Deer Permit Area 118: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 118 covers 1,446 square miles of St. Louis and Lake counties, around Ely. Hunters registered 408 deer here in 2025, 403 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 1% from 2024. 67.5% of DPA 118 is public land open to the public, the largest share national forest (537,029 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 forestOther federal landState parksNational park landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landDPA 118Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | St. Louis County and Lake County |
|---|---|
| Size | 925,376 acres (1,446 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | One-deer limit: bucks only |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 408 (403 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 2,154 |
| Public land | 67.5% (624,843 acres) |
| WMAs | 1 (89 acres inside DPA 118) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Ely, Winton, Tower, Babbitt and Hoyt Lakes |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 118?
The DNR registered 408 deer in DPA 118 in 2025: 403 adult bucks, 4 adult does and 1 fawn, about 0.3 deer for each of the 1,220 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 2,154 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 361 deer, about 17 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 225 hunters, 32 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 | 408 | 403 | 4 | 1 | 0.33 | 2,154 | 361 | 225 | 32 | 114 | 12 |
| 2024 | 403 | 397 | 3 | 3 | 0.33 | 2,144 | 353 | 218 | 27 | 105 | 13 |
| 2023 | 366 | 364 | 1 | 1 | 0.30 | 2,293 | 332 | 207 | 19 | 103 | 10 |
| 2022 | 388 | 382 | 5 | 1 | 0.32 | 2,458 | 353 | 211 | 13 | 130 | 11 |
| 2021 | 501 | 494 | 5 | 2 | 0.41 | 2,527 | 455 | 234 | 26 | 119 | 7 |
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 118 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 118?
DPA 118 is a "One-deer limit: bucks only" 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: bucks only |
| 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 118?
624,843 of DPA 118's 925,376 acres are public land open to the public (67.5%). The biggest share is national forest: 537,029 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 118 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 537,029 | 58% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 87,511 | 9.5% |
| State wildlife management areas | 136 | under 0.1% |
| Other federal land | 132 | under 0.1% |
| County, city and regional land | 28 | under 0.1% |
| State parks | 4 | under 0.1% |
| National park land | 3 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 624,843 | 67.5% |
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 118
DNR WMAs in DPA 118, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Old Koschak Farm WMA: 89 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Superior National Forest (542,483 acres), Bear Island State Forest (19,767 acres), Kabetogama State Forest (7,443 acres) and Lake Jeanette State Forest (1,358 acres).
How do you get to DPA 118?
Highways through it: MN 1 (about 35 miles inside) and MN 169 (about 20 miles inside). Towns inside: Ely and Winton. Nearby: Tower (4 miles), Babbitt (4 miles), Hoyt Lakes (8 miles) and Cook (11 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 118?
DPA 118 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 117 | 14 | 2025 | 83.1% | |
| DPA 119 | 279 | 2025 | 51.6% | |
| DPA 130 | 142 | 2025 | 41.9% | |
| DPA 131 | 45 | 2025 | 67.9% | |
| DPA 177 | 510 | 2025 | 24% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 118 in 2025?
408 deer were registered: 403 adult bucks, 4 adult does and 1 fawn (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 501, in 2021.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 118?
The DNR lists DPA 118 as "One-deer limit: bucks only" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 118?
Yes. 624,843 acres, 67.5% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly national forest. The DNR's map shows one wildlife management area here, Old Koschak Farm WMA (89 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 118?
2,154 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 361 deer, 358 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 St. Louis County Lake County DPA 117 DPA 119 DPA 130 DPA 131 DPA 177