Deer Permit Area 152: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 152 covers 61 square miles of Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties, near Wahkon. Hunters registered 153 deer here in 2025, 105 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 29% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 99.3% of DPA 152 is public land open to the public, the largest share state wildlife management areas (38,693 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 landDPA 152Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Mille Lacs County and Kanabec County |
|---|---|
| Size | 38,979 acres (61 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Two-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 153 (105 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 720 |
| Public land | 99.3% (38,694 acres) |
| WMAs | 1 (38,693 acres inside DPA 152) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Wahkon, Onamia and Isle |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 152?
The DNR registered 153 deer in DPA 152 in 2025: 105 adult bucks, 32 adult does and 16 fawns, about 2.5 deer for each of the 61 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 720 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 136 deer, about 19 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 159 hunters, 10 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 | 153 | 105 | 32 | 16 | 2.51 | 720 | 136 | 159 | 10 | 43 | 3 |
| 2024 | 119 | 75 | 30 | 14 | 1.95 | 741 | 106 | 165 | 10 | 33 | 1 |
| 2023 | 127 | 81 | 36 | 10 | 2.08 | 745 | 118 | 151 | 8 | 42 | 0 |
| 2022 | 146 | 70 | 52 | 24 | 2.39 | 591 | 138 | 128 | 7 | 25 | 1 |
| 2021 | 111 | 75 | 28 | 8 | 1.82 | 615 | 99 | 116 | 9 | 55 | 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 152 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 152?
DPA 152 is a "Two-deer limit" 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 | Two-deer limit |
| 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 152?
38,694 of DPA 152's 38,979 acres are public land open to the public (99.3%). The biggest share is state wildlife management areas: 38,693 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 152 |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 38,693 | 99.3% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 1 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 38,694 | 99.3% |
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 152
DNR WMAs in DPA 152, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Mille Lacs WMA: 38,693 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Rum River State Forest (640 acres).
How do you get to DPA 152?
No numbered highway crosses it. Nearby: Wahkon (3 miles), Onamia (4 miles), Isle (4 miles) and Ogilvie (7 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 152?
DPA 152 touches one other deer permit area. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| DPA | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Walk-In Access sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 157 | 4,606 | 2025 | 6.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 152 in 2025?
153 deer were registered: 105 adult bucks, 32 adult does and 16 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 153, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 152?
The DNR lists DPA 152 as "Two-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 152?
Yes. 38,694 acres, 99.3% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly state wildlife management areas. The DNR's map shows one wildlife management area here, Mille Lacs WMA (38,693 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 152?
720 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 136 deer, 93 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.