Deer Permit Area 132: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 132 covers 513 square miles of St. Louis County, near Hoyt Lakes. Hunters registered 215 deer here in 2025, 212 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 16% from 2024. 27.2% of DPA 132 is public land open to the public, the largest share national forest (64,270 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 landDPA 132Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | St. Louis County |
|---|---|
| Size | 328,224 acres (513 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | One-deer limit: bucks only |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 215 (212 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 1,357 |
| Public land | 27.2% (89,422 acres) |
| WMAs | None mapped |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Hoyt Lakes, Rice Lake and Aurora |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 132?
The DNR registered 215 deer in DPA 132 in 2025: 212 adult bucks, 3 adult does and 0 fawns, about 0.4 deer for each of the 482 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 1,357 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 201 deer, about 15 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 90 hunters, 11 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 | 215 | 212 | 3 | 0 | 0.45 | 1,357 | 201 | 90 | 11 | 20 | 1 |
| 2024 | 186 | 184 | 2 | 0 | 0.39 | 1,340 | 170 | 91 | 11 | 18 | 2 |
| 2023 | 157 | 154 | 1 | 2 | 0.33 | 1,345 | 149 | 93 | 7 | 14 | 1 |
| 2022 | 175 | 170 | 5 | 0 | 0.36 | 1,542 | 161 | 115 | 9 | 29 | 1 |
| 2021 | 238 | 233 | 5 | 0 | 0.49 | 1,606 | 227 | 138 | 9 | 41 | 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 132 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 132?
DPA 132 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 132?
89,422 of DPA 132's 328,224 acres are public land open to the public (27.2%). The biggest share is national forest: 64,270 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 132 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 64,270 | 19.6% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 24,895 | 7.6% |
| State wildlife management areas | 228 | 0.1% |
| Other federal land | 29 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 89,422 | 27.2% |
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 (64,837 acres) and Cloquet Valley State Forest (18,904 acres).
How do you get to DPA 132?
No numbered highway crosses it. Nearby: Hoyt Lakes (4 miles), Rice Lake (4 miles), Aurora (6 miles) and Biwabik (11 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 132?
DPA 132 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 130 | 142 | 2025 | 41.9% | |
| DPA 133 | 449 | 2025 | 12.9% | |
| DPA 178 | 1,521 | 2025 | 13.8% | |
| DPA 181 | 964 | 2025 | 14.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 132 in 2025?
215 deer were registered: 212 adult bucks, 3 adult does and 0 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 238, in 2021.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 132?
The DNR lists DPA 132 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 132?
Yes. 89,422 acres, 27.2% 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 132?
1,357 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 201 deer, 199 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 DPA 130 DPA 133 DPA 178 DPA 181