Deer Permit Area 130: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 130 covers 773 square miles of St. Louis and Lake counties, around Babbitt. Hunters registered 142 deer here in 2025, 141 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 17% from 2024. 41.9% of DPA 130 is public land open to the public, the largest share national forest (137,605 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 parksCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landDPA 130Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | St. Louis County and Lake County |
|---|---|
| Size | 495,008 acres (773 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | One-deer limit: bucks only |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 142 (141 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 917 |
| Public land | 41.9% (207,552 acres) |
| WMAs | 1 (99 acres inside DPA 130) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Babbitt, Hoyt Lakes, Soudan, Tower, Two Harbors and Aurora |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 130?
The DNR registered 142 deer in DPA 130 in 2025: 141 adult bucks, 1 adult doe and 0 fawns, about 0.2 deer for each of the 746 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 917 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 135 deer, about 15 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 75 hunters, 4 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 | 142 | 141 | 1 | 0 | 0.19 | 917 | 135 | 75 | 4 | 27 | 1 |
| 2024 | 121 | 120 | 0 | 1 | 0.16 | 951 | 113 | 66 | 6 | 24 | 0 |
| 2023 | 106 | 103 | 2 | 1 | 0.14 | 984 | 98 | 84 | 4 | 17 | 2 |
| 2022 | 103 | 101 | 0 | 2 | 0.14 | 1,126 | 94 | 108 | 5 | 33 | 4 |
| 2021 | 155 | 150 | 4 | 1 | 0.21 | 1,296 | 144 | 109 | 7 | 45 | 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 130 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 130?
DPA 130 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 130?
207,552 of DPA 130's 495,008 acres are public land open to the public (41.9%). The biggest share is national forest: 137,605 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 130 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 137,605 | 27.8% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 63,479 | 12.8% |
| State parks | 4,246 | 0.9% |
| State wildlife management areas | 2,185 | 0.4% |
| Other federal land | 37 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 207,552 | 41.9% |
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 130
DNR WMAs in DPA 130, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Lieuna WMA: 99 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Superior National Forest (139,664 acres), Finland State Forest (19,960 acres), Cloquet Valley State Forest (5,226 acres) and Bear Island State Forest (3,868 acres).
How do you get to DPA 130?
Highways through it: MN 1 (about 6 miles inside), MN 169 (about 6 miles inside) and MN 135 (about 4 miles inside). Towns inside: Babbitt, Hoyt Lakes and Soudan. Nearby: Tower (on the line), Two Harbors (6 miles), Aurora (6 miles) and Biwabik (9 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 130?
DPA 130 touches 7 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 131 | 45 | 2025 | 67.9% | |
| DPA 132 | 215 | 2025 | 27.2% | |
| DPA 133 | 449 | 2025 | 12.9% | |
| DPA 176 | 599 | 2025 | 30.6% | |
| DPA 177 | 510 | 2025 | 24% | |
| DPA 178 | 1,521 | 2025 | 13.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 130 in 2025?
142 deer were registered: 141 adult bucks, 1 adult doe and 0 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 155, in 2021.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 130?
The DNR lists DPA 130 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 130?
Yes. 207,552 acres, 41.9% 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, Lieuna WMA (99 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 130?
917 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 135 deer, 135 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 118 DPA 131 DPA 132 DPA 133 DPA 176 DPA 177 DPA 178