 117?
DPA 117 is a "One-deer limit: either sex" 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 | One-deer limit: either sex |
| 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). Check the DNR's regulations before you go: dates and limits can change during the year.
How much public land is in DPA 117?
602,843 of DPA 117's 725,672 acres are public land open to the public (83.1%). The biggest share is national forest: 552,423 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 117 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 552,423 | 76.1% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 50,420 | 6.9% |
| All public land open to the public | 602,843 | 83.1% |
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.
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Superior National Forest (555,047 acres), Pat Bayle State Forest (4,880 acres), Bear Island State Forest (644 acres) and Insula Lake State Forest (471 acres).
How do you get to DPA 117?
No numbered highway crosses it. Nearby: Winton (5 miles), Ely (7 miles), Grand Marais (12 miles) and Babbitt (18 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 117?
DPA 117 touches 3 other deer permit areas. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| DPA | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Walk-In Access sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 118 | 408 | 2025 | 67.5% | |
| DPA 126 | 117 | 2025 | 66.6% | |
| DPA 131 | 45 | 2025 | 67.9% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 117 in 2025?
14 deer were registered: 10 adult bucks, 4 adult does and 0 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 14, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 117?
The DNR lists DPA 117 as "One-deer limit: either sex" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 117?
Yes. 602,843 acres, 83.1% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly national forest.
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 117?
122 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 12 deer, 8 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 Cook County Lake County DPA 118 DPA 126 DPA 131