Deer Permit Area 119: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 119 covers 945 square miles of St. Louis and Koochiching counties, around Orr. Hunters registered 279 deer here in 2025, 273 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is down 5% from 2024. 51.6% of DPA 119 is public land open to the public, the largest share national park land (129,171 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 landNational park landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landDPA 119Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | St. Louis County and Koochiching County |
|---|---|
| Size | 604,870 acres (945 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | One-deer limit: bucks only |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 279 (273 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 1,543 |
| Public land | 51.6% (312,235 acres) |
| WMAs | 1 (14 acres inside DPA 119) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Orr, Cook, Ranier and International Falls |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 119?
The DNR registered 279 deer in DPA 119 in 2025: 273 adult bucks, 3 adult does and 3 fawns, about 0.4 deer for each of the 770 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 1,543 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 269 deer, about 17 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 70 hunters, 5 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 | 279 | 273 | 3 | 3 | 0.36 | 1,543 | 269 | 70 | 5 | 42 | 3 |
| 2024 | 295 | 291 | 4 | 0 | 0.38 | 1,588 | 281 | 98 | 9 | 58 | 3 |
| 2023 | 231 | 228 | 2 | 1 | 0.30 | 1,673 | 226 | 77 | 4 | 57 | 0 |
| 2022 | 227 | 225 | 1 | 1 | 0.29 | 1,853 | 213 | 70 | 4 | 86 | 7 |
| 2021 | 374 | 366 | 5 | 3 | 0.49 | 1,905 | 355 | 81 | 13 | 98 | 2 |
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 119 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 119?
DPA 119 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 119?
312,235 of DPA 119's 604,870 acres are public land open to the public (51.6%). The biggest share is national park land: 129,171 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 119 |
|---|---|---|
| National park land | 129,171 | 21.4% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 99,659 | 16.5% |
| National forest | 83,355 | 13.8% |
| State wildlife management areas | 45 | under 0.1% |
| Other federal land | 5 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 312,235 | 51.6% |
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 119
DNR WMAs in DPA 119, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Gold Portage WMA: 14 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Kabetogama State Forest (99,128 acres), Kabetogama Purchase Unit (49,358 acres) and Superior National Forest (34,748 acres).
How do you get to DPA 119?
Highways through it: US 53 (about 24 miles inside). Towns inside: Orr. Nearby: Cook (4 miles), Ranier (9 miles), International Falls (12 miles) and Tower (12 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 119?
DPA 119 touches 4 other deer permit areas. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| DPA | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Walk-In Access sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 107 | 795 | 2025 | 40.7% | |
| DPA 109 | 415 | 2025 | 43.5% | |
| DPA 118 | 408 | 2025 | 67.5% | |
| DPA 177 | 510 | 2025 | 24% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 119 in 2025?
279 deer were registered: 273 adult bucks, 3 adult does and 3 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 374, in 2021.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 119?
The DNR lists DPA 119 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 119?
Yes. 312,235 acres, 51.6% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly national park land. The DNR's map shows one wildlife management area here, Gold Portage WMA (14 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 119?
1,543 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 269 deer, 264 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 Koochiching County DPA 107 DPA 109 DPA 118 DPA 177