Deer Permit Area 126: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 126 covers 978 square miles of Cook and Lake counties, around Grand Marais. Hunters registered 117 deer here in 2025, 113 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 38% from 2024. 66.6% of DPA 126 is public land open to the public, the largest share national forest (337,279 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 landDPA 126Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Cook County and Lake County |
|---|---|
| Size | 626,096 acres (978 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | One-deer limit: bucks only |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 117 (113 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 682 |
| Public land | 66.6% (416,872 acres) |
| WMAs | 7 (4,920 acres inside DPA 126) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Grand Marais, Lutsen, Silver Bay and Beaver Bay |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 126?
The DNR registered 117 deer in DPA 126 in 2025: 113 adult bucks, 4 adult does and 0 fawns, about 0.1 deer for each of the 942 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 682 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 107 deer, about 16 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 89 hunters, 8 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 | 117 | 113 | 4 | 0 | 0.12 | 682 | 107 | 89 | 8 | 35 | 1 |
| 2024 | 85 | 84 | 1 | 0 | 0.09 | 738 | 81 | 83 | 3 | 28 | 1 |
| 2023 | 62 | 61 | 1 | 0 | 0.07 | 778 | 54 | 99 | 8 | 28 | 0 |
| 2022 | 95 | 75 | 19 | 1 | 0.10 | 1,041 | 81 | 141 | 11 | 48 | 2 |
| 2021 | 201 | 154 | 34 | 13 | 0.21 | 1,249 | 175 | 159 | 19 | 60 | 3 |
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 126 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 126?
DPA 126 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 126?
416,872 of DPA 126's 626,096 acres are public land open to the public (66.6%). The biggest share is national forest: 337,279 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 126 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 337,279 | 53.9% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 60,595 | 9.7% |
| State parks | 11,536 | 1.8% |
| State wildlife management areas | 6,661 | 1.1% |
| National park land | 709 | 0.1% |
| Other federal land | 92 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 416,872 | 66.6% |
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 126
DNR WMAs in DPA 126, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Swamp River WMA: 2,600 acres
- Jonvik WMA: 956 acres
- East Colvill WMA: 616 acres
- Caribou Falls WMA: 315 acres
- Horseshoe Bay WMA: 276 acres
- LeVeaux WMA: 80 acres
- Northern White Cedar WMA: 77 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Superior National Forest (327,998 acres), Pat Bayle State Forest (33,266 acres), Pigeon River Purchase Unit (11,471 acres), Finland State Forest (4,932 acres) and Grand Portage National Monument (709 acres).
How do you get to DPA 126?
Highways through it: MN 61 (about 74 miles inside). Towns inside: Grand Marais and Lutsen. Nearby: Silver Bay (14 miles) and Beaver Bay (17 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 126?
DPA 126 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 117 | 14 | 2025 | 83.1% | |
| DPA 131 | 45 | 2025 | 67.9% | |
| DPA 133 | 449 | 2025 | 12.9% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 126 in 2025?
117 deer were registered: 113 adult bucks, 4 adult does and 0 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 201, in 2021.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 126?
The DNR lists DPA 126 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 126?
Yes. 416,872 acres, 66.6% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly national forest. The DNR's map shows 7 wildlife management areas here, the largest Swamp River WMA (2,600 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 126?
682 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 107 deer, 103 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 117 DPA 131 DPA 133